Types of cloud technologies. "cloud" technologies in education. Working with documents in cloud technologies

And again, hello, dear readers! :) Let's talk about cloud technologies.

You mean, today another article will be entirely devoted to a very entertaining and promising technology (so to speak, the “gold mine” of the IT industry), hiding under the pseudonym - cloud technologies or in common parlance - “cloud”.

We will talk about the very concept of cloud computing, we will give a variety of examples of its implementation (at the level of solutions for ordinary users), namely, we will talk about the theory, then we will smoothly move on to practice and a little... wander in the clouds :-)

Thus, the purpose of our note, as always good (it cannot be otherwise) is to systematize the basic information related to this topic and sort everything out.

So, Earthlings, get ready, now we will talk about cloud technologies, which, every day, are becoming closer and closer to us.

Let's fly..

Cloud technologies. About everything, a little bit

In recent years, this topic has become one of the most popular in the IT sphere, many articles have been written about it, even more conferences have been held, and how many solutions already exist on the market (and are used to their full extent in everyday life, sometimes even unconsciously) , and can’t be counted at all.

However, as always, there is one “but”, namely, the majority of users still don’t even know what kind of “know-how” cloud technologies are and why they gave up. Well, we will correct the current situation and we will start, as it should be, with theory.

Cloud computing is a distributed data processing technology in which computer resources and power are provided to the user as an Internet service. If you explain it in accessible language, then this is your, in a sense, work platform on the Internet, or rather on a remote server.

Let's look at an example to make sure that almost each of us, one way or another, has already encountered this decision.

Do you have an email (e-mail)? Of course there is. So, if you work with mail on some service site (for example), which allows you to use this mail, then this is nothing more than a cloud service, which is part of such a thing as cloud technologies. Or, for example, image processing.

If you reduce the size or flip your photo in Photoshop or another special program, then you have nothing to do with cloud technology - everything happens and is processed locally on your computer. But if, having downloaded an image, for example, through , you process it on the other side, in the browser, then this is that very “cloud”.

More details about cloud technologies

Actually, the whole difference lies solely in the method of storing and processing data. If all operations take place on your computer (using its power), then this is not a “cloud”, but if the process takes place on a server on the network, then this is precisely the trendy thing that is commonly called “cloud technology”.

In other words, cloud technologies are various hardware, software, methodologies and tools that are provided to the user as Internet services to realize their goals, objectives, and projects.

As practice shows, the terms “cloud technologies”/“cloud service”, with their generally accepted graphical representation in the form of “clouds”, only confuse users; in fact, their structure can be easily understood if it is presented in the form of the following pyramid.

The base of the pyramid is “infrastructure” - a set of physical devices (servers, etc.), above it is built a “platform” - a set of services and the top - software available upon user request.

Also, you should know that cloud computing is a kind of basis vector obtained as a result of the synthesis of a number of technologies and approaches (so clever! :-)). To make it clear what I mean, here is the following diagram:

I think that now it has become a little clearer, since the scheme is quite simple. However, generally speaking, cloud technologies are a kind of mess that performs calculations with servers and other things without directly involving the resources of your computer.

It may happen that we will all return to computers that are close in power to, so to speak, the first ones and, in fact, will be just a screen with a microprocessor, and all calculations and power will be located and performed remotely, i.e. in servers living there somewhere, namely, in the cloud mentioned repeatedly.

Services provided by cloud systems

Everything related to cloud computing (hereinafter CC) is usually called the word aaS. This is simply deciphered - “as a Service”, that is, “as a service”, or “in the form of a service”.

Currently, cloud technologies and, in fact, their concept, involve providing the following types of services to their users:

Storage-as-a-Service
This is perhaps the simplest of the CC services, representing disk space on demand. Each of us has at some point encountered a situation where an ominous warning appears on the monitor: " The logical drive is full, to free up space, remove unnecessary programs or data". The Storage-as-a-Service service makes it possible to save data in external storage, in the “cloud”. For you, it will look like an additional logical drive or folder. The service is basic for the rest, since it is included in almost every Examples include other similar services.
Database-as-a-Service
This is probably more for administrators, because this thing provides the opportunity to work with databases, as if the DBMS were installed on a local resource. Moreover, in this case it is much easier to “share” projects between different performers, not to mention how much money can be saved on and required for the competent use of a DBMS in a large or even medium-sized organization.
Information-as-a-Service ("information as a service")
Makes it possible to remotely use any type of information that can change every minute or even every second.
Process-as-a-Service
Represents a remote resource that can link together multiple resources (such as services or data contained within a single cloud or other available clouds) to create a single business process.
Application-as-a-Service
It may also be called Software-as-a-Service (“Software as a service”). Positioned as “software on demand”, which is deployed on remote servers and each user can access it via the Internet, and all issues of updating and licensing for this software are regulated by the provider of this service. Payment, in this case, is made for the actual use of the latter. Examples include Google Docs, Google Calendar, etc. online programs.
Platform-as-a-Service
The user is provided with a computer platform with an installed operating system and some software.
Integration-as-a-Service ("integration as a service")
This is the ability to receive a complete integration package from the cloud, including software interfaces between applications and management of their algorithms. This includes the familiar services and features of Enterprise Application Centralization, Optimization and Integration (EAI) packages, but delivered as a cloud service.
Security-as-a-Service
This type of service allows users to quickly deploy products that enable the secure use of web technologies, email correspondence, and local networks, which allows users of this service to save on the deployment and maintenance of their own.
Management/Governance-as-a-Service("administration and management as a service")
Makes it possible to manage and set operating parameters for one or many cloud services. These are mainly parameters such as topology, resource usage, virtualization.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service ("infrastructure as a service")
The user is provided with a computer infrastructure, usually virtual platforms (computers) connected to a network, which he independently configures for his own purposes.
Testing-as-a-Service
Makes it possible to test local or cloud systems using test software from the cloud (no on-premises equipment or software is required).

