Cloud computing & virtualization infrastructure are the foundational technologies that have transformed the modern IT landscape. Through this article, we will be decoding what types of technologies there are, how they work, and why they are essential for businesses today. We will also explore the core concepts of cloud computing, the role of virtualization in cloud computing, and the different deployment models and service types that make up the cloud computing infrastructure. 

What is cloud computing? 

The term “cloud computing” is often used to describe the network diagrams where a cloud symbol is simply used to describe the complex interconnections of the vast internet. It is an apt description because it simply hides the complexity of the underlying IT infrastructure virtualization from the user. At its core, the cloud computing model is the on-demand delivery of IT resources & applications over the internet with a pay-as-you-go pricing structure. 

In the past, businesses were required to invest heavily in their own physical IT infrastructure virtualization—servers, storage, networking hardware, and the software to run on it. This was a costly & often inefficient procedure, requiring significant capital expenditure and ongoing maintenance as well as dedicated IT staff. 

The upfront costs were a major barrier for many small & medium-sized businesses. 

In today’s time, cloud computing works as a complete solution and offers an economical solution that democratizes access to robust computing resources. By simply leveraging the cloud computing infrastructure of a third-party provider such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, many businesses can reduce their hardware costs and other software demands, only paying for used resources. 

In fact, the model helps to reduce the significant amount of cost associated with TCO and does not require any need to manage & maintenance of physical hardware. 

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What Are the Benefits of Cloud Computing?

The benefits of cloud computing unfold here: 

  • Scalability & Elasticity: Many businesses can instantly scale up or down their resources to meet fluctuating demand, ensuring optimal performance without compromising anything. 
  • High Availability: The cloud providers build their services on a global network of data centers, offering exceptional uptime and redundancy. 
  • Cost Efficiency: The pay-per-use model helps you eliminate the requirement for large capital investments and allows for precise cost management. 
  • Global Reach: The cloud services can be deployed anywhere in just minutes, allowing businesses to serve customers worldwide with low latency. 

However, the user’s experience with the cloud is often a simple interface, which includes a web browser. So, whenever you check your email on Gmail or use a web-based financial application, you are interacting with a vast, invisible cloud infrastructure that handles the processing, storage, and networking on your behalf. The abstraction is a key component of cloud computing infrastructure and is made possible through technologies such as virtualization. 

Cloud Infrastructure Components

The foundation of the cloud computing infrastructure is its architecture, which can be broadly divided into three layers:

  • User Interface Layer: A user interacts with the user interface. Regardless of web browser, mobile application, or command line interface. However, the UI offers a simple, user-friendly way to access & maintain cloud services. 
  • Application Layer: The layer consists of the software & applications that run on the cloud. The application layer might range from business productivity tools to complex data analytics platforms. 
  • Data Link Layer: This is the underlying layer of cloud infrastructure; it consists of the physical and logical components, such as servers, storage arrays, networking devices, and the virtualization infrastructure that ties it all together. 

Understanding and analyzing these layers is important for appreciating how cloud computing delivers its services. The seamless integration between the following components allows for the delivery of various service models, which are a defining characteristic of cloud infrastructure. 

Cloud Deployment Models & Architecture

Cloud computing offers a flexible range of deployment options to suit different business requirements. These types of models are defined by how the cloud infrastructure is owned, managed, and accessed. As per the National Institute of Standards & Technology, there are three primary types of cloud deployment models: 

1. Public Clouds 

The public cloud is a shared cloud infrastructure that is owned and managed by a third-party service provider. However, this particular cloud model offers the best scalability and cost-effectiveness because the resources are pooled together and shared among multiple tenants. Organizations like AWS, Google Cloud, & Microsoft Azure are the prime examples of public cloud providers. They often provide a pay-per-use model, eliminating the need for any capital expenditure on hardware or software. 

2. Private Clouds 

A private cloud is a virtualization infrastructure dedicated to a single organization. It can be hosted on-premises within the organization. It can be hosted on-premise within the company’s own data center or maintained by any third party. The benefits of any private cloud are that they are easier to control, more secure, and personalized. It is often chosen by organizations with strict regulatory requirements or specific security concerns. While it requires a higher initial investment than a public cloud, it does offer complete control over the IT infrastructure virtualization. 

3. Hybrid Clouds 

The hybrid clouds are a combination of public and private clouds, which allows data and applications to be shared between them. This model also provides the best of both worlds: the security and control of a private cloud for sensitive workloads, combined with the scalability and cost-effectiveness of a public cloud for non-sensitive data or temporary bursts in demand. The hybrid approach is a popular choice for businesses seeking flexibility & cost optimization within their chosen infrastructure. 

