Cloud Computing: Evolution, Characteristics, and Trust Issues

1. Cloud Computing Jacob Lange

2. Definition • Colloquial expression • Multiple machines connected through real-time communication network • Work together to perform a given task • Pooling of resources (processing, memory, etc) • Virtualization • Hypervisor • Optimizing effectiveness of shared resources

3. History • Ideas go back to 1950’s • Mainframe computing • Terminals • IBM

4. History • 1970’s • Virtualization • Greatest technological drive for communication and computing evolution • IBM – VMOS • Made up for limitations for physical memory by allowing multiple virtual environments

5. History • 1990’s • Telecommunication companies provide shared access to same physical structure • Virtualization becomes standardized and cheap • Explosion of World Wide Web

6. History • 2000’s • Huge price drops for hardware • Shift away from one server to multiple servers

7. History • Today • Multiple services finding own niche in market • IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and others • Remote storage/access • Businesses relying on third party cloud service for all computing needs • Concerns about security

8. Characteristics • Application Programming Interface (API) • Physical Component Based • Representational State Transfer (REST) • Ignores details of component implementation • Focuses on roles of components and interactions • Client-Server model • Internet is largest example of REST

9. Characteristics • Multitenancy • Single instance of software serves multiple clients • No need to buy new hardware/software for each user. Only buy when needs of all users exceed system’s limits

10. Characteristics • Remote Access • Device independent • Emulation • Remote data storage

11. Characteristics • Virtualization • Virtual Machine • Highly mobile • All software is emulated on virtual machine. • Can be ported to different physical machines very easily

12. Characteristics • Reliability • Failure of one physical node means very little • Very easy to back up data and store on another machine • Very good for users that require continuous access

13. Characteristics • Scalability/Elasticity • Just add another server to the chain • Diminishing returns • Upgrade hardware to one or several nodes in the chain • Also results in diminishing returns • Turn a node on or off depending on user demand

14. Characteristics • Efficiency – not so good • Having all resources in one super computer is more efficient than having them spread out • Adding physical node to the chain results in diminishing returns • New node means more security, more work for hypervisor, more overall complexity, etc

15. Characteristics • Maintenance • “Easily” maintainable by third-party system • Wider cloud -> harder to maintain • Businesses/individual users don’t need to worry

16. Characteristics • Security – double edged • Still a huge issue • Cloud handled by one organization tackles greater security threats than multiple users • Wider cloud -> more difficult security • Wider cloud -> more difficult to log user activity • Trust

17. Characteristics • Legal issues • Ownership? • Confidentiality of customers of the business that uses the cloud system • Private/sensitive data • Tracking/Abuse of data by cloud host

18. Service Models

19. Service Models • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) • Most basic • Provide virtual machine, physical resources, hypervisor • Storage, firewalls, IP addresses, virtual LAN’s • Remote storage • Little to no cost depending on amount and specificity of data

20. Service Models • Platform as a Service (PaaS) • Provides computing platform (OS) • Environment built for programming language execution (libraries) • Run software without worrying about complexities of underlying hardware or software packages

21. Service Models • Software as a Service (SaaS) • Most sophisticated, most expensive • Infrastructure and applications • Ideal for non-technical business • Vast majority of work is on host side • Remote access to applications • Host has access to client work - Trust

22. Service Models • Other models (NaaS, CaaS, DaaS, BPaaS) • Everyone has their niche • 2012 – NaaS included in standard cloud model by International Telecommunications Union • NaaS provides flexible VPN, bandwidth on-demand

23. Trust Issues • Four components for trust in cloud computing • Security – classic computer security • Privacy – Confidential data won’t be leaked • Accountability – Taking responsibility for performance, • includes legal responsibility • Auditability – quality of records that track user/host activity

24. Trust Issues • Methods to address concerns: • Preventative Controls – Controls number of times any action is performed, and access to data. • Ex: Restrict Read/Write access, Firewalls • Detective Controls – Identify privacy and security risks that break established polices/procedures. • Ex: Data logs, security audits

25. Cloud accountability life cycle

26. Cloud accountability life cycle • Policy Planning – decide what information needs to be logged • Sense and Trace – Software used to detect unexpected events in cloud environment • Logging – Log event with as much detail as possible • Safe-keeping of Logs – Encryptions, back-ups, etc • Reporting and Replaying – Logs generate reports that summarize event • Auditing – Checking reports for irregularities • Optimizing and Rectifying – Security loopholes are closed and any disciplinary action is taken

27. Future of Cloud Computing • Huge potential for non-technical business • Pooling of resources almost always makes them more affordable for everyone • Sharing of resources • Ownership • Sharing of data – TRUST!