For clarity, let’s summarize all these services of the “cloud” architecture, into one diagram behind which cloud technologies lie (sorry, it’s in English):

Which shows the classification of services by type of service.

Now let’s look at what cloud technologies there are, so to speak, according to the form of ownership. Here, there are three categories:

Public
Private
Hybrid.

Briefly about each:

Public cloud is an IT infrastructure used simultaneously by many companies and services. Users do not have the ability to manage and maintain this “cloud”, and all responsibility for these issues rests with the owner of the resource. Any company and individual user can become a subscriber to the services offered.
Examples include online services: Amazon EC2, Google Apps/Docs, Microsoft Office Web.
A private cloud is a secure IT infrastructure controlled and operated in the interests of a single organization. An organization can manage a private cloud in-house or outsource the task. The infrastructure can be located either on the premises of the customer or at an external operator (or partly at the customer and partly at the operator).
Hybrid cloud is an IT infrastructure that uses the best qualities of the public and private cloud to solve the problem. This type is often used when an organization has seasonal periods of activity, in other words, as soon as the internal IT infrastructure cannot cope with current tasks, part of the capacity is transferred to the public cloud (for example, large volumes of statistical information), as well as to provide access to users to enterprise resources through the public cloud.

Confused? It’s okay, we’ll look at the examples soon and everything will fall into place;)

Cloud computing capabilities

Now let's look at the possibilities of cloud computing:

Access to personal information from any computer connected to the Internet
You can work with information from different devices (PCs, tablets, phones, etc.)
It doesn’t matter which operating system you prefer to work in - web services work in the browser of any OS
Both you and those around you can view and edit the same information simultaneously from different devices
Many paid programs have become free (or cheaper) web applications
If something happens to your device (PC, tablet, phone), you will not lose important information, since it is no longer stored in the device memory
Fresh and updated information is always at hand
You always use the latest version of programs and do not need to monitor the release of updates
You can combine your information with other users
You can easily share information with loved ones or with people from anywhere in the world.

There are quite a lot of opportunities, however, there are also some disadvantages (where would we be without them), which should also be mentioned.

“Fly in the ointment” - disadvantages:

The need for constant connection.
To gain access to cloud services, you need a constant connection to the Internet
Software and its “customization”.
There are restrictions on software that can be deployed on the clouds and provided to the user. The user has limitations in the software used and sometimes does not have the opportunity to customize it for his own purposes
Confidentiality.
The confidentiality of data stored in public clouds currently causes a lot of controversy, but in most cases, experts agree that it is not recommended to store the most valuable documents for a company on a public cloud, since there is currently no technology which would guarantee 100% data confidentiality
Safety.
The “cloud” itself is a fairly reliable system, but upon penetration into it, an attacker gains access to a huge data storage. Another disadvantage is the use of systems that use standard OS kernels (for example Windows) as a hypervisor, which allows exploit viruses and system vulnerabilities
High cost of equipment.
To build your own cloud, you need to allocate significant material resources, which is not beneficial for newly created and small companies
Further monetization of the resource.
It is possible that companies will in the future decide to charge users for the services they provide.

As you can see, there are two sides to the coin. However, this does not harm the development of technology, and may even spur it.

