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Introduction & Essentials of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is defined by NIST as the on-demand delivery of computing resources over the internet, characterized by on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. These characteristics enable users to access and manage resources efficiently and cost-effectively without requiring human interaction. The model allows organizations to scale their computing needs dynamically while only paying for what they use.

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Shoaib Mehdi
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2 views

Introduction & Essentials of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is defined by NIST as the on-demand delivery of computing resources over the internet, characterized by on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. These characteristics enable users to access and manage resources efficiently and cost-effectively without requiring human interaction. The model allows organizations to scale their computing needs dynamically while only paying for what they use.

Uploaded by

Shoaib Mehdi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Cloud Computing

NIST Definition
Cloud computing, also referred to as “the cloud,” is the delivery of on-demand
computing resources. Everything from applications to data centers, over the internet on a pay-
for-use basis.
To get a common understanding of cloud computing, let’s start with the US National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST’s) definition of cloud computing.
NIST defines

“Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-


demand network access to a shared pool of configurable
computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage,
applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and
released with minimal management effort or service provider
interaction.”

Examples of computing resources are:


 networks
 servers
 storage
 Applications
 Services.

This cloud model is composed of five essential characteristics, three deployment models, and
three service models.
Essential Characteristics:
Let’s start with understanding the five essential characteristics of the cloud, which include on-
demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured
service.

The 1st characteristic, On-demand Self-service, means that you get access to cloud
resources such as the processing power, storage, and network you need, using a simple
interface, without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
The 2nd characteristic, Broad Network Access, means that cloud computing resources can be
accessed via the network through standard mechanisms and platforms such as mobile phones,
tablets, laptops, and workstations.
The 3rd characteristic, Resource Pooling, is what gives cloud providers economies of scale,
which they pass on to their customers, making cloud cost-efficient.
Using a multi-tenant model, computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers;
cloud resources are dynamically assigned and reassigned, according to demand, without
customers needing to concern themselves with the physical location of these resources.
The 4th characteristic, Rapid Elasticity, implies that you can access more resources when you
need them, and scale back when you don’t, because resources are elastically provisioned and
released.
And the 5th characteristic, Measured Service, means that you only pay for what you use
or reserve as you go. If you’re not using resources, you’re not paying.
Resource usage is monitored, measured, and reported transparently based on utilization.
As we see, cloud computing is really about utilizing technology “as a service”, leveraging remote
systems on-demand over the open internet, scaling up and scaling back, and paying for what you
use.
It is a revolution in that it has changed the way the world consumes compute services, by making
them more cost-efficient while also making organizations more agile in responding to changes in
their markets.

National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) USA


• Essential Characteristics according to NIST definition:
• On-demand self-service
• Broad network access
• Resource pooling
• Rapid elasticity
• Measured service
• On-demand self-service: A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities,
such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring
human interaction with each service provider.
• Broad network access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through
standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous client devices (e.g., mobile
phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
• Resource pooling: The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple
consumers according to consumer demand. The customer generally has no control or
knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources (e.g., country, state, or
datacenter). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory, and network
bandwidth.
• Rapid elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released with demand.
To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited
and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
• Measured service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by
leveraging a metering capability. Typically this is done on a pay-per-use or charge-per-
use basis.

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