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Cloud Based Services: Cost Efficient Management for Data, Analytics, Modeling, Simulation, Optimization and Business Intelligence

​There has been lots of information written on cloud computing in books, journals and online.

Cloud computing provides hosting environment for network of computing resources that include servers, storage, software,  applications that include security, email, voice, backup and use the internet. Most common in discussing Cloud Computing are terms like massive scale, incremental scalability, low cost, service-oriented applications, utility-based, resilient and security

 

With the increase in the complexity, size and dimension in structured, semi-structured and unstructured data, cloud computing offers the way out for clients looking for on-demand data download, analytics and business intelligence reporting with collection of integrated and networked hardware, software and internet infrastructure that allows the cloud services to be accessible through the use of internet browser or the use of proprietary application programming interface (API).

The cloud computing represents one of the fastest growing segment of the analytics sector in terms of providing the relevant data storage, analytics and business intelligence services to individuals and organizations. Companies can put their applications on the cloud and use the servers within the cloud to do data processing and data manipulations.

Some of other cloud services include:

  • Data Storage

  • Data Integration especially with the capabilities to integrate the different traditional “small” data sources with the big data sources

  • Data center

  • Analytics software

  • Analytics systems

  • Business Intelligence software

  • Business Intelligence systems

  • Mobile reporting

  • Mobile dashboard

​Service Model

Within the Cloud Computing Industry, there are three service models. There are different opportunities that these three service models have for the advancement of data, analytics, modeling, simulation, scenarios and business intelligence. The service include:

  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

  • Platform as a Service (PaaS)

  • Software as a Service (SaaS)

 

 

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

These include grids of virtualized servers, Hardware, data storage, data center fabric, networking and bandwidth i.e. Server, Routers, Switches etc.

Example is the Amazon Web Services which offers services that include:

  • Elastic Cloud Compute (Amazon EC2)

  • Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3)

  • Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS)

  • Amazon CloudFront

  • Amazon SimpleDB

Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). This include

  • Computing resources that can be rented by the hour

  • Quick capacity scalability

  • Tools available for the developers

  • Additional bandwidth with additional costs

Simple Storage Service (S3)

  • Persistent storage charge by the GB per month

  • Provides backup, archiving and disaster recovery

  • Additional bandwidth with additional costs

Simple Queue Service (SQS)

  • Grid computing based with capacity to store metadata to process a given job at a later data

  • Opportunities for exchange of data from a third party APIs  by multiple computers

  • Can be used as bases for generating reports.

  • Extremely inexpensive

Amazon CloudFront

  • This allow for pushing and storing files at the central location closest to the owner or the intend user of the files. The serves allows for low  latency, or unnoticeable high speed data transfer to the  owner or the intend user of the files

Amazon SimpleDB

  • Service provides structured data storage

  • Backed by clusters of Amazon-managed database servers

  • Data requires no schema.

  • Like relational database management systems (RDBMS) but easier to use.

  • Does not have a need for DBA and scale easily be scalable.

 

 

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

The service provides opportunities for developers to develop applications without worrying about the limitation of hardware, operating systems, load balancing, infrastructure scaling

Application development include process steps that include:

  • Model design – This include data model and business rules.

  • Form design - Include forms/user interface for the model.

  • Workflow design – This deals with the process of  how the model need to be routed

  • Action design – Focuses on automation tasks.

Some of the Platform services include:

  • Database

  • Development

  • Testing

  • Business Intelligence

  • Integration

The PaaS include middleware/tools stack – for example Smart Business Development on the IBM Cloud. Application Server Stack like .Net framework, VS.Net, SQL Server etc.

Eg - Microsoft’s Azure & Google’s AppEngine.

 

Software as a Service (SaaS)

These are software applications that are deployed through internet-based interface or accessed via web services. Under Web2.0, these are business software rather than consumer oriented software.  The software are available through access to the internet rather than installation on the user computer. Software versions, maintenance and support are carried out by the vendor rather than the users.

SaaS - simply order an application and start consuming in minutes.

Cloud Web Application framework for developing multi-tenant SaaS applications

  • Highly scalable Social Commerce Platform

  • Enterprise Batch and Analytics frameworks

  • Helps enterprises create and manage their Private Clouds and also provide abstractions over Public and Private Clouds.

  • Methodologies and tools that help in migration, porting, testing and emulation of Cloud Infrastructure

Some of the software services include:

  • Desktop productivity

  • Document management

  • CRM

  • Financials

  • Backup and Recovery

  • Legal

  • Sales

  • Billing

  • Content Management

  • HR

  • Social Networks

  • Collaboration

Saleforce.com is the pioneer in this category.

Google Apps, Quicken Online, IBM, Zoho, Cisco

​Delivery Method

Cloud services delivery method lay emphasis on characteristics that include:

  • Essential

  • Common

 

Essential characteristics include:

Continuously optimized on demand services

  • Delivering continuously optimized services with dynamic scaling that is always available at any place, anywhere and anytime

Flexible and Agile: The Cloud environment is flexible in that:

  • The distribution of the computing resources among users can be automated

  • Large variety of workload types -varying from small loads to heavy loads can be served depending on the demand of the users

Multi-tenancy for different customers

  • Many Analytics users can be on the application at the same time without crossing each other in terms of privacy and security.