Cloud technologies - a view from the user's side. Solutions overview

We have come to perhaps the most interesting (and so loved by many readers) part of the article - examples and, so to speak, practice. Here we will look at what solutions, services, programs already exist on the market and what is worth paying attention to. Let's start with the services:

iCloud
The iCloud cloud service from Apple (which replaced MobileMe) is fully automatic and free (albeit with minor functional limitations). It stores your various content (mail, calendar, contacts, documents, music, videos and images, etc.) on servers, and then delivers it to all devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and PC) using wireless Push technologies.
Google Play
A fresh cloud service called Google Play from the “good corporation”, which is designed for users to place movies, music, applications and books on servers specially designed for storing digital information. Access to the service is provided directly from the browser, regardless of the OS, and therefore can be done both from a PC and from mobile devices based on Android. Each user has the opportunity to place and store up to 20 thousand music records for free, as well as directly download to the server purchased in stores (Android Market, Google Music and Google eBookstore) digital goods - movies, e-books, programs, music tracks, both purchased and rented.
OnLive
I think that everyone is familiar with the service, fortunately I have already written about it. Provides the opportunity to play modern games even on the simplest and weakest computer. Technically, it looks like this: the game itself is located on a remote server, and the graphics are processed there and are sent to the user’s computer in a “ready” form. Simply put, those calculations that are performed during a normal game on a computer, etc., are already performed on the server, and your computer is used only as a monitor that receives the final picture. If you don’t understand, then all this means that all problems with computer performance and the amount of free space on the hard drive are automatically removed, because no installation is even required. In addition, there is no need to pay quite a lot of money right away for a product (game, etc.) that you don’t necessarily like. Moreover, it’s no secret that you don’t want to play through most games again, so it turns out that the cost of several hours (or even several days) of pleasure is unreasonably high. A much more convenient option would be one in which you pay only for the time you play. Or - you would pay some small fixed amount monthly, which would allow you to play any of the available games without restrictions. That's exactly what OnLive offers.
Xbox Live
Another well-known gaming service, which also provides rich Internet functionality and is related to cloud technologies. The essence of the service is that owners of Xbox 360 consoles and PDAs based on Windows Phone 7 can play computer games and communicate with each other, as well as buy add-ons and various multimedia content in the online store. It turns out that the service creates a kind of virtual universe for gamers, the components of which are located not on end-user consoles, but in the cloud.

Thus, the last two services offer games as a service. Now let’s imagine that we are not talking about games, but about software. That is, you pay not for the product as such (for the box with the disc), but for the specific functions/opportunities that it provides you. Interesting? Here it is for me :)

Small note

And since we, as users, are most interested in software (and not all sorts of platforms as a service), now we will look at the “software landscape” (SaaS) of clouds. In other words, let's give the most popular software solutions that, within the framework of the concept of cloud technologies, actually now exist on the market.

Actually, according to the SaaS concept, as mentioned above, you do not pay a lump sum when buying a product, but, as it were, rent it. Moreover, you use exactly those functions that you need (and, accordingly, pay for them). For example, once a year you need a certain program and you are not going to use it more often. So why buy a product that will sit idle?

And why waste space on it (in an apartment, if it’s a box with a disk, or on a hard drive, if it’s a file)? That's right, no reason, because there is an alternative option - a free online service (providing the full functionality of this program).

Working with documents in cloud technologies

It was along this path that two headliners of the IT industry (and part-time competitors) - Google and Microsoft - followed. Both companies have released sets of services that allow you to work with documents.

On Google's side, this is their Google Docs (now Google Drive):

Free online office, including a word processor, spreadsheet processor and “stuff” for creating presentations, as well as an Internet service cloud file storage with file sharing functions.

This is web-based software, that is, a program that works within a web browser without installation on the user’s computer, that is, an alternative version of all sorts of Word, Excel, etc., without the need to purchase or anything like that. Documents and tables created by the user are saved on a special Google server or can be exported to a file.

This is one of the key advantages of the program, since access to the entered data can be carried out from any computer connected to the Internet (access is protected by a password).

From Microsoft's side, this is their Microsoft Office Web Apps:

Microsoft Office Web Apps allow you to use the capabilities of Microsoft Office through a web browser and work with documents (and not only view them, but also edit them) directly on the website on which they are stored.

Thus, documents look exactly the same in the browser as they do in Office programs, i.e. complete, so to speak, unification.

It is also worth noting that both services are closely interconnected with mail (Gmail in the first case and Hotmail in the second) and file storage, so to use Google Docs, you just need to create a free Google account and you will receive a set of programs for working with texts, spreadsheets and etc., right in the browser. For many, Google Docs has completely replaced, as mentioned above, the paid MS Office.

To sum it up briefly (for these two services), we can say that the user is transferred from his usual offline environment to online.
Let's move on.

Cloud technologies and data storage

Cloud file storage is no less popular. The most famous repository is considered...

Dropbox.
You may have several computers, but with the help of this cloud storage you can create a common folder with files for all your PCs and even smartphones. The most interesting thing is that you don’t have to do any special actions here, because the operating system itself will perceive the shared folder, like all other folders on the hard drive, and Dropbox will simply take care of synchronization. The service allows you to store up to 2 GB of data for free. Its main emphasis is on synchronization and information exchange. Dropbox keeps a history of downloads so that after deleting files from the server, it is possible to restore data, plus it keeps a history of file modifications, which is available for the last 30 days.
Windows Live SkyDrive.
The SkyDrive service allows you to save up to 7 GB (and you can exchange files up to 100 MB) of information organized using standard folders. Images have a preview mode, as well as the ability to show them in the form of slides. In addition to the fact that the service is integrated with Microsoft Office, it also supports the new operating system (more precisely, the SkyDrive client is built into Metro applications and allows you to upload documents and photos to the cloud in one click, and open files from remote storage).
And of course Google Drive. There will be a separate article about it.

