Cloud Computing Concepts

1.1 Cloud Computing Overview

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet ("the cloud") to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.

Key Concepts

• On-Demand Self-Service: Users can provision computing capabilities as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
• Broad Network Access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
• Resource Pooling: The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.
• Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
• Measured Service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.

Examples and Analogies

Consider a utility company that provides electricity to homes. Just as you can turn on the lights without needing to know how the power plant operates, in cloud computing, you can access services without needing to understand the underlying infrastructure. Similarly, if you need more power during a storm, the utility company can increase the supply without you needing to install a new power plant in your backyard.

Another analogy is a library. Just as a library provides books on demand without requiring you to build your own library, cloud computing provides computing resources on demand without requiring you to build and maintain your own data centers.

Insightful Value

Understanding these concepts is crucial for any CCNP Cloud professional. By grasping the principles of on-demand self-service and rapid elasticity, you can design and manage cloud environments that are both efficient and responsive to changing business needs. Resource pooling and measured service ensure that resources are used optimally, reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency.