Cloud Computing Technology and Trends

Cheah Yew ChungFaculty of Computing

Chia Chin WeiFaculty of Computing

Chong Hong LokFaculty of Computing

AbstractCloud computing, one of the emerging topicin the field of information technology, is the developmentof parallel computing, distributed computing and gridcomputing. The concept of cloud computing is based onthe timesharing of costly resources and advantages of theeconomies of scale. Cloud computing applies conventionalsupercomputing, or high-performance computing power, toperform computations in consumer-oriented applications.This paper presents the cloud computing technology andtrends.

Index TermsCloud Computing

I. INTRODUCTION

Cloud computing is a new kind of computingmodel. It has been envisioned as the next gener-ation computing model for its major advantagesin on demand self-service, ubiquitous network ac-cess, location independent resource pooling andtransference of risk. Cloud computing refers to theusage of IT resources delivered as a service over anetwork. Cloud is derived from the cloud shapedsymbol used to denote a network in typical systemdiagrams.

Cloud computing is a mechanism that enablesmanagement of computing and IT infrastructure tobe consolidated in one or more data center to reducethe overall cost of operating computing facilities.This computing technology provides organizationalabilities to access software, hardware and other in-frastructural resources from a virtual space throughthe Internet which is the key communication chan-nel. This concept based on the time-sharing of costlyresources and advantages of the economies of scale.Cloud computing applies conventional supercom-puting, or high-performance computing power, toperform computations in consumer oriented appli-cations. It is a result of exploring ways and meansto ensure availability of computing power to usersthrough sharing of resources and algorithms to opti-mize the usage of infrastructure, platform and appli-

cations. Cloud computing employs multiple serversnetworked with specialized connections to distributetasks pertaining to data processing amongst them.

Cloud computing brings us a new platform to re-alize data sharing which is done previously on webservices such as social networking sites, file sharingportals by moving them to another dimension tobe accessed anytime, anywhere. In this way, theworld has shrunk even further, personal or corporateinformation has become much easier to achieve.

II. HISTORY

The concept of Cloud computing originated inearly 90s and has progressed significantly over timeas under: 1960 - John McCarthy opined, Computa-

tion may someday be organized as a publicutility.

1990 - Usage of Cloud terminology toindicate large networks

1999 - On Demand service started bysalesforce.com

2001 - IBM creates a roadmap for SaaSconcept

2005 - Amazon offers excess capacity onutility computing and storage basis

2007 - Google, IBM and several univer-sities initiate research projects on cloudcomputing.

2008 - Cloud computing will shape therelationship among consumers of IT ser-vices, those who use IT services and thosewho sell them Gartner

III. BACKGROUND

Although cloud computing has only maturedin recent years, the underlying concept of multi-ple users sharing computer resources is not new.The earliest computing operations allowed multiple

users to bring work projects, usually in the formof data encoded onto punch cards, magnetic tapes,or floppy disks to a central stand-alone computerfor processing. These stand-alone computers couldonly perform one job or task at a time, and, as aresult, they were kept frequently in use processingone users task after the next.

In 1969, the Department of Defenses AdvanceResearch Projects Agency sought to expand thedistances over which computers could reliably com-municate. At the time the project was undertaken,the cost of a computer was very high and processingspeed was much slower than todays computingsystems. Often times a computers could be tied upfor hours, days, or even weeks on a single project.The ARPAnet project sought to create a platformthat would allow distributed users to share theirvaluable computing resources and collaborate ondocuments. Using the ARPAnet, a user could accessa computer located elsewhere on the network andfunction as a local user at the remote site. TheARPAnet mainly linked government agencies anduniversities, but it was out of the ARPAnet thatwhat we now know as the Internet was originallydeveloped.

With the development of the operating system,stand-alone computers could perform multiple func-tions simultaneously for the first time. This openedthe door for the first instances of multiple usersusing a system at the same time. Early instances ofmultiple clients sharing a single, sometimes morepowerful, computing device were known as localarea networks. In these settings, a single centralserver or computing device supported several stand-alone personal computers or dumb terminals (key-boards and computer screens) housed in the samephysical location. The terminals would connect tothe central server, which would do the terminalsactual processing.

Cloud Computing is an evolution from theseprevious efforts at shared computing. As prices forprocessing power and storage have fallen and high-speed internet connections have become ubiquitous,cloud computing has become an increasingly at-tractive option for many individuals and businesses.As of September 2008, 69 percent of Americanswere using webmail services, storing data online, orotherwise using software programs, such as word

processing applications, whose functionality is lo-cated on the web.

IV. CLOUD COMPUTING TECHONOLOGY

LOKLOK

V. CLOUD COMPUTING TRENDS

Marching into the year of 2015, there are manynotable achievements in cloud computing. Theseachievements directly shape the trend of cloud com-puting. The subsequent subtopics will discuss aboutthe latest significant trends of cloud computing.

A. Trend overview

According to Cloud Computing: A 2015 Horizon-Watch Trend Report, cloud computing trends can becategorized into three aspects:

1) Drivers. Clouds offer cost saving and an at-tractive pay-as-you-go-model. With cloud, thespeed of new services and new capabilitiesdelivery helps companies to innovate rapidly.There are no sole cloud model which is able tosatisfy all organizations requirements. Hybridcloud models are introduced to allow orga-nizations to store part of their data into thepublic cloud, while keeping other IT-resourceson-site or in a private cloud.

2) Challenges. Security risks in cloud computingcontinue to be a major concern of the cus-tomers. Users do not favor their data beingstored by a third party, where other userspotentially have access to their data.