Scalability- Linearity and Incremental

  • Cloud computing services are linearly scalable. The system is able to break down the workloads into pieces and service it across the infrastructure. As linear scalable, a server can quickly process over a thousand transactions per second which translate that if one can do a thousand transactions per second, then four servers can do four thousand per seconds.

  • Also as part of scalability is the incremental nature of the cloud computing. With increase need for application loads, the user is granted additional resources to meet the on-demand requests

 

Some of the Common characteristics include:

Self Healing Capability

  • The application and service in the cloud computing environment has the ability to self heal in case there is failures. One of the multiple backup kicks in and all the other auto update themselves

Virtualization

  • The applications in cloud computing are fully decoupled from the underlying hardware. The fully virtualized environment provided by cloud computing allows authorized individuals to have access to resources and software configurations

Service Level Driven

  • Based on the agreements on the amount of services needed. If scalability and usage cause clients to go over the agreed services, cloud computing automatically adjust itself so as to comply with the service-level agreements. So the computing continuously deliver optimized services with dynamic scaling  that is always available at any place, anywhere and anytime at the agreed service level.

Reliability and Fault-Tolerance

  • The built-in redundancy from the large numbers of servers allow for high levels of availability and reliability that applications that can take advantage.

​Growth Drivers in the Cloud Services– Why Are The Services Attractive?

  • Low cost for users and providers in terms of infrastructures (servers, real estate space, electricity grids and applications)

  • There is no need for a high-powered and expensive computer to run cloud  web-based applications

  • Less cost of high-priced memory to run applications.

  • Efficiency in running applications as large programs which hog computer's memory perform faster, better and more reliable performance

  • Opportunities for efficient utilization in capacity

  • Ability to continually add new users and applications by easily increasing resources when necessary.

  • Data is secure with policies to protect its security

  • When using the Cloud infrastructure on “pay as used”, there are opportunities to save in capital and operational cost

  • Lowering of capital outlay expense for start-up

  • ‘Pay as you use and as you grow’ model

  • Minimal Setup time

  • Minimal Capital Expenditure especially on the cost of software, hardware including storage space.

  • Reduced Operating Expenditure with:

    • Lower cost for virtually limitless storage, software and software upgrade

    • Inexpensive backup and disaster recovery programs

    • Less risk of hardware failure in desktop hard drive crashes and data files corruption

    • Ability to work from everywhere at any time as long as ther access is secured

  • For companies that are system infrastructure dependent, to be infrastructure-less. As company depend on infrastructure on “pay as used and on demand”,

​Application Programming Interface (API)

Cloud services are accessible through the use of internet browser or the use of proprietary application programming interface (API).

When there is no standard or generic API that can work together

  • PaaS APIs (Service-level): Also known as Platform-as-a-Service, these service APIs are designed to provide integration with databases, messaging systems, portals, and storage components. This also include back-end architecture for designing, enhancing and building intensive, comprehensive and feature rich applications

 

  • SaaS APIs (Application-level): This Software-as-a-Service APIs connect the application-layer with the cloud, software suite and underlying IT infrastructure. Example is CRM applications where the APIs can be used to create a cloud application extension

 

  • IaaS APIs (Infrastructure-level): These handle with the control of cloud resources, storage, distribution, provisioning and de-provisioning. These also include, network configurations and workload (VM) management.

 

  • Cloud cross-platform APIs: Given that the the cloud providers and users do not use the same platform, there are generic HTTP and HTTPS API for integration

​Show Stopper - Concerns

Issues Relating to Governance Framework

  • Compliance

There are strict regulations in many industries that cloud service providers have to be able to comply with given that the industries that have to comply with these regulations also expected as given that the cloud providers will comply. Any cloud providers working with any of the BlueCross BlueShield association data has to comply with the strict privacy requirements governing the privacy requirements

The noncompliance with privacy requirements in 2012 cost BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) $1.5M in settlement over HIPAA claims brought by the Department of Health and Human Services. This is on top of $17M that BCBST had spent in investigating and ensuring mitigation processes.

Companies like the BCBST want more than SLA in dealing with Cloud services, they need lots of locked down processes in data management.

  • Privacy but not from the Government – In many legal cases, the court can issue warrant and subpoena to cloud based hosting company to access and search the data without the knowledge or approval of the owner of the data. Unless the cloud based hosting company contest the court order, the company will have to comply.

  • Effective Program Management

  • Risk Management Controls

  • Data Ownership

Unless otherwise made clear, the ownership of the data can be of some issues. The terms  terms and conditions of the online services you are using is of paramount importance. Do you still own your data once it goes into the cloud? You may think the answer to this question is obvious, but the recent flap over Facebook's attempt to change its terms of use suggests that the question is worth a second look.

  • Data Mobility

Can clients/customers share data between cloud services? If there is a termination of a cloud relationship can the client/customers get their  data back? What format will it be in? How can the clients/customers be sured all other copies are destroyed?

  • Service Levels 

Cloud providers may be hesitant to commit to consistency of performance for an application or transaction. Understand the service levels you can expect for transaction response times, data protection and speed of data recovery.

  • Limited Features

Many of the features might be limited:

This situation is bound to change, but today many web-based applications simply are not as full-featured as their desktop-based applications.

  • Low Speed Connection

Accessibility performance usage is dependent on the type of network as this is is a none starter proposal when there is low-speed connections. The technologies to access the web can also become an issue because of the need to have a lot of bandwidth to download or maintain streaming of the information being downloaded

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