The Cloud Computing architecture offers scalability in computing enormous data and in a tenant organization. Resource pooling, measure service, self-service, and broad network access are the special characteristics that can elevate a cloud architecture. The blog below describes everything regarding Cloud Computing concepts, technology & architecture.
Table of Content
The below video gives a brief introduction to Cloud Computing and its various service models:
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing refers to the various services that are accessible through the Internet. These crucial resources include servers, databases, storage, analytics, software, and other cloud computing applications. As long as users’ devices are accessible through the web, all software programs and data can run on the cloud.
Another main role of Cloud Computing is to share resources among consumers and communities. Moreover, this resource sharing is done at various hierarchies, such as at the infrastructure, application, software, and business cloud levels. Hence, it is used by both small and large organizations alike.
Cloud Computing Architecture
Cloud Computing architecture is a combination of several components and subcomponents that form together. Cloud Computing security architecture is categorized into frontend and backend, along with an amalgamation of the event-driven architecture and the service-oriented architecture in Cloud Computing.
Frontend is a user/client-facing architecture. It comprises client-side interfaces and applications necessary to access Cloud Computing platforms. The front end communicates with the backend via a network, i.e., through the Internet. The front end also sends queries to the backend through the middleware.
Examples: Web servers, mobile devices, tablets, thin and fat clients, etc.
Backend, on the other hand, refers to the cloud itself. It is a compilation of Cloud Computing resources used by service providers (generally termed as hosts) to manage and execute cloud services. It renders security to cloud users’ data. The backend also provides middleware to help connect devices and communicate with each other.
The backend protects the data that comes from the frontend and also responds to the queries accordingly. Along with security management, this part of cloud architecture design also engages in traffic management.
Examples: Big data storage, traffic control mechanism, virtual machines, etc.
The Cloud Computing architecture diagram below will give you a brief about the cloud:
The Cloud Computing Tutorial by Intellipaat provides a broader aspect of Cloud Computing.
Components of the Cloud Architecture
Cloud Computing comprises several components that are loosely coupled. It conducts operations with the help of these components and subcomponents that make up the cloud architecture design. If you are curious about AWS then you can hop on to our blog on AWS Architecture. Let’s have a look at the various components that fall under the front end and the back end of Cloud Computing architecture.
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The Frontend of Cloud Computing Architecture
The front end of Cloud Computing architecture depicts everything a user interacts with. It is a combination of various subcomponents that combine to create a user interface. The major frontend components are as follows:
User Interface
A user interface represents all the tasks that an end-user performs to access a platform. Some of the popular user interfaces are Google Sheets, Gmail, and so on. The cloud possesses the benefit of taking the entire load upon it without annoying customers w.r.t. space and similar constraints.
Client Infrastructure
It is a frontend component of Cloud Computing that enables a graphical user interface (GUI) to help users interact with the cloud.
Software
It represents the cloud software architecture that runs on the user end. It primarily lays its focus on client-side applications and browsers.
Network
Client devices act as a key component in connecting cloud services over the network. Here, the Internet acts as a medium of networks in executing communications between both the frontend and the backend. It is hardware that acts on the side of end-users. The network can also be provided as a utility, thereby enabling customers to customize the network route and the protocol.
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The Backend of Cloud Computing Architecture
The backend empowers the functioning of the frontend. It encompasses hardware and storage within it. A cloud service provider takes up the whole responsibility of executing the backend of Cloud Computing.
The backend of the cloud infrastructure must be ideally robust as it holds everything together. The prime components of the backend architecture include the following:
Application
It is a backend component of Cloud Computing that represents any software or a platform that a client is willing to access. Here, user specifications are coordinated with the resources.
Runtime Cloud
The runtime cloud lays out the execution and runtime environment for the functioning of virtual machines. It is a cloud operating system, where services run as per the virtualization technology that aids in multiple runtimes on the same server.
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Storage
Numerous enterprises are willing to conduct their business operations through the cloud, primarily due to its significant storage capacity. Storage is an important component of the backend infrastructure when it comes to providing adaptable storage capacity for storing and managing a huge amount of data.
All the data that is ready to operate on the cloud resides in storage. Cloud Computing is also reliable due to its multiple replicas of storage, i.e., if one storage doesn’t function, information automatically gets restored from the other one.
Storage services are quick to access and retrieve information from the remote cloud storage servers. However, storage capacity varies according to the cloud service provider.
Examples: Hard disk, DC persistent storage, solid-state drives, etc.