3) Implications. More large enterprises will optfor hybrid clouds in near future. Clouds areshaped by the demand for anytime, on-the-go accessibility. Continuous development onvarious cloud delivery models (IaaS, PaaSand SaaS) is expected as customers seek tobuild and deploy cloud applications. Goodcandidates for clouds include, startups, com-panies going through reorganizations, com-panies with complex supply chain operationsetc. Mobile cloud services growth is expectedto gain large momentum in 2015.

B. Trends to watchA total of 13 significant trends to watch were

highlighted in the HorizonWatch Trend Report:1) Innovation becomes key driver: Cloud is being

used by large enterprises to create competi-tive advantages and to innovate. According toIDC, The primary driver for cloud adoptionwill shift from economics to innovation asleading-edge companies invest in cloud ser-vices as the foundation for new competitiveofferings.

2) Hybrids: Hybrids are expected to continuegrowing in 2015 as data security and gover-nance issues get addressed. Increasingly, en-terprises plan to use a portfolio of clouds, with82 percent reporting a multi-cloud strategy ascompared to 74 percent in 2014. RightScale2015 survey reveals that out of 930 IT pro-fessionals ranged from technical executivesto managers and practitioners and representedorganizations of varying sizes across manyindustries, 55 percent of enterprises are plan-ning for hybrid clouds, 13 percent expect touse multiple public clouds, and 14 percent areplanning for multiple private clouds

Fig. 1. Enterprise Cloud Strategy

3) Containers: The idea of accelerating app de-livery has been achieved with the introductionof Docker container technology. An increasein competition in the containerization spaceis expected within 2015. Since the adventof AWS in 2006, cloud and DevOps havebecome inextricably intertwined. For manyorganizations, the use of cloud infrastructureis a critical pillar to support the continuousintegration and delivery cycles and release

cycles that DevOps helps to drive. The 2015State of Cloud Survey results shows continuedgrowth in DevOps adoption, up to 66 percentfrom 6 percent in 2014.

Fig. 2. DevOps Adoption Up in 2015

As DevOps has grown, the set of availabletools has also expanded. DevOps teams are of-ten leveraging automated configuration man-agement tools such as Chef, Puppet, Salt, andAnsible. In the last year, Docker, a container-based approach, has also stormed onto thescene as another way to deploy code assetson infrastructure. All of these tools are oftenused in conjunction with cloud managementsolutions that provision infrastructure acrossclouds.With a significant head start, Chef (28 per-cent) and Puppet (24 percent) remain the mostused DevOps tools overall. However, Docker,in just its first year on the market, is alreadybeing used by 13 percent of organizations.Even more impressively, more than a third(35 percent) of respondents report plans to useDocker.

Fig. 3. Respondents using DevOps Tools

4) Cloud Security: Demand for Cloud SecurityServices will surge as enterprises demands fortighter security with encryption, automationand orchestration of security across all plat-forms and access points.

5) Managed Cloud Services: Service providersare expected to boom as companies increas-ingly look for a third party to manage thedifferent cloud environments with a consistentmanagement framework.

6) Cloud APIs: Open APIs for access to hybridenterprise/telco cloud-based applications willaccelerate as a means to develop and deploycloud applications. The REST standard iswidely used.

7) Mobile SaaS: A whole new generation ofcloud apps designed for mobile work forceis expected to make its debut.

8) Industry Clouds: These community-drivenand industry focused initiatives become morepopular as a way to collaborate, share knowl-edge, and provide a place for commerce.

9) Public Cloud Price War Subside: Public cloudproviders begin to differentiate on featuresand services, rather than just price.

10) Private Cloudy Forecast: Private clouds arenot dead, but increasingly large enterprisesare looking to hybrid and public clouds. The2015 State of the Cloud Survey reveals onlysmall changes in private cloud adoption from2014. VMware remains in the lead overall,with 33 percent of respondents using vSphereas a private cloud and 13 percent using vCloudDirector. OpenStack also has 13 percent adop-tion, but continues to generate high levels ofinterest with 30 percent of respondents evalu-ating or planning to use. The most significantchange was the entry of Microsoft Azure Packto the market, with 7 percent of respondentsalready using it.

11) AWS Innovation Continues: AWS is expectedto continue innovate its services rapidly inorder to attract enterprise clients. AWS con-tinues to lead overall in public cloud adoption,with 57 percent of respondents currently run-ning applications in AWS, up from 54 percentin 2014. This continues to be more than 4x theadoption rate of the closest competitor. Azure

IaaS has moved into the clear #2 position,doubling from 6 percent in 2014 to 12 percentin the 2015 survey.Note: The numbers below represent the percentageof respondents adopting a cloud provider, but do notrepresent market share since they do not take intoaccount the number of workloads in each cloud.

Fig. 4. Public Cloud Usage

Within the enterprise segment, the gap be-tween AWS and Azure is smaller, with 19percent using Azure IaaS and 50 percent usingAWS.

12) Cloud Skills: Skill gaps remain. Educationinstitutions continue to try to meet the demandfor cloud computing skills by improving theircomputer science curriculums.

13) Cloud Delivery: Cloud has become the dom-inant way to launch and distribute new soft-ware and services.

VI. CONCLUSION

Cloud computing is an on-demand service whereshared resources like memory, storage, network, op-erating system and applications are provided to thecustomers as per their requirements, like the elec-tricity grid. It is a culmination of research on largescale computing with access to unlimited resources.Cloud computing is an evolving paradigm. Thedefinition characterizes important features of cloudcomputing and serves to conduct a comparison ofcloud services and deployment strategies, providing

a platform for discussion regarding optimal usageof cloud infrastructure.

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