By the way, not only all kinds of offices and file storage use cloud technologies. For example, in the fight against digital “evil spirits” they also relied on cloud computing. And here is the result - free antivirus Panda Cloud Antivirus.

It is based on innovative "collective intelligence" technology (which automatically identifies new threats in a minimum period of time) and allows you to minimize the impact of protection on your computer's system resources, using the computing power of cloud technologies for most operations: analysis, blocking and attempts to remove malware.

Antivirus servers use information collected from millions of users of Panda antivirus products around the world to automatically detect and classify new types of malware emerging every day.

In a nutshell, it’s something like this, although there are still a lot of services that could be talked about, but then you’ll have to write a volume of War and Peace :)
So let's get to the results slowly.

Cloud technologies. Cloudy or clear?

Simply put, the cloud is an opportunity to always have guaranteed and secure access to all your personal information, as well as avoiding the need to keep a lot of unnecessary things in your pocket (all sorts of flash drives, disks, wires and all that other stuff) or buy a new computer/components /programs/games, etc. There is no doubt that at the moment, cloud technologies are one of the most popular and interesting topics in the IT sphere and more and more interesting solutions appearing in the world are connected with them.

Of course, it is still difficult for the average user to fully appreciate (and reveal) their full potential, but the fact that it exists is visible to the naked eye.

Thus, without any doubt, the future of cloud technologies seems very bright, because such giants (Microsoft, Apple and Google) are simply not doing anything and it is absolutely clear that if they have entered this uncharted territory, they are clearly not going to it should go away, because two years ago the concept of “cloud” seemed only a beautiful idea and a bold experiment, and today the benefits of cloud technologies can be felt even by those people who are not involved in program development, web technologies and other highly specialized things (the above-mentioned Xbox Live, Windows Live, OnLive, Google Docs- vivid examples of this).

Afterword

Something like this. I hope that the information was interesting, useful and exciting for you. Stay with the project - you are always welcome here;)

As usual, if you have questions, additions, and other differences, then comments are at your service.

PS: Thanks to team member 25 KADR for the existence of this article

The Internet has become entrenched in our lives. Many users can no longer imagine their life without a computer. Naturally, technology improves every year. And for active users of the global network, such a useful technology as a cloud server has appeared. What is it? What is it for?

Cloud technologies are...

Today you can often hear about such a function as cloud computing. The name of such servers comes from a graphic picture that is used to indicate technologies.

Cloud technologies are the ability to access data without installing special applications on the device. All necessary software is provided to users by servers. But whether you have to pay for this remote access to data or not depends directly on the requests.

How are cloud technologies different from conventional ones?

To more clearly explain the difference between conventional technologies and cloud storage, we can take email as an example. The case when an email client, such as Outlook, is already installed on the user's computer, and all data received by email is saved to the hard drive, is considered a common IT technology. That is, the user himself can manage the received files and decide what to do with them. And the mail client will work exactly as long as the computer is running.

But email, which is opened using a browser, is already a cloud technology. That is, the user can access his email address without installing anything on the device. Moreover, if something happens to the server on which all the data is stored, access to email will be lost.

What do you have to pay for when using the cloud?

Cloud server is not a completely free technology. There are times when a user will have to pay for the provision of cloud storage service. All servers are divided into three types, which charge for different functions.

IaaS is a cloud model that requires a fee to provide remote access to storage. That is, the user only pays for access to the server.
When using a PaaS cloud, you will have to pay not only for the available resources, but also for access to special software for processing data.
SaaS is a storage facility that provides access to a whole range of software, for which, of course, you will have to pay a considerable subscription fee.

Positive aspects

Using cloud technologies has a number of advantages that are quite significant.

Young businesses benefit greatly from using cloud servers. They will not have to worry about buying their own server equipment, spending money on building a local network, or hiring system administrators. You just need to choose one of the cloud servers that is ideal in terms of memory size, number of clients and other characteristics, and pay a subscription fee once a month.

Cloud technologies are the ability to access the necessary information using a regular browser from anywhere in the world. Performance will no longer be of concern to the client, since it is monitored by those whom the user pays for cloud storage. Such systems are in demand among corporate users who need to establish document flow in an enterprise network.

For ordinary users who simply do not want to clog up their computer with unnecessary information, there are free cloud servers that will be quite sufficient.

Negative points

Of course, new cloud technologies also have a number of disadvantages.

