Cloud Computing: Present and Future Technologies

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Definition of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has gained popularity in this century as people struggle to create a virtual world where the barrier of geographical distance is completely eliminated. According to Laudon and Traver (2015), cloud computing refers to the use of a network system of remote servers which are hosted on the internet to facilitate storage, management, and processing of data. It comes as a replacement of the use of the local servers that limit the sharing of data. In the world today, many organisations have realised that they need to share information is increasing, especially in large multinational corporations. In the past, people relied on the physical transfer of files from one office to another in order to share information. However, emerging technologies have redefined the approach that people use to share files.

Marinescu (2013) says that in the current competitive business environment, data sharing must be in real-time. A Coca Cola manager in London should be able to access information that has been stored by another manager in New York if such information is vital and needs sharing. This means that data should be stored in a system that makes it instantly available to all members of the organisation that may need to use it from various parts of the world. This is what cloud computing offers.

Distributed File Systems like HDFS

Hadoop Distributed File System is commonly used in cloud computing where data can be broken down into blocks which are then shared in the clusters. According to Marinescu (2013), the world today is changing, and many organisations are now finding it necessary to use cloud computing. However, just like in physical filing, cloud computing also requires an orderly arrangement of files for easy reference and planning. It means that these files must be clustered and arranged based on their class, usage, or any other factor that may make it easy to retrieve them on demand. Distributed file systems such as HDFS make this possible.

Public, Private, Hybrid Community Cloud

According to Laudon and Traver (2015), it is important to understand the public, private, and hybrid community cloud and their relevance in different contexts. When a cloud is owned and managed by a third-party service provider, then this is classified as a public cloud. The users do not have to put up their own infrastructure to manage their large data. The infrastructure is put in place by the third party. The user pays the third party for allowing him to use the infrastructure. Public cloud has remained popular because of the economies of scale. Individuals who consume large volumes of data can benefit from the public cloud community.

Their data usage is not limited in any way when using the public cloud. However, it is important to note that in the public cloud, users share the same infrastructures. The provider manages issues like security of the users, the availability variances, and configurations. That is why sometimes users of cloud computing are cautious when using public clouds, especially when handling highly sensitive data that needs to be protected from the individuals who may want to use it for ulterior motives. The figure below shows an image of how public, private, and hybrid cloud are related.

*Figure 1: Private, Hybrid, and Public Cloud. Source (Marinescu, 2013).*

Cloud Database

According to Rhoton (2011), for cloud computing to be effective enough to meet the needs of the users, there must be a cloud database. This refers to a database that has been developed for a virtual computing environment. It allows users to store their data in a virtual environment. Cloud database facilitates online business applications using SaaS deployment. Online business operations are supported by the cloud database. A company needs to create an online store that enables its clients to do their shopping, just like it is always the case when using brick-and-mortar stores.

The cloud database ensures that online users can have access to the data that is specifically meant for their consumption. For instance, the products available in the online stores must always be kept in the cloud database to allow customers to access them at any time. One of the reasons why cloud computing has gained popularity is that it has the capacity to support large data. Using large storage devices to store data was important in the recent past. However, with the emergence of cloud computing and the need to share data in real-time, the need for these large physical storage devices have been eliminated. Private cloud is developed and exclusively managed by individual or enterprises that are conscious about the security of their data. It allows users to have full control in managing their own security. Hybrid cloud is an integration of the two. It allows users to manage issues about security while still enjoying the benefits of being in the public cloud.

Cloud infrastructure

The cloud infrastructure is the hardware and supportive software that facilitate cloud computing system. According to Laudon and Traver (2015), the cloud infrastructure brings together all the structures needed to facilitate data storage, processing, and retrieval on demand. The figure below shows an image of the cloud infrastructure.

As shown in the figure above, the infrastructure involves the large computers hosted by the third party offering the cloud computing services. Other components include block storage, a network system, and client devices. The client only needs to have devices that can access online data. They include laptops, desktops, tablets, or even phones. The large component of the infrastructure is held by the provider of the service.

