Hi,
Came across this new technology trends "Cloud Computing" and trying to acquaintance with it .
Its very basis article but no doubts it will clear your doubts about it:
Source : wikipedia, sybase web site , www.
Q: What is Cloud Computing?
A: Wikipedia defines cloud computing as follows:
Cloud computing is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them.
The concept incorporates infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) as well as other recent technology trends that have the common theme of reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. Cloud computing services usually provide common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.
The term cloud is often used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on how the Internet is depicted in computer network diagrams, and is an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it conceals.
Q: What is a Public Cloud?
A: Wikipedia defines a public cloud as follows:
Public cloud or external cloud describes cloud computing in the traditional mainstream sense, whereby resources are dynamically provisioned on a fine-grained, self-service basis over the Internet, via web applications/web services, from an off-site third-party provider who shares resources and bills on a fine-grained utility computing basis.
Q: What is a Private Cloud?
A: Wikipedia defines a private cloud as follows:
Private cloud and internal cloud are neologisms that some vendors have recently used to describe offerings that emulate cloud computing on private networks. These (typically virtualization automation) products claim to "deliver some benefits of cloud computing without the pitfalls", capitalizing on data security, corporate governance, and reliability concerns.
Q: How are enterprises using cloud computing?
A: Enterprises are typically using cloud environments for the purposes of testing or to accommodate systems with variable workloads. For example, they want to do simulations or implement a POC but don’t want to make the capital investment in infrastructure to construct these environments.
Q: What are the benefits from using cloud-based solutions?
A: Cloud computing is a potentially cost-efficient model for provisioning processes, applications and services while making IT management easier and more responsive to the needs of the business. These services - computation services, storage services, networking services, whatever is needed - are delivered and made available in a simplified way - "on demand" regardless of where the user is or the type of device they're using.
The cloud improves resource utilization through the power and flexibility of virtualization. It helps to quickly deliver standardized services through IT service automation, delivering and accessing resources as a service and reducing system and application management costs.
In summary, the benefit of cloud computing is often summarized as follows:
Reduced Cost – Public Cloud technology is paid incrementally through usage or time-based models, potentially saving organizations money. Complete abstraction of hardware and software resources also saves costs by eliminating server and storage management costs.
Flexibility - Cloud computing offers much more flexibility than past computing methods because of the ability to easily add extra capacity.
Q: What is an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)?
A: An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a pre-built package of software which can be used to create a virtual machine within the Amazon EC2. An AMI forms the basic unit of deployment for services delivered using EC2 and typically includes the operating system and additional software necessary to deliver a service.
Q: What are Production AMIs and how do they differ from Development AMIs?
A: Production AMIs can be used for all development and production purposes. Unlike Development AMIs they can use used for revenue generating activities and can be used by all developers and customers. Development AMIs are for development and testing only and are provided at no charge to customers and developers.
Q: What is Sybase’s Cloud Computing initiative?
A: This initiative is targeting developers that will enable enterprises to exploit the cloud computing model for various classes of applications including transactional, analytics and mobile applications, enabling organizations to take advantage of cost- and resource-efficiencies associated with Cloud Computing.
Sybase data management, analytics and mobile technologies will enable robust and secure private cloud computing environments in partnership with infrastructure, storage and virtualization technology vendors.
Sybase will enable developers to extend their existing software development environments onto public cloud computing environments such as the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) environment.
Q: Which other technology vendors are you currently working with?
A: As part of our overall strategy, we are working with storage virtualization vendors such as Symantec and its Veritas Storage Foundation to optimize Sybase’s Virtualized Resource Managementtm (VRM) technology framework found in ASE Cluster Edition for this storage environment to build robust and reliable cloud computing environments.
Sybase is working with industry leaders in infrastructure, storage and virtualization to optimize technologies for delivery into public and private cloud environments that provide greater technology availability and flexibility to Sybase customers looking to Unwire their Enterprise.
Sybase is also working with Amazon Web Services to allow developers to quickly extend their development environments to Amazon Elastic Computer Cloud (Amazon EC2). Sybase is providing customers and partners with freely available development editions of its technologies as Amazon Machine Images (AMI).
