Cloud Computing Stack

      Cloud computing covers a whole range of services. Since the development of cloud computing, people have taken the term cloud and associate it with products that do not sit in a concise definition. Therefore, understanding how the cloud can help an organization is very important. This article will seek to types of cloud computing services with special focus on infrastructure as a service or IaaS. The article will also offer advise on situations where cloud computing might not be the best idea for an organization. Cloud computing stack is the name that is used to refer to cloud computing with reference to a wide range of services that are built on top of each other.

     Cloud computing offers end users the ability to use parts of massive resources which can be easily and quickly accessed. There are several characteristics that are considered in order for a service to be regarded as a cloud. Some of these characteristics include the ability to for a user to sign up and get the services required without excessive delays. Another characteristic is the ability to access these services across a wide range of platforms such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers. Resources pooling across many is also another characteristic that is considered in order for a service to be considered as a cloud. Others include the ability to handle demand peaks and metered billing.

    Cloud computing stack as indicated in the diagram below is made of three different layers in cloud computing. There is the infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as service. Software as a service in cloud computing is an application that has been designed for the end users and it is delivered via web. Platform as a service refers to the services and the tools that are used in cloud computing. These are things such as codes that are used in order to deploy applications efficiently and quickly. Lastly, infrastructure as a service includes all the software and hardware that power a cloud. They also include operating systems, networks, storage and servers.

      Infrastructure as a service or IaaS is a means of delivering cloud infrastructure operating systems, network, storage and servers as per demand. The idea is that instead of purchasing all those things, cloud service providers outsource them to user according to demand. As such IaaS can be in form of a public or private cloud infrastructure. Private cloud implements virtualization features while public cloud offers shared resources. However, these two infrastructures can be combined to become a hybrid cloud.

     There are instances where IaaS might not be the best idea. These instances include situations where regulatory compliance might make outsourcing or offshore processing of data difficult. Another situation is when very high performance levels are required.