In the figure above, it is clear that while each individual user may have his or her own account with the provider where other users may not access, they all use the same infrastructure. It is like sharing the same building but having rooms for individual users. The risk of having such systems is that it is easier for an individual to hack into such system and steal or distort someone’s data, pretty much like the cases of burglary. Many of the vendors of cloud computing services are now coming up with additional infrastructures to enhance the security among the users. They are installing advanced software that will enhance the security of the users and the safety of their data.

Cloud applications

Cloud applications, also known as cloud apps, are application programmes which work in the cloud in the same way as those of desktop applications. Figure 2 above shows some of the cloud applications that are commonly used by consumers of cloud computing. For instance, finance applications have long been managed using desktop applications. Financial analysts use applications like QuickBooks to facilitate balancing of the accounts within an organisational setting. Cloud computing offers accounting officers an opportunity to conduct these processes. One advantage of using cloud computing for such applications is that updates can be done in real-time. The accounting officers will be using the latest data when developing financial statements. They can also update their books of account very easily because the whole system operates in a virtual environment.

The tedious and time-consuming process of transferring data from one office to another is eliminated in such systems. Another popular application in the cloud computing environment is the monitoring and evaluation of the employees. This application is relatively new, and it is meant to help the managers monitor the performance of their employees from the comfort of their own offices. In the current competitive business environment, firms are under pressure to deliver results that meet the expectations of various stakeholders. This means that the employees must perform optimally in order to enable a firm to meet its deadlines.

However, Rhoton (2011) says that employees may not deliver the best results when they are conscious that their supervisors are constantly watching their every action. It even becomes worse when the supervisors are physically present in their workplace. Some become too nervous about doing anything positive. Some workers will try to convince the supervisor that they are doing their best at work only to please them. Others will just be frustrated or even annoyed by such close monitoring. It may be interpreted as a sign of mistrust. However, Plant (2012) says that managers cannot ignore McGregor’s Theory X, which says that employees can sometimes be very lazy hence require close supervision in order to deliver good results. This cloud application makes it possible to address the current dilemma. The supervision can be done in several ways.

The first way can be to plant hidden cameras in the workstations. The cameras are then connected to internet-enabled devices. This will enable the manager to monitor every single activity of the employees without the need to be physically present in the workstations. Another way of doing this is to facilitate real-time monitoring of the progress made by the employees in addressing various tasks. Special software exists that can enable the supervisor to know the progress of a given task assigned to the employee. It also informs the supervisor when an employee has stopped addressing the task assigned to him. The communication applications offer a wide range of services to the users depending on the software a user has installed in his or her device. Skype, Live Chat, and other forms of communication are also available on this platform.

Scalable on-demand services

Many users of cloud computing services pay for their infrastructures at fixed costs. The service they get from their cloud gets affected during the peak hours when using such infrastructure. During off-peak, there is total lack of usage. This creates inconsistencies and inconveniences that may affect the ability of an individual to enjoy a given service maximally. Scalable on-demand services seek to address such problems. It allows the user to pay only for the services used.

Cases, where one is forced to pay the full costs even at a time when the service was lying idle, are eliminated. The system also eliminates the slowed traffic during rush hours by absorbing the peak loads. This means that other than lowering the cost of the service, it increases the performance of the whole system. Another benefit of using this service is that it offers consistency in performance. According to Rhoton (2011), nothing can be as annoying as an inconsistent online service. When one expects to get a quick quality service, he gets a system that is slow or has completely collapsed. One cannot rely on such services, especially when dealing with the issue of business. That is why the cloud has received massive acceptance among the business fraternity. The users are always assured of consistency. They always know that they will get the service they expect.

Virtualisation of resources

As the population of the world keeps increasing, there is increased pressure on the resources which have become scarce. Space is now an issue, especially in urban centres. Many offices are struggling to come up with effective ways of maximising their office spacing in order to accommodate more activities. The virtualisation of resources has come at a time when it is needed the most. As Plant (2012) says, virtualisation has helped many offices to maximise their spaces by eliminating the need to have a physical space to store data. The physical space is replaced by a virtual space.