Firstly, confidential data transmitted using cloud storage can be intercepted by hackers. The quality of the Internet connection must be very high. If the Internet is interrupted, access to data on the “clouds” will be impossible. At the same time, large enterprises still need a system administrator to organize data transfer.

If the client wants to save money and prefers a cheaper server, then he will have to face performance problems. Cheap cloud storage systems do not have a very good hardware infrastructure, where problems regularly appear, and fixing them takes a lot of time.

If the use of cloud technologies is planned for the long term, then it can be much more expensive than installing your own local server. Especially if a cloud technology with a wide range of capabilities, such as SaaS, is chosen for work.

Cloud storage overview

Cloud technologies are storage facilities that can be divided into three types of services:

Creation of infrastructure.
Platform services.
Software services.

This division will help with choosing a cloud server for data storage.

Windows Live SkyDrive is suitable for those who need a large amount of data. It allows you to store information up to 25 GB. There are no restrictions on file format. However, there are a number of advantages for some types. For example, when storing Office documents, you can edit them directly in the browser.

Dropbox is more widely used than Windows Live SkyDrive, although it has a much smaller amount of data - only 2 GB. It is enough to install one application on the device to have remote access.

A special server even exists for storing music. This is Grooveshark, which is considered one of the most popular cloud storage services for music files.

How quickly progress moves, simply by leaps and bounds, no less. The technologies that will be discussed have already entered our lives. " Clouds"they are called by the common people, and the IT people say cloud technologies. I propose to understand this interesting and promising technology.

What is the concept of cloud computing?
What are some examples of cloud technologies?

Of course, our solution level is ordinary users. Let's touch on theory at an accessible level and practice. In a word, I will try to systematize the basic information on the topic and, if possible, sort it into sections.

Using cloud technologies

The topic is quite popular on the Internet. There are many solutions on the market. However, not everyone understands this know-how and why we need it. If we touch on the mentioned theory of computing cloud commuting (cloud computing), then its essence is in distributed data processing.

You can say it differently. Cloud technology is when the user is provided with Internet services, various hardware and software, methodologies and tools to realize his goals, objectives, projects. An example can be given. This is a completely cloud service.

The structure of cloud technology can be represented as follows. These are servers, hard drives and other hardware. On this structure, like a platform, various services are created and offered. And only then the software that users access.

When changing the summer wheels (rims with tires) of my car to winter ones, I left them directly in the service store. This service reminded me of a trend in the IT sector as well. All my photos from my Android phone are automatically uploaded to Picasa (now the same as in G+), the same thing happens with photos taken with a Canon camera. Files in the Google Drive folder on my computer are automatically synchronized with Google Drive service folders.

Nowadays, the concept of cloud systems can offer many types of services. Services are provided as a service, this is the essence of the concept. Storing your data as a service. Those. set yourself Google Drive for example, and abandon old technologies for storing data on disks and flash drives.

This includes working with a DBMS, i.e. database as a service. The concept allows you to save on computer hardware and even competently use the DBMS in your organization. It is also possible to provide software accessible via the Internet. For example Google Docs, Google Calendar like cloud technologies google.

As a service from cloud systems, security as a service is already offered. Those. cloud security technologies that enable users to save on maintaining their own security system.

Applications of cloud technologies

There are also plenty of cloud computing opportunities. This is access from any computer, working with your information from other devices like tablets and phones. It also doesn’t matter what operating system you are working on and how many people are working simultaneously with the same information. It's easy to share, and it's easy to connect yours with information from people around the world.

Your information is not stored on your devices and is thereby protected from loss. Not only have many paid programs been replaced by free web applications, but the latest version is always at your service.

Cloud technologies examples:

We will review the solutions, services, and application software already available on the market. Google cloud technologies recently released the Google Play service. The corporation allows us to host our movies, music, books and various applications.

Apple has provided its iCloud service. This service stores all your content and delivers it to any device using Push technology. Gaming services OnLive and Xbox Live offer games as a service.

But the situation with software is more interesting. Instead of packaged programs, Google Corporation (Microsoft did the same) provided the ability to work with Google Drive documents. This is storing, editing and sharing files.

Pure storage services Dropbox and Windows Live SkyDrive. Dropbox allows you to store up to 2GB of data for free. Up to 7GB allows you to save the SkyDrive service.

And so, the cloud is guaranteed and secure access to your information. The ability to synchronize your computers without burdening yourself with flash drives, disks and wires. Technologies are in great demand and new products in the IT field will, of course, be associated with them.

The Internet has become an integral part of people's lives, and new opportunities are regularly emerging that can make various tasks easier. What’s new is cloud technologies that can be used in various fields: education, medicine, logistics, and so on.

What is cloud technology?

Let's start with the definition, so cloud technologies imply the user's ability to access data without installing applications on his device, since all the software is provided by servers. It is important to know that such services can be either free or paid, and it all depends on the requests. To understand what the use of cloud technologies is, you need to understand their difference from conventional conditions.

