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Introduction to Cloud Computing
Definitions
- Hardware: Physical computing components such as servers, storage devices, and networking equipment
- Software: Programs and systems such as operating systems, Microsoft Word, and Excel
- Website: Read-only web content (e.g., company pages, portfolios, news sites)
- Web Application: Interactive, read-write platforms (e.g., Google Docs, email, online forms)
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing plays a critical role in the Big Data ecosystem.
Modern organizations deal with continuously growing data in terms of size, speed, and complexity. Cloud enables them to handle this efficiently without owning physical infrastructure.
- Cloud Computing: On-demand delivery of IT resources over the internet with a pay-as-you-go pricing model
Key Perspective
Cloud is often misunderstood because different teams interact with different layers:
- Compute (VMs, containers)
- Storage (object, block)
- Networking
- IAM (Identity and Access Management)
- Managed services
Each team sees only a slice and assumes that is the cloud.
- Cloud is not just servers or storage
- It is an abstraction layer over distributed systems
Shared responsibility is the core operating principle of cloud computing
Big Data Characteristics (6 V’s)
- Volume: Amount of data
- Velocity: Speed of data generation and processing
- Variety: Different data types (structured, semi-structured, unstructured)
- Veracity: Data quality and reliability
- Value: Business usefulness
- Vulnerability: Security and privacy risks
Cloud platforms help manage all these dimensions in an integrated way.
Why Cloud for Big Data?
- Cost savings (no upfront infrastructure)
- Scalability and flexibility
- High availability and reliability
- Built-in security controls
- Faster insights using managed analytics tools
- Collaboration across distributed teams
- Disaster recovery and backup
- Automatic updates and maintenance
Types of Cloud Computing
Public Cloud
- Owned and operated by third-party providers
- Examples: AWS, Azure, GCP
Private Cloud
- Dedicated infrastructure for a single organization
- Greater control, higher cost
Hybrid Cloud
- Combination of public and private cloud
- Enables workload portability and better control over sensitive data