Virtualisation is making impressive progress in three major areas. They include operating systems, servers, and storage devices. When the resources are virtualised, it means that they are moved from the physical environment to a virtual environment. Virtualisation has been considered to be an insecure means of storing resources. However, Marinescu (2013) says that with proper infrastructure, it offers the most secure and effective way of storing data. While resources stored in physical databases may be subject to physical damage that sometimes can be permanent, data that has been virtualised can be protected from such damages.

Business model

According to Marinescu (2013), choosing the right business model is very critical, especially for an individual who is in the business arena. Many business entities use Storefront business model. This model allows users to set up an online store for the products of their company. Firms such as Best Buy and Amazon.com have been using this model to reach out to their clients in the online market. The model makes it possible for the clients to visit the store, choose the category of items one is looking for, identify the product which is desired, and make an order for such a product. The model also allows the user to make online payments for the product before it can be delivered to the client. It is the most commonly used online business model. Vanity is another model that is popular among bloggers. Blogging started originally as a hobby for individuals who were interested in sharing their views and reporting on events taking place in the society in areas of politics, business arena, or in our social environment.

However, Plant (2012) says that blogging has become a career. The bloggers are now using their websites to advertise various products in the market. These bloggers are using vanity as their business model. Subscription is another common business model that is popular among companies offering products such as books, magazines, and newspapers. When using this model, the users- known as subscribers- are expected to pay a given fee in order to have access to a given material for a specified period. For instance, one can pay for a book through online bookstores such as JSTOR.

Future Trends of Cloud Computing

The future trends of cloud computing may be a radical shift from the use of physical facilities to a new era where most activities are done online. There is already a deeply rooted culture of e-marketing. The society has already accepted the fact that online marketing offers the best way of making transactions. The number of books reads online is soon overtaking the number of books read in the libraries. Many retailers are now going online as they try to cut down the cost of owning large stores in strategic locations within the city. Cloud computing is actually the innovative driver of our future society. The future trend will see many people preferring to use the hybrid cloud as the need to protect one’s data increases.

Issues of Cloud Computing

There are concerns that may derail the trend that cloud computing has taken in transforming society. One major issue that is causing concern among the stakeholders in this industry is the issue of insecurity. The business environment has become so stiff that business entities are doing everything possible in order to ensure that they remain in operation. Communication is very critical as companies try to share their research findings with all the stakeholders as a way of improving efficiency in their operations. It is very costly to conduct research and come up with new strategies that can make a firm competitive.

Once such findings are made, they must be shared with the relevant stakeholders using the cloud. However, there is the threat of other firms using unscrupulous means to access such crucial information. This makes it easy for them to make a pre-emptive attack because they already know about the security that a firm is planning to put in place. This issue has made some companies to limit their use of cloud computing when sharing critically important data. Some cybercriminals are also taking advantage of the cloud community to steal from the unsuspecting online shoppers who use credit cards. Such complains affected the expansion of e-marketing. Some people fear that their privacy may be infringed upon by people who have skills to gain unlawfully access into their accounts.

Use of IT-Applications to Reduce Problems that Business Organisations Face

The above problems can be addressed adequately using emerging technologies. The emerging technologies are coming up with ways of protecting data that is shared by the members of a given company or community. The software blocks any means of accessing data at any point other than the chosen destination. The user can customise it to ensure that such data can never be downloaded or modified at any other point other than the authorised places. New means of payment are also coming up, which will help eliminate fraud that is common in the current online payments. Instead of using credit cards, customers can now use software to communicate directly with their banks and instruct them about the need to make payments. To authenticate the transaction, the bank will make a follow-up call to the client before processing the payment.

References

Laudon, K. C., & Traver, C. G. (2015). E-commerce: Business, technology, society. Boston: Pearson. Web.

Marinescu, D. C. (2013). Cloud computing: Theory and practice. Boston: Morgan Kaufmann. Web.

Plant, R. (2012). E-commerce: Formulation of Strategy. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Web.

Rhoton, J. (2011). Cloud computing explained: Handbook for enterprise implementation. London: Recursive Ltd. Web.

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