For example, let's take email, when the email client is installed on the computer and all data is saved on the hard drive. In this case, the user decides what to do with the files.
If we talk about mail, which a person uses through a browser, then this is already a cloud technology. It is clear here that if problems arise with the server, then access to mail will be lost.

Benefits of cloud services

First, let's look at the existing advantages, which include:

To store information, you do not need to buy expensive computers and components, because everything will be stored on the cloud.
PC performance increases, because cloud technologies in office work and other areas launch programs remotely, so there is a lot of free space on the computer.
Maintenance problems are decreasing every year, because the number of physical servers is constantly decreasing, and the software is constantly being updated.
The cost of purchasing software is reduced, since you only need to buy a program for the “cloud” once and that’s it, and sometimes you can even order its rental.
Cloud technologies have no restrictions on the amount of data stored. In most cases, the volume of such services amounts to millions of gigabytes.
Programs are updated automatically, so there is no need to monitor this, as is the case with downloaded applications.
The cloud can be used on any operating system since programs are accessed through web browsers.
New cloud technologies make it possible to always and anywhere have access to documents, because the main thing is the availability of the Internet.
Good security and protection against information loss, since sent data is automatically saved and copies are sent to backup servers.

Disadvantages of cloud technologies

The “cloud” also has a number of disadvantages that are worth knowing and taking into account:

Access is not possible in the absence of the Internet, and if there is no Internet, then it will be possible to work only with documents downloaded to the computer. It is worth noting that the Internet must be fast and of high quality.
The cloud service may be slower when transferring a large amount of information than with an installed program.
It's rare that security is poor, but in most cases the Cloud does backups so there's no need to worry.
Many people are confused by the fact that they need to pay for the provision of a number of services, but this is a business project from which people need to earn money.

Application of cloud technologies

There is a certain classification of cloud services, so the following categories of “clouds” are distinguished:

Public. This is an IT infrastructure that can be used by a large number of companies and services at once. The subscriber can be any company or individual. Users of public cloud technologies do not have the ability to manage and maintain the cloud, since this is only done by the owner of the service.
Private. When describing the types of cloud technologies, we should focus on this secure IT infrastructure, controlled and operated in the interests of only one organization. It can be located on the customer's premises or at an external operator.
Hybrid. This type has the main advantages of both previous options. This “cloud” is in most cases used by organizations that have seasonal periods of activity, that is, when there is not enough internal IT infrastructure, then part of the capacity is transferred to cloud technologies.

Cloud technologies in education

Computers and the Internet have also made their way into the education system, making it possible to improve and facilitate the process of performing a number of tasks. Cloud technologies in the educational process can be used for the following purposes:

Organizing the collaboration of employees on important documents, for example, an annual plan or program. Everyone is responsible for their own part of the document, and if necessary, all users will have the opportunity to leave comments and add information.
General project work, so the teacher can assign assignments to students, divide responsibilities and check reports, giving comments.
Cloud technologies can be used to create an electronic diary and transfer any written assignments. This is a great option for children who are homeschooled or miss school for some reason.

Cloud technologies in medicine

Recently, the “cloud” has been actively introduced into medicine, which raises it to a new level. New technologies provide enormous potential for revolutionary changes, because it becomes much easier to maintain and systematize medical documentation. The use of cloud technologies in medicine is important because they help to quickly determine the diagnosis and make a conclusion. At the moment, such a service is just beginning to be implemented, since there are no regulatory mechanisms for maintaining medical confidentiality.

Cloud technologies in logistics

The cloud has excellent potential in transport and warehouse logistics. With the help of cloud technologies, it is possible to ensure full interaction of all participants in the chain, that is, the sender, operators, transport company and recipient. All of them can communicate in real time, regardless of location. Using cloud technologies provides the following advantages:

conduct open tenders for contractors;
determine the most successful routes;
control delivery;
process and store all transportation data;
improve the quality of order fulfillment.

Cloud technologies in banking

Competition among banks is enormous and not all are able to withstand times of crisis. Such financial institutions are beginning to use innovative technologies to reduce costs. Cloud data storage services are aimed at automating financial processes. As a result, there is an increase in the efficiency of credit institutions by reducing the cost of reporting. It is important to note that since there is a threat of attackers entering cloud storage, customer information is not stored there.

Cloud technologies for business

Business people use the cloud for the following purposes:

A virtual server is rented, thanks to which the manager can fully control all hosted services, regardless of the provider.
It’s easy to create a virtual contact center online, so you can save on renting premises and organizing workspaces. Work can begin within two days from the date of submission of the application to the provider.
Cloud services for business are used to create a virtual office, that is, the workplace will not be tied to a specific computer. The “cloud” reproduces the company’s internal network, that is, it includes disks, folders and planning programs.