Infrastructure
The cloud infrastructure is a combination of hardware, software components, storage resources, etc. that are essential in carrying a Cloud Computing model. This majorly depends on the clients’ workload. Infrastructure is known to enable services at the host level, the application level, and the network level as it is an amalgamation of CPU, GPU, and accelerator cards.
When studying Cloud Computing, it is necessary to have a grasp on the topics. Read more in the Understanding Cloud Computing blog by Intellipaat.
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Management Software
This software is used to manage and establish coordination among the backend components, along with enabling infrastructure configuration. It acts as a middleware in seamlessly partitioning the resources between the frontend and backend. It also enhances the performance of the code by implementing several plans and strategies.
Examples: Storage, runtime cloud, security issues, infrastructure, compliance auditing, etc.
Security
It is a built-in backend component that implements a security mechanism to ease debugging in case there are any issues. Its notable feature is security with a firewall to omit data loss and redundancy.
All the backend applications are secured because of this particular mechanism.
Cloud Deployment
It deploys and integrates applications in the Cloud Computing architecture. Deployment initiates the working of SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services to be used by consumers. All the necessary installations and configurations of the cloud are implemented from the backend.
Server
The server runs virtually along with the premises of Cloud Computing. It is delivered through a platform via the web. Also, the server evaluates resource sharing, resource allocation, de-allocation, and resource monitoring.
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Hypervisor
It is a firmware that acts as a Virtual Machine Manager. It provides users with a virtual operating platform to manage operating systems. It also enables sharing of a single instance of cloud resources among several tenants.
The hypervisor also plays an important role in creating microservices without dropping the load on the operating systems.
Example: OpenStack, Docker, Kubernetes, and Oracle VirtualBox
Another essential point to note down is that Cloud Computing services can be availed on both public and private networks or as a combination of both.
Service-oriented Architecture in Cloud Computing
The service-oriented architecture in Cloud Computing is responsible for providing the infrastructure utility to handle an array of tasks during the cloud runtime. It manages the type of service that is accessible according to a client’s requirement. In the Cloud Computing service, to get on-demand access to the network, the end-user either can own a data center or get access from the service provider.
It also conducts other tasks and functions, such as web services and storage.
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Cloud-based Delivery Services
Cloud-based delivery is something that is offered to an end-user from the cloud through platform-like software. The major types of cloud architecture are mentioned below:
- Software as a Service (SaaS): It is a cloud application service that runs directly through a web browser. Here, cloud providers provide software through the Internet, and administrators can upload applications individually. SaaS manages everything from installation to management. It allows users to access the application without the need to download the software. It does so via a licensed subscription.
Examples: Google Apps, Slack, Cisco Webex, HubSpot, and Salesforce
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): Similar to SaaS, PaaS is a cloud platform service for software creation where the development and testing of applications occur. PaaS streamlines the process of app development and functions similar to middleware services. In PaaS, the host avails hardware/software services without asking users to install it on their premises. It is a platform that lets end-users run, develop, and execute applications within the cloud.
Examples: Azure, Magento, and OpenShift
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): It is a cloud infrastructure service responsible for application data management and runtime environment. It is available to users on a pay-per-usage basis and executes scalable and redundant storage through API and cloud applications. IaaS maintains the backend to facilitate computer hardware in the form of a service, along with delivering virtualization technology.
Examples: Cisco Metapod, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Compute Engine (GCE)
These three combine to form a rack, termed as Cloud Computing Stack, with SaaS on the top, PaaS in the middle, and IaaS at the bottom.
Benefits of Cloud Computing Architecture
The Cloud Computing Architecture is designed in such a manner that, it adds several benefits like:
- Solving latency issues and improving data processing requirements
- Reducing IT operating costs and providing good accessibility to data as well as digital tools
- Helping to easily scale up and scale down the cloud resources of a business
- Offering flexibility as a feature that works as a competitive advantage for businesses
- Better disaster recovery and high security
- Automatic service updates
- Remote working and improved team collaboration
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A Final Note
The entire cloud technology architecture is aimed at providing higher bandwidth, uninterrupted access, and network security to users. It also plays an important role in effectively managing the budget, thereby enhancing the overall potential of a business. All the above components of the architecture help in resolving the complex resource-sharing problem and work distinctly to execute a single function, i.e., Cloud Computing.
Finally, it is in your hands to take a crucial business decision of selecting the right cloud architecture according to what your business demands.
If you have any queries, please drop them in Intellipaat’s Cloud Computing Community to start a discussion with your peers.