A brief description of the business cloud

Cloud computing is now a hot topic, as Ben Pring, senior analyst at Gartner Consulting, puts it: "Cloud computing has become a talk of everyone's interest." But everyone has a different understanding of cloud storage. The word "cloud" is a well-known term, but its meaning has evolved even more scientifically when it is combined with "computing." Some analysts and vendors will cloud, in the narrow sense of the commercial value, an upgraded version of Utility computing: the most basic is to apply virtual servers across the network to provide storage or computation. However, cloud computing is also widely used in other areas.

As we look at the real needs of IT, the concept of cloud computing is also becoming clearer: One way to boost the performance and power of idle resources without the need to invest in infrastructure, new employee training, or the latest software licenses. Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use model of service delivered over the network in real time, extending the existing capabilities of the IT industry.

Cloud computing is still in its infancy, there are large and small mixed groups of different vendors in the development of cloud computing services, from sophisticated applications to storage services and then to spam filtering different. Not bad, utility model infrastructure providers offer a wide range of services, as are SaaS (software as a service) providers like Salesforce.com. To a large degree today, the IT industry must go individually to accept cloud services, but cloud computing developers and integrators are already beginning to take shape.

According to different vendors, analysts and IT users on cloud computing, we will cloud computing breakdown as follows:

Software as a Service (SaaS)

This type of cloud computing is based on the multitenant architecture to extend individual applications to thousands of users through web browsers. From the user's point of view, this means they do not have to invest in server or software license for the first time; from a vendor perspective, the cost of maintaining one application is relatively low compared to the usual software service model. Salesforce.com is by far the most well-known provider of enterprise applications, but SaaS is more common in HR management software and ERP software vendors like Workday. And who can predict a sudden leap in software-as-a-service (SaaS) desktop applications from Google and oho Office?

2. Utility Computing

The idea was nothing new, but this type of cloud computing rejuvenated with the involvement of Amazon.com, Sun, IBM, and other virtual machine vendors that are engaged in storage services and IT on-demand access. Earlier companies primarily focused on utility calculations that would not be applied to mission-critical requirements. However, utility computing has gradually begun to occupy a place in the data center. Some vendors provide users with solutions to help IT organizations start building data centers from business servers such as AppLogic from 3Tera and Elastic Server from Cohesive Flexible Technologies. LiquidQQ's LiquidQ also has a similar service that helps companies integrate memory, I / O, storage, and compute capacity into a virtual pool of resources through the Web.

3. Cloud computing network services

Web services and software as a service (SaaS) are closely related, network service providers to provide API to help developers expand functionality through the network, not just provide mature applications. Their services range from the provision of decentralized business services such as Strike Iron and Xignite to the full suite of API services related to Google Maps, ADP Payroll Processing, US Post services, Bloomberg and regular credit card processing services.

4. Platform as a service (Platform as a service)

Platform as a service is a variant of Software as a Service (SaaS), a form of cloud computing that provides a development environment as a service. You can create your own application software to run on the vendor's infrastructure and then pass it over the network from the vendor's server to the user. For example, Legos did exactly that. However, these services are subject to vendor design and capacity constraints, so users do not have enough freedom. Force.com and Coghead, representing the company including Salesforce.com.

5. Management Service Provider (MSP)

Managed services are one of the oldest forms of cloud computing. Managed services are applications that target IT vendors and are not end-users, such as virus scanning services for email or application monitoring services. Management security services provided by SecureWorks, IBM, and Verizon fall into this category, with Postini's cloud-based antispam service currently acquired by Google. Other products also include desktop systems management services such as those offered by CenterBeam and Everdream.

6. Service commercial platform

Service Commerce Platform is a hybrid of Software as a Service (SaaS) and Management Service Provider (MSP), a cloud-based service that provides a service consumer that integrates with users. Most commonly used in the trading arena, such as expense management systems that allow users to order from a common platform, within the specifications set by the user, travel products or desk services that match the requested service and price, such as an automated service bureau Well-known companies include Rearden Commerce and Ariba.

7. Network integration

The integration of cloud-based services is still in its infancy. OpSource, a software services provider, is currently shipping OpSource Services Bus using what it calls Boomi's cloud integration technology. Software-as-a-service provider Workday recently acquired CapeClear, another business in the field, and this ESB provider is primarily engaged in B-TO-B business model services. Grand Central is also committed to providing users with integrated solutions, recently acquired by Google.

Nowadays, the use of cloud computing is not yet very extensive. A more accurate description of cloud computing may be "sky computing." At the same time, as virtualization and SOA become more widespread in the enterprise, this idea is beginning to be accepted by everyone. The scalable infrastructure should eventually be the cloudiest node in every enterprise. This is a long-term development trend, but it is undeniable that cloud computing will also be one of the most controversial issues in the industry for a long time.