Self-service, security, and storage tools for private cloud computing

Private cloud computing often requires third-party tools to accomplish certain tasks, such as application migration, virtual machine configuration automation, and environmental monitoring. Private cloud computing benefits from three aspects of Third-party tool applications: Service catalogs, security, and storage.

The service catalog or self-service website is the crux of all cloud computing. By allowing end users to choose from a list of available cloud services, they put power in the hands of end users. Lack of proper management or service application monitoring will leave you completely out of control of your cloud.

Security is a major consideration in any virtualized environment, and of course in cloud computing. However, local security measures may not be sufficient, and traditional safety policies do not guarantee the normal operation of cloud computing. At the same time, although cloud computing seems to provide unlimited storage resources, the fact that mismanagement or misallocation can increase unnecessary waste of storage resources.

Service directory and Self-service web site

Sometimes directory services and self-service sites are treated as separate individuals, where self-service sites are often used as interfaces to access the service directory. But in cloud computing, these two technologies are a complete whole.

Typically, a service directory is a list of automated services that are available to users. It is the record source that the IT department serves for internal users. A service directory includes the name, description, cost, and related information of the service, which is provided by the backend management system IT infrastructure. It allows users to implement self-service through the menus of cloud services offerings. A well-designed comprehensive service catalog is an important part of cloud computing.

When Suncorp, a financial services provider based in met, Australia, builds all of its cloud computing, the first step is to create a directory of services. The Suncorp Service directory includes a list of automated cloud services for internal use, which can also be used by business users through self-service sites.

The service catalog not only provides a list of services, but also provides the features that users need in the cloud computing environment, and the service catalog can be integrated with a configuration management database (CMDB). For example, if you use your service directory to configure a virtual server, and changes on the physical server-as represented by configuration management notes on the CMDB-affect the number of CPUs available to these virtual servers, this change will also be reflected in the service catalog.

Here are some of the companies that provide a directory of services and self-service websites:

Newscale, acquired by Cisco in April 2011, is the foundation of Cisco's Intelligent automation tools for it portals, service catalogs, and lifecycle management software. This software helps IT organizations create self-service portals that cross physical, virtual, and cloud environments.

CA Technology offers a directory of CA services that enables enterprises to define service offerings. The local multi-tenant feature allows multiple physical directories to support multiple business models across physical, virtual, and cloud computing environments. It uses a billing engine to automate the department, cost center, and customer-service applications, and can send a detailed list.

The nimsoft Service Desktop module is an integral part of the Nimsoft Service desktop product that enables users to access service catalogs, submit change requests, and report events. The Nimsoft Service directory uses a bill template that allows users to enter cloud service requests. The workflow engine automatically sends all the tickets to the appropriate group based on the combination of the requester and the ticket.

What is the difficulty of cloud computing security?

Companies migrating from physical environments to virtual environments such as cloud computing need to update their security concepts and practices. You cannot install a traditional firewall or antivirus software in a cloud-based virtual environment; The physical firewall is not designed to check and filter traffic from the hypervisor running several virtual servers. Whatever protection you take, it must be able to handle different operations such as starting, terminating, and migrating a virtual server.

While the security aspects of cloud computing are important, many administrators seem to overlook many important security issues. For example, managing program security is one of the key and overlooked issues. If an intruder acquires control of a virtual server, he may be able to gain control of the hypervisor as well. As companies gradually allow their employees to access corporate data via smartphones or tablets such as Apple's ipad, there is a whole new set of security concerns.

If employees use mobile devices to access the database of background management programs, their security problems will become increasingly serious. Because mobile cloud computing allows IT administrators to centrally control security, this technology helps address these security issues.

Important security aspects of cloud computing include: auditing, intrusion detection, access control, and antivirus protection. Many vendors provide the unique security measures needed for cloud computing:

The Catbird Company's vsecurity provides automated monitoring and control of the seven control areas, including: auditing, inventory management, configuration management, change management, access control, vulnerability management, and emergency response.

Juniper Network Company's Altor VF integrates Altor virtual firewall technology and Juniper Network Company's network security management and STRM Series security threat response management. This product enables users to protect their virtual servers and cloud computing environments.

AppRiver Securesurf's Cloud Computing Security Toolkit includes e-mail hosting, electronic components security, archiving, and network protection services. The relatively newer AppRiver Securesurf is a product of network filtering and malware protection. AppRiver provides its security services in the form of software as a service (SaaS).

Barracuda's e-mail security Service provides a cloud-based e-mail filtering service that can be used to barracuda the cloud protection layer of anti-spam and anti-virus firewalls.

The McAfee Cloud Computing Security Tool Suite ensures the security of e-mail, identity traffic, and network traffic. The McAfee Cloud Computing security platform offers a variety of deployment options, from pre-installed software solutions to SaaS Solutions, and the combination of both.

Ensure control over cloud computing storage

Server virtualization has reduced it costs and increased server usage, but its application also increases the need for storage resources that are required. Some IT managers have found that savings from server virtualization are spent on storage.

Virtualized servers can consume up to 30% or more disk space than physical servers. The spread of virtual machines caused by improper management of virtualized servers has forced many businesses to re-examine their data backup and disaster recovery (DR) policies.

Some companies have said they must upgrade their storage devices to meet the additional storage requirements of virtualized server environments such as cloud computing. Other companies, such as Washington State Redmond's Tourism and management solutions provider Concur technology, have not only upgraded storage devices from Serial ATA to electronic integrated drives (IDES) to address performance issues, but also used data replication technology.

As the creation of virtual servers in private cloud computing becomes more common and mobile devices are becoming more widely used in enterprise and IT organizations, the demand for storage resources has grown significantly. This phenomenal growth also forces us to focus first on storage virtualization, data replication, and thin configuration before considering data backup issues.

Enterprises have several options for dealing with storage problems that become increasingly serious in virtualized environments. Technologies such as storage virtualization, data replication, and streamlined configuration can optimize the storage requirements of cloud computing environments. At the same time, several vendors also provide tools to address the growing problem of storage applications in cloud computing environments.

Related tools include:

The NetApp Company's Multistore allows users to create a single logical partition on a single storage system so that unauthorized users cannot access information on the protected virtual partition. Multistore allows you to easily implement virtual zoning migrations between storage systems and Dr in cloud computing.

DataCore's SANSYMPHONY-V Storage Management program is a portable package that can be used to improve the availability of multiple disk storage systems by supplementing individual capacity, expanding configuration, replication, and performance. It provides a transparent virtual layer across the consolidated disk pool, which improves storage usage.

Falconstor Company's FDS is a LAN-based de-duplication tool to achieve a reduction in storage capacity. It uses a centralized management graphical user interface (GUI) for user-defined de-duplication policies. Falconstor's FDS supports a variety of capacity applications, from small to rack-level storage that supports PB-level logical storage capacity.

Syncplicity's Virtual Private cloud computing enables automatic file and folder synchronization across PCs, Macs, file servers, Google docs, and other cloud computing applications, with unlimited numbers. It ensures that each file and every version of it is automatically backed up in your own virtual private cloud computing, and optional backups are implemented in the corporate network.

The Axcient Company's rapidrestore is a hybrid storage model that includes storage devices and networked storage services. Customers can backup storage locally and online for archiving applications. The capacity of the Axcient Rapidrestore storage device varies from 500GB to 10TB.

• Riverbed Whitewater devices that focus on data security accelerate data transmission over the Internet and ensure the availability of information in the cloud computing environment. The security of data and the slow speed of cloud data transmission are the main concerns of cloud users.

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(Responsible editor: Liu Fen)