The Type of Service Models of Cloud Computing Infrastructure 

The core of cloud computing is the delivery of services. Three main service models define what a cloud provider offers and what the user is responsible for: 

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) 

IaaS offers the foundational infrastructure building blocks of cloud computing infrastructure: servers, storage, and networking. However, the user is responsible for maintaining the operating system applications & data. This model offers the most control and flexibility, allowing businesses to create their own custom virtualization infrastructure in the cloud. It is the equivalent of renting a physical server rack, but in a virtual environment. 

2. Platform as a service (PaaS)

PaaS provides a platform for developers to build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about underlying IT infrastructure virtualization. The provider usually manages the operating system, server hardware, and networking, allowing developers to focus solely on their code. This model accelerates development cycles & is ideal for building custom applications. 

3. Software as a Service 

SaaS delivery is complete, ready-to-use software applications over the internet. The provider manages everything from the application, data, operating system, and hardware. Many users can simply access the software through a web browser. However, Gmail, Salesforce, and Microsoft 365 are the prime examples of SaaS. The model requires no management from the user’s side, making it the most user-friendly & accessible form of cloud computing infrastructure. 

The pyramid illustrates the relationship between three models. IaaS is generally the base model, hence offering the most control. On the other hand, SaaS is at the top, providing the least control but the highest level of convenience. 

The Role of Virtualization in Cloud Computing 

Virtualization is the linchpin of the modern cloud and virtualization technologies. It’s the technology that allows cloud providers to deliver services efficiently and cost-effectively. 

What is Virtualization? 

Virtualization is the procedure of creating a virtual environment for a computing resource such as a server, storage device, or network. This is achieved through a layer of software called a hypervisor. 

What is a hypervisor? 

A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine manager, is the software that creates and manages virtual machines (VMs). It sits between the physical hardware and the guest operating system, which allows multiple operating systems and applications to run on a single physical machine simultaneously. 

Here are two types of hypervisors: 

Type 1: The Bare Metal Hypervisor

This particular hypervisor is directly installed on the physical hardware, without any underlying operating system. It has direct access to the hardware resources, hence making it highly efficient & secure. This is the type of hypervisor used by cloud computing infrastructure providers such as AWS & Google Cloud to power their service. Many examples might include VMware ESXi & Microsoft Hyper-V. 

Type 2: The Hosted Hypervisor

This particular hypervisor runs on top of host operating systems, such as standard applications. It is often used for personal computing or development environments. It is because it’s reliant on the host OS, it is way less efficient, and it has a higher latency than a type 1 hypervisor. The examples might include VMware Workstation & Oracle VirtualBox. 

The use of a hypervisor is what allows for IT infrastructure virtualization as well as multitenancy in the cloud computing infrastructure. Without virtualization, each customer would require their very own physical server, which would be prohibitively expensive & inefficient. 

The Cloud & Virtualization Technologies: A Synergistic Relationship 

Virtualization in cloud computing is not just a feature; it’s the core technology that enables the entire model. The hypervisor helps you to create a pool of virtual resources from the physical hardware & the cloud infrastructure setup maintains & allocates the following resources for the various users. 

However, the advantages of virtualization in cloud computing are numerous: 

1. Resource Utilization

By running multiple VMs on a single physical server, virtualization dramatically improves the hardware utilization & reduces the amount of physical hardware required. 

2. Isolation & Security

Each VM is isolated from the others, preventing a problem in one VM from affecting others on the same host. However, the isolation can be important for multitenancy. 

3. Cost Reduction

Less physical hardware means lower costs for power, cooling, and maintenance. 

4. Flexibility & Agility

VMs can be created, cloned, and migrated easily, allowing businesses to respond quickly to changing demands. 

In short, the virtualization in data centers model has now become a significant standard for building scalable and resilient IT infrastructure. It’s the engine that powers the global network of data centers that form the cloud infrastructure. 

Conclusion

The journey from traditional, on-premise IT to the modern cloud computing infrastructure has been driven by the power of virtualization. However, the ability to abstract & share physical resources has made IT more accessible, affordable & scalable for businesses of all sizes. 

By simply leveraging the cloud & virtualization technologies, companies can focus on innovation & core business functions rather than the complexities of IT infrastructure virtualization. Also, the future of IT is undoubtedly in the cloud as well, and its foundation is built on robust and flexible principles of virtualization.