Cloud Computing Architecture and Components

What is Cloud Computing Architecture?

Cloud Computing Architecture is a combination of components required for a Cloud Computing service. A Cloud computing architecture consists of several components like a frontend platform, a backend platform or servers, a network or Internet service, and a cloud-based delivery service.

Let’s have a look into Cloud Computing and see what Cloud Computing is made of. Cloud computing comprises two components, the front end, and the back end. The front end consists of the client part of a cloud computing system. It comprises interfaces and applications that are required to access the Cloud computing or Cloud programming platform.

Cloud Computing Architecture
Cloud Computing Architecture

While the back end refers to the cloud itself, it comprises the resources required for cloud computing services. It consists of virtual machines, servers, data storage, security mechanisms, etc. It is under the provider’s control.

Cloud computing distributes the file system that spreads over multiple hard disks and machines. Data is never stored in one place, and in case one unit fails, the other will take over automatically. The user disk space is allocated on the distributed file system, while another important component is an algorithm for resource allocation. Cloud computing is a strong distributed environment, and it heavily depends upon strong algorithms.

Cloud Computing Architecture

The Architecture of Cloud computing contains many different components. It includes Client infrastructure, applications, services, runtime clouds, storage spaces, management, and security. These are all the parts of a Cloud computing architecture.

Front End:

The client uses the front end, which contains a client-side interface and application. Both of these components are important to access the Cloud computing platform. The front end includes web servers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.), clients, and mobile devices.

Back End:

The backend part helps you manage all the resources needed to provide Cloud computing services. This Cloud architecture part includes a security mechanism, a large amount of data storage, servers, virtual machines, traffic control mechanisms, etc.

Cloud Computing Architecture Diagram
Cloud Computing Architecture Diagram

Important Components of Cloud Computing Architecture

Here are some important components of Cloud computing architecture:

1. Client Infrastructure

Client Infrastructure is a front-end component that provides a GUI. It helps users to interact with the Cloud.

2. Application

The application can be any software or platform which a client wants to access.

3. Service

The service component manages which type of service you can access according to the client’s requirements.

Three Cloud computing services are:

4. Runtime Cloud

Runtime cloud offers the execution and runtime environment to the virtual machines.

5. Storage

Storage is another important Cloud computing architecture component. It provides a large amount of storage capacity in the Cloud to store and manage data.

6. Infrastructure

It offers services on the host level, network level, and application level. Cloud infrastructure includes hardware and software components like servers, storage, network devices, virtualization software, and various other storage resources that are needed to support the cloud computing model.

7. Management

This component manages components like application, service, runtime cloud, storage, infrastructure, and other security matters in the backend. It also establishes coordination between them.

8. Security

Security in the backend refers to implementing different security mechanisms for secure Cloud systems, resources, files, and infrastructure to the end-user.

9. Internet

Internet connection acts as the bridge or medium between frontend and backend. It allows you to establish the interaction and communication between the frontend and backend.

Benefits of Cloud Computing Architecture

Following are the cloud computing architecture benefits:

  • Makes the overall Cloud computing system simpler.
  • Helps to enhance your data processing.
  • Provides high security.
  • It has better disaster recovery.
  • Offers good user accessibility.
  • Significantly reduces IT operating costs.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing

The main enabling technology for Cloud Computing is Virtualization. Virtualization is the partitioning of a single physical server into multiple logical servers. Once the physical server is divided, each logical server behaves like a physical server and can run an operating system and applications independently. Many popular companies like VMware and Microsoft provide virtualization services. Instead of using your PC for storage and computation, you can use their virtual servers. They are fast, cost-effective, and less time-consuming.

For software developers and testers, virtualization comes in very handy. It allows developers to write code that runs in many different environments for testing.

Virtualization is mainly used for three main purposes: 1) Network Virtualization, 2) Server Virtualization, and 3) Storage Virtualization

Network Virtualization: It is a method of combining the available resources in a network by splitting up the available bandwidth into channels. Each channel is independent of others and can be assigned to a specific server or device in real time.

Storage Virtualization: It is the pooling of physical storage from multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device that is managed from a central console. Storage virtualization is commonly used in storage area networks (SANs).

Server Virtualization: Server virtualization is the masking of server resources like processors, RAM, operating system, etc., from server users. Server virtualization intends to increase resource sharing and reduce the burden and complexity of computation from users.

Virtualization is the key to unlock the Cloud system, what makes virtualization so important for the cloud is that it decouples the software from the hardware. For example, PCs can use virtual memory to borrow extra memory from the hard disk. Usually, a hard disk has a lot more space than memory. Although virtual disks are slower than real memory, if managed properly, the substitution works perfectly. Likewise, there is software that can imitate an entire computer, which means 1 computer can perform the functions equals to 20 computers. This concept of virtualization is a crucial element in various types of cloud computing, which you can learn more about in this comprehensive guide.

Summary

  • Cloud Computing Architecture is a combination of components required for a Cloud Computing service.
  • The front-end part is used by the client that contains client-side interfaces and applications, which are important to access the Cloud computing platforms.
  • The service provider uses the back-end part to manage all the needed resources to provide Cloud computing services.
  • Components of Cloud Computers are 1) Client Infrastructure, 2) Application, 3) Service, 4) Runtime Cloud, 5) Storage, 6) Infrastructure, 7) Management, 8) Security, and 9) Internet.
  • Cloud computing makes a complete Cloud computing system simpler.
  • Virtualization is the partitioning of a single physical server into multiple logical servers.