Games via cloud service

In the 2000s, cloud streaming services began to appear, allowing users to play heavy games over the Internet without downloading or loading their computer. In America and China this direction is already well developed. Recently, Microsoft made an official statement that they will be developing a DeLorean system, thanks to which a person will play through a cloud service, and the system will predict his actions before he presses the keys.

The concept of cloud computing (computing) or cloud (dispersed) processing was first proposed in the 1970s. The idea was officially published and scientifically substantiated in 2006, when the company Amazon presented its web services infrastructure (Web Services), providing not only hosting, but also providing the client with remote computing power. Similar services following Amazon presented Google, Sun And IBM And Microsoft. Moreover Microsoft introduced not just a service, but a full-fledged cloud operating system Windows Azure.

Cloud Computing(English, cloud computing)- a distributed data processing technology in which computer resources and power are provided to the user as an Internet service. As a rule, the term “cloud computing” used today is applicable to any services that are provided via the Internet. The term “cloud” itself comes from the accepted graphic designation of the Internet, which is depicted in the form of clouds. Thus, cloud computing is a new paradigm that involves distributed and remote processing and storage of data.

Today, a cloud service includes three main characteristics that distinguish it from a regular service:

mode of “resources on demand”;
elasticity;
independence from infrastructure management elements.

As a simple example reflecting the differences between cloud systems and conventional ones, we can cite resource issuance services on web servers. In the case of a conventional system, the provider charges for the provided capacity and resources, regardless of their use. As for cloud structures, fees are charged only for the capacity and resources used, thereby saving the user money.

Cloud services can be divided into five categories:

1) software as a service;
2) platform as a service;
3) infrastructure as a service;
4) data as a service;
5) workplace as a service.

Software as a service (Software-as-a-Service - SaaS) - a model in which the consumer is given the opportunity to use the provider's application software running in the cloud infrastructure and accessible from various client devices or through a thin client, for example, from a browser (for example, webmail) or a program interface. Control and management of the underlying physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including control of the network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities (except for a limited set of user-defined application configuration settings), is carried out by the cloud provider.

Platform as a service (Platform-as-a-Service - PaaS) - a model when the consumer is given the opportunity to use the cloud infrastructure to host basic software for subsequent placement of new or existing applications on it (own, custom-developed or purchased replicated applications). Such platforms include tools for creating, testing and executing application software - database management systems, middleware, programming language execution environments - provided by the cloud provider.

Control and management of the main physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including control of the network, servers, operating systems, storage, is carried out by the cloud provider, with the exception of developed or installed applications, as well as, if possible, configuration parameters of the environment (platform).

Infrastructure as a service (Infrastructure-as-a-Service - laaS) is provided as the ability to use cloud infrastructure to independently manage processing, storage, networking and other fundamental computing resources, for example, a consumer can install and run arbitrary software, which may include operating systems, platform and application software. The consumer can control operating systems, virtual storage systems and installed applications, as well as the set of available services. Control and management of the main physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including control of the network, servers, types of operating systems used, and storage systems, is carried out by the cloud provider.

From an infrastructure point of view, the following deployment models are distinguished:

private cloud;
public cloud;
hybrid cloud;
public cloud.

Private Cloud(English, private cloud) - infrastructure intended for use by one organization, including several consumers (for example, divisions of one organization), possibly also clients and contractors of this organization. A private cloud may be owned, operated and operated by the organization itself or by a third party (or some combination thereof), and may physically exist within or outside the owner's jurisdiction.

Public cloud (public cloud) - infrastructure intended for free use by the general public. A public cloud can be owned, managed, and operated by commercial, academic, and government organizations (or some combination thereof). The public cloud physically exists in the jurisdiction of the owner - the service provider.

Hybrid cloud (hybrid cloud) is a combination of two or more different cloud infrastructures (private, public or public) that remain unique entities, but are interconnected by standardized or proprietary data and application technologies (for example, short-term use of public cloud resources to balance load between clouds).

Public cloud (community cloud) is a type of infrastructure intended for use by a specific community of customers from organizations that have common goals (for example, mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance with various requirements). A community cloud may be cooperatively owned, managed and operated by one or more community organizations or a third party (or some combination thereof), and may physically exist within or outside the jurisdiction of the owner.

Along with obvious advantages, the concept of cloud technology is not without its disadvantages. The main complaints relate to security and the need for reliable broadband Internet access.

Let's look at examples of implementation of cloud technologies (besides webmail).

For example, a cloud service was launched in the USA OnLive, providing the opportunity to play modern games even on the simplest equipment. Technically, it looks like this: the game itself is located on a remote server and graphics are processed there, which are delivered to the end user’s computer in a “ready” form. In other words, the calculations meant to be done on your computer's graphics card and processor are done on the server, and your computer is used only as a monitor.

