Cloud Computing
This article deals with ‘ Cloud Computing.’ This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is important pillar of GS-3 syllabus . For more articles , you can click here
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing is a service whereby shared resources are provided to computers as metered service over a network (typically the internet) . This allows consumers & businessmen to use application without installation & access their personal files at any computer with internet access.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
| Agility | Improves user’s ability to re-provision technological infrastructure resources |
| Cost | Claimed to be reduced since infrastructure is typically provided by a third party & doesn’t need to be purchased for one time or infrequent intensive computing tasks |
| Device & location independence | Enables users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what they are using eg PC or Mobile . |
| Multi – tenancy | Enables sharing of resources & costs across a large pool of users thus allowing for infrastructure at lower cost & also proper utilisation of system that are often only 10-20% utilised |
| Security | Security is often as good or even better than other traditional systems , in part because providers are able to devote resources to solving issues that many customers cant afford |
Service Models
Cloud Computing providers offer three fundamental services
| Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) | – Most basic cloud service model – Cloud providers offer computers – raw storage, firewalls , balancers & networks |
| Platform as a Service (PaaS) | – Cloud provider deliver a computing platform or solution stack typically including operating system , programming language execution environment and web server – Application developers can develop & run their software solutions on cloud platform without the cost & complexity of buying & managing the underlying hardware & software layers |
| Software as a Service (SaaS) | – Cloud provider install and operate application software in the cloud & cloud users access the software from cloud clients . This eliminates the need to install & run application on cloud user’s own computer simplifying maintenance & support |
Meghraj (Government’s Cloud)
- To harness the benefits of cloud technology, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has initiated a project named as ‘MeghRaj’ for creating a Government of India cloud (GoI Cloud) computing environment at the national level.
- The GI Cloud
is envisaged to provide the following outcomes:
- Optional utilisation of ICT infrastructure;
- Speedy development and deployment of e-Gov applications;
- Quick replication of successful applications;
- e-Gov.
- App Store hosting certified applications.
Other Government Initiatives in Cloud Computing
| Digilocker Services | – Part of goverment’s Digital India Initiative, to enable Indian citizens to store certain official documents on the cloud. – It is example of IaaS => Storage (infrastructure) is provided as service |
| Maharashtra Government | Maharashtra became the first state to mandate its departments to shift their data storage onto the cloud unlike currently where government departments have their own data storage facilities. |