Hybrid Cloud Architecture

     Cloud computing is an emerging branch of computer science. It is referred to as cloud computing because the all the applications and data is in a cloud of web servers. Despite the fact that it is called an emerging field, the idea has been around for a while. Cloud computing architecture is divided into two parts; there is the back end and the front end. It is just like many content management systems such as Drupal or 3DMAX. There is the front end which is accessed by the users and the back end which is used by system administrators. These two sections of the cloud are connected to each other by a network. In most of the times the means of connecting these two is through the internet.

     The section that is accessed by the users, that is the side that the customer or the cloud user is able to see. The back end is the cloud part of the cloud architecture. The front section of the cloud is usually a mobile phone, a laptop, desktop or a computer network. This section also has all the applications   that are required in order to access the cloud services. Such applications include web browsers, email programs which use the web browsers and other programs that are unique in the way they operate according to the customer needs.

     The back section is made up of servers, computers and storage systems that make up the cloud system. Therefore, it is safe to assume that cloud computing involves all computer programs that can basically do anything ranging from crunching massive data as well to processing data for video game programs. For such a system to work seamlessly, each program is hosted on its own dedicated server. A central server is used for system administration. It is also responsible for monitoring traffic according to the shifting demands from the customers. The central server follows defined protocols and uses special software called middleware in order to allow communication between different computers.

     When considering the  issue of private cloud architecture, one of the main things that one should consider is the ability to serve multiple tenants through the means of shared infrastructure as well as providing an option of chargeback or at least showing the mount of storage that each department is using. Some other considerations that might be useful when choosing private cloud architecture include location independence, massive scalability and the ability of the cloud model to expand or contract in order to geographically meet all the needs of the users who are using that cloud. Apart from the safety and security of the data, these cloud housing services swiftly manage the overwhelming web traffic. Public cloud hosting services provide services to several customers at the same time.

      Therefore, one cannot just go out there and just buy the cloud from just any cloud service provider. When selecting private cloud storage options, one has to completely change the line of thinking. It might help to understand that most people do not really understand what cloud storage means. There is a term that has been developed in the IT circles about cloud washing which generally refers to the practice of cloud vendors just sticking any name to a cloud service that has already been in the market for several years without making any changes to that cloud service with the intention of making it seem like it is a new cloud service. Private cloud architecture mainly consists of virtualized servers which enable users to access data and data movement between several and distinct geographical locations.

      Many organizations have created monsters in their bid to create a hybrid cloud setting. Such a scenario happens when there is no proper balancing of the private and public clouds leading to the incorporation of unequal legacy and cloud infrastructures that do not work well together thereby reducing the benefits that are meant to be enjoyed when using the hybrid cloud. A Network Computing article recently written by Susan Fogarty, in pursuit off the purpose-built hybrid cloud, she defines the main problem as having nothing to do with public or private cloud, but on how the two can be efficiently blended together. Therefore, the question that remains is how organizations can come up with the most successful hybrid cloud architecture.

      A good example of a company that has excelled when using hybrid cloud model is Distil Networks. This website security firm has adopted a new form of hybrid cloud architecture. The hybrid cloud model involves private hosted services that burst into shared resources. The firm protects clients against malicious programs and such a task needs very high computing power. The company started adopting this new form of hybrid cloud architecture after it started to migrate from Amazon Web Services. Almost all of its infrastructure is hosted on Bare-metal cloud by Internap. One of the advantages of Bare-metal is that clients have the ability to configure and customize their own dedicated servers which are hosted at Internap’s data centers.

     The hybrid environment created by Distil Networks is achieved through integrating their services with Internap’s virtualized services. This makes it possible to make use of the cloud’s virtual instances in order to scale up and handle huge traffic dumps and then turning down once the traffic has reduced. This has played a big role in minimizing the cost of operating such kind of hybrid cloud service.

     Incidentally, there are two kinds of customers who enjoy success when using the cloud. The first group of customers is the tech-savvy customers. These customers have no qualms when they make a decision to venture in to the cloud. They do not have constraints of legacy infrastructure therefore, making them to have better chances on capitalizing on the cloud much more easily. The second group of customers is the proactive group whose main focus on technology is using it as a differentiator. The companies that belong to this group might be large or small and in most of the times they made the decision of plunging into the technology world in order to reinvent their businesses.