Also Apple is developing cloud technology in the form of a service called MobileMe. The service includes an email client, calendar, address book, file storage, photo album and a tool for locating lost items iPhone. This service is paid, but the main thing here is different. Apple provides this level of interaction of its set of Internet services and applications on a computer, phone, player and iPad, that the need to use a browser disappears. You use familiar programs on your Mac, iPhone And iPad, however, all data is not stored on them, but in the cloud, which allows you to forget about the need for synchronization, as well as accessibility. At the same time, let’s make a reservation that you don’t have to use the applications specifically - you can simply log into your account through a browser from any computer.

Under development Google operating system Chrome OS is actually one browser through which the user interacts with an extensive network of web services. The OS is aimed at netbooks, with very low system requirements and no need to install programs yourself. In other words, Google provides the benefits of the cloud concept to ordinary users. The truth is that the disadvantage of this approach is that without the Internet, a netbook based Chrome OS will be completely useless.

Let us note the advantages and disadvantages of cloud technologies.

Advantages cloud computing:

reducing the requirements for the computing power of the user's computer (any computer that can open a browser window receives the enormous potential of a real workstation);
cost savings on purchasing, supporting, upgrading software and equipment;
scalability, fault tolerance and security; automatic allocation and release of the necessary resources depending on the needs of the application. Maintenance and software updates are carried out by the service provider;
remote access to data in the cloud - you can work from anywhere on the planet where there is access to the Internet;
high data processing speed;
payment for services as needed and only for what is used;
saving disk space Submissions and programs are stored on remote servers).

Flaws cloud computing:

dependence of the integrity of user data on the companies providing the service;
the need for reliable and fast access to the Internet;
lack of generally accepted standards in the area of security of cloud technologies;
the possibility of cloud monopolists emerging;
the danger of hacker attacks on the server (when storing data on a computer, you can disconnect from the Internet at any time and clean the system using an antivirus).

Despite all the criticism, cloud technologies have a good future. The simplest proof of this is that no matter how the three main giants competed and contradicted each other ( Microsoft, Apple And Google), they all almost simultaneously rushed into this new technology and have no intention of leaving. Moreover, all three companies connect their future with cloud technologies. Two years ago the concept cloud computing seemed just a beautiful idea, a “bait”, a strange experiment. Today, the benefits of cloud technologies can be felt even by those people who are not involved in software development, web technologies and other highly specialized things ( Xbox Live, Windows Live, MobileMe, OnLive, Google Docs- vivid examples of this).

Below is a brief description of several open source cloud technology projects.

Chef is a relatively new project, only a year old, but it is actively being developed, as can be seen from the frequency of code registrations. This is a build framework for configuration management of all types of /G infrastructure, in particular among cloud developments. First, source code is written that describes how the infrastructure will be built, and then these descriptions are applied to the servers. The result is a fully automated infrastructure. Chef professionally supported and sponsored by the company Opscode.

Eucalyptus- this is infrastructure Open Source software for implementing cloud technologies on clusters. Current interface Eucalyptus interface compatible Amazon's EU 2,

S3 and EBS, however, the infrastructure is designed to support multiple client interfaces. Eucalyptus implemented using generally available tools Linux and basic web service technologies, which facilitates installation and support of the system. Eucalyptus Systems provide counseling, training and support services.

First of all, the cloud is of interest to end users of information systems. The simplest case: there is a web service that serves requests from users. The service is implemented in the cloud. As the number of requests grows and the service can no longer cope with the load, new nodes can be added to the system (dynamically or on demand) and the load redistributed between them

Secondly, Eucalyptus useful in the actual development of software systems. In the cloud, you can combine hardware resources of all stripes and shades that meet the requirements Eucalyptus.

OpenNebula- this is perhaps the most interesting and most significant project in the list of “cloud” technologies, advertising itself as Open Source tools for cloud computing. OpenNebula is a tool that can be used for any type of cloud implementation and for managing virtual infrastructure in a data center or cluster, or for combining local infrastructure with a public cloud-based infrastructure. OpenNebula also supports public clouds, allowing cloud interfaces to expose their functionality to virtual machine, memory and network management.

Zenoss- has the ability to track Amazon Web Services and all types of other cloud and virtual infrastructure.

Enomaly's Elastic Computing Platform(hereinafter - ECP) - programmable virtual cloud infrastructure for all types of enterprises. ESR Helps develop, manage and implement virtual applications in the cloud and significantly reduce administrative and system workload. The web-based dashboard enables 77 employees to simplify and effectively plan implementations, automate scaling and load balancing of virtual machines, analyze, configure and optimize the cloud capabilities of easy-to-use utility programs. ESR the platform was designed to work with the virtual data center, delivering added value and reduced costs.

Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud includes Ubuntu Server Edition and integrates several Open Source projects, including Eucalyptus. UEC provides users with turnkey packages for implementing a private cloud.