Introduction to Cloud
Computing
When you store your photosonline
instead of on your home computer, or use webmail or a social networking site,
you are using a “cloud computing” service. If you are an organization, and you
want touse, for example, an online invoicing service instead of updating the
in-house one you have been using for many years, that online invoicing service
is a “cloud computing” service.
Cloud computing refers to the delivery of
computing resources over the Internet. Instead of keeping data on your own hard
drive or updating applications for your needs, you use a service over the
Internet, at another location, to store your information or use its applications. Doing so may give rise
to certain privacy implications.
For that
reason the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has prepared some responses to
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). We have also developed a Fact Sheet that
provides detailed information on cloud computing and the privacy challenges it
presents.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of
computing services over the Internet. Cloud services allow individuals and
businesses to use software and hardware that are managed by third parties at
remote locations. Examples of cloud services include online file storage,
social networkingsites, webmail, and online business applications. The cloud
computing model allows access to information and computer resources from
anywhere that a network connection is available. Cloud computing provides a
shared pool of resources, including data storage space, networks, computer
processing power, and specialized corporate and user applications.
The following definition of cloud
computing has been developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST):
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. This cloud model
promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics, three
service models, and four deployment models.
Characteristics
The characteristics of cloud
computing include on-demand self service, broad network access, resource
pooling, rapid elasticity and measuredservice. On-demand self service means
that customers (usually organizations) can request and manage their own
computing resources. Broad network access allows services to be offered over
the Internet or private networks. Pooled resources means that customers draw from
a pool of computing resources, usually in remote data centres. Services can be scaled
larger or smaller; and use of a service is measured and customers are billed accordingly.
Service models
The cloud computing service models
are Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). In a Software as a Service model, a
pre-made application, along withany required software, operating system, hardware,
and network are provided. In PaaS, an operating system, hardware, and network
are provided, and the customer installs or develops its own software and applications.
The IaaS model provides just the hardware and network; the customer installs or
develops its own operating systems, software and applications.
Cloud services are typically made
available via a private cloud, community cloud, public cloud or hybrid cloud. Generally
speaking, services provided by a public cloudare offered over the Internet and
are owned and operated by a cloud provider. Some examples include services
aimed at the general public, such as online photo storage services, e-mail services,
or social networking sites. However, services for enterprises can also be offered
in a public cloud. In a private cloud, the cloud infrastructure is operated solely
for a specific organization, and is managed by the organization or a third
party. In a community cloud, the service is shared by several organizations and
made available only to those groups. The infrastructure may be owned and
operated by the organizations or by a cloud service provider.
A hybrid cloudis a combination of
different methods of resource pooling (for example, combining publicand
community clouds).
Why cloud services are popular?
Cloud services are popular because
they can reduce the cost and complexity of owning and operating computers and
networks. Since cloud users do not have to invest in information technology
infrastructure, purchase hardware, or buy software licences, the benefits are
low up-front costs, rapid return on investment, rapid deployment,
customization, flexible use, and solutions that can make use of new innovations.
In addition, cloud providers that have specialized in a particular area (such
as e-mail) can bring advanced services that a single company might not be able
to afford or develop.
Some other benefits to users include
scalability, reliability, and efficiency. Scalability means that cloud
computing offers unlimited processing and storage capacity. The cloud is
reliable in that it enables access to applications and documents anywhere in the
world via the Internet. Cloud computing is often considered efficient because
it allows organizations to free up resources to focus on innovation and product
development.
Another potential benefit is that
personal information may be better protected in the cloud. Specifically, cloud
computing may improve efforts to build privacy protection into technology from
the start and the use of better security mechanisms. Cloud computing will
enable more flexible IT acquisition and improvements, which may permit
adjustments to procedures based onthe sensitivity of the data. Widespread use
of the cloud may also encourage open standards for cloud computing that will
establish baseline data security features common across different services and
providers. Cloud computing may also allow for better audit trails. In addition,
information in the cloud is not as easily lost (when compared to the paper
documents or hard drives, for example).
Sumber :
http://www.priv.gc.ca/resource/fs-fi/02_05_d_51_cc_e.pdf
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