Cloud Computing

This is when we use the internet to access things like storage, servers, or programs, so we do not need to own or take care of the physical computers on our own. There are basic concepts that are really important to make sure today's IT systems can handle the needs of businesses. Modern businesses need their systems to be fast at adapting, use resources wisely, always stay up and running, and be able to reach people all around the world. Cloud computing has changed how companies use these ideas, making it easier to grow, set up, and manage services. This helps businesses stay strong, flexible, and efficient in a world where technology is always changing.

1. Virtualization
I can explain virtualization as a technology that allows us to create virtual versions of physical hardware resources, like servers, storage, and networks. Virtualization makes it possible for us to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical machine, with each VM acting as a separate, isolated system. This approach helps in optimizing resource usage, reducing operational costs, and enhancing flexibility.

2. Scalability
Scalability can mean the ability of a system to handle increasing workloads, or the capability of the system to expand in response to growing demands. We can achieve this in two methods. Firstly, by scaling “Vertically” by adding more resources, such as CPU or memory, to an existing system. And secondly, by scaling “horizontally, this means adding more machines to work together as a single system. With this we can ensure that performance remains steady as demand grows.

3. Agility
Agility is the ability of a company, person, or system to quickly adjust to changes, like shifts in the market or internal processes. In technology, it means being able to launch new services or update existing ones fast to keep up with changing needs. This helps businesses to innovate rapidly, react to market changes, and implement new products or services with reduced time to market.

4. High Availability
High availability (HA) can refer to the ability of a system to remain operational and accessible for the maximum possible amount of time. HA systems are designed to minimise downtime and are often achieved through redundancy, failover mechanisms, and distributed architectures. This is very important in mission-critical applications where downtime could lead to significant consequences.

5. Fault Tolerant
This is the capability of a system to continue functioning correctly even when some of its components fail. Fault-tolerant systems are designed to detect failures and automatically recover without interrupting the service, ensuring seamless operation. This involves redundancy and the use of backup systems or components that take over when a failure occurs.

6. Global Reach
Global reach refers to the capability of a system, application, or service to be accessed from anywhere in the world. In cloud computing, it means that users can leverage the cloud infrastructure from multiple geographic locations, ensuring low latency and high availability regardless of where users are located. This is essential for businesses with international customers because of the gap in geographical locations.

7. Difference between Elasticity and Scalability

Scalability is the ability of a system to handle more work as demand grows. It can involve adding more resources, either automatically or by making adjustments manually, to keep things running smoothly. This helps prevent slowdowns or crashes when more users or tasks come in. Over time, it ensures the system can keep up with growth without losing performance.

While Elasticity means that a system can automatically increase or decrease its resources depending on how much work it needs to handle at any given moment. The system makes these changes on its own, without anyone needing to adjust it manually. This is important for saving money, especially in cloud computing, because you only use and pay for the resources you need when you need them.