Cloud (dispersed) computing(English) cloud computing, the term is also used Cloud (dispersed) data processing) - data processing technology in which computer resources and capacities are provided to the user as an Internet service.

The user has access to his own data, but cannot manage and does not have to care about the infrastructure, operating system and the actual software with which he works. The term "Cloud" is used as a metaphor based on the diagram of the Internet computer network, or as an image of a complex infrastructure behind which everyone is hidden technical details. According to an IEEE document published in 2008, “Cloud computing is a paradigm in which information is permanently stored on servers on the Internet and temporarily cached on the client side, e.g. personal computers, game consoles, laptops, smartphones, etc.”

Cloud data processing as a concept includes the concepts:

• "Everything as a service"
• "Infrastructure as a service"
• "Platform as a service"
• "Software as a service"
• "Data as a service"
• "Workplace as a service"
• other technological trends, which have in common the belief that the Internet is able to meet the data processing needs of users.

For example, Google App s provides online business applications that are accessed using an Internet browser while the software and data are stored on Google servers. operating room Google system Chrome OS is designed to work with the cloud.

Although the term “cloud computing” is well-established, in Russian it has a different meaning than the original. “Cloud” has another meaning besides cloud, namely scattered; the actual meaning of “absent-minded” is implied in English terminology.

For cloud computing The main assumption is the unevenness of resource requests from the client(s). To smooth out this unevenness to provide service, another layer is placed between real hardware and middleware - server virtualization. Servers running applications are virtualized and load balancing is carried out both by software and by means of distributing virtual servers over real ones.

Criticism

The concept of cloud computing has been criticized by the free community software and in particular from Richard Stallman:

Use web applications for your computing processes you shouldn't, for example, because you're losing control over them. And it's no better than using any proprietary program. Do your calculations on your computer, using programs that respect your freedom. If you use any proprietary program or someone else's web server, you become defenseless. You become a toy in the hands of the one who developed this software.

- "Cloud computing is a trap, warns GNU founder Richard Stallman", interview with The Guardian newspaper (English)

What are cloud services really?

Cloud computing evokes a whole range of emotions. "In the field network technologies“This phrase is emblematic of today,” says Gartner lead analyst Ben Pring, and many of his colleagues agree. But the problem is that everyone interprets the term “cloud computing” in their own way.

Often the word "cloud" refers to the entire Internet: that is, everything that is outside the computer's firewall automatically ends up in the "cloud" - including traditional outsourcing. Others view cloud services as updated version IT utility services (utility computing): in fact, virtual servers accessible via the Internet.

If you are looking for a way to expand the IT capabilities of your enterprise and do not yet plan to invest in creating new infrastructure, attracting new personnel and retraining employees or licensing new software, then sooner or later you will come to the idea of ​​cloud services. These types of services are available in real time via the Internet and significantly expand existing IT capabilities.

Today, cloud services are still in their infancy: a “motley” team of large and small providers is ready to provide you with many equally “motley” services based on cloud technology: from full-featured applications to data storage and spam filtering services. If you require several types of such services, then most likely you will have to connect each of them separately - perhaps even from different providers. Of course, as this area develops, larger providers - aggregators and integrators of cloud services - are beginning to appear, but so far there are very few of them. In the meantime, let's look at what types of cloud services exist today.

SaaS (Software As a Service)

This type of cloud service uses a multi-tenant architecture: it provides access to separate application to thousands of clients. The acronym SaaS stands for Software-as-a-Service - software as a service, as opposed to SaaP - Software-as-a-Product - when you buy software"in the box". This type of service is convenient for the consumer in that it does not require upfront investment in a server or software licensing.

SaaS services are based on subscription principle: the software runs on the provider’s side and is leased to subscribers, with payment depending on the number of users, transaction volume, etc. It is also convenient that applications can be customized to meet specific user needs. One of the most successful players in the SaaS market today is Salesforce.com.

Utility IT services (utility computing)

The idea of ​​utility IT services is not new, but today this form of cloud services is experiencing a rebirth, thanks to such “monsters” as Amazon.com, Sun, IBM and many other companies offering access to storage devices and virtual servers upon customer demand. Previously, such services were used mainly for auxiliary purposes, but today they can even replace part of an enterprise data center.

Other providers offer solutions that help IT companies create virtual data centers from public servers: for example, using memory, I/O devices, storage and computing resources as a virtual pool accessible over the network.

Cloud web services

Close to SaaS are web service providers that offer APIs that developers can use over the Internet - without having to download a full-featured application.

These types of services are offered by a wide range of providers: from companies providing individual business services (including traditional processing services credit cards), to full-scale APIs provided by, for example, Google.

Platform as a service

Another SaaS option. This form of cloud services provides a development environment as a service. you are building native applications, running on the provider's infrastructure. Your users work with applications via the Internet - from the provider's servers.

These services are limited by the design and capabilities of the vendor, so here you will not get complete freedom to fly with your imagination, but you can fully count on predictability and pre-integration. An example is Google App Engine.

Managed services

One of the oldest forms of cloud services. The company providing these services is called MSP (managed service provider). This includes the full range of services - from software delivery to remote monitoring and full support IT infrastructure.

This category includes email virus scanning services, application monitoring services, various services Managed security services, anti-spam services and management services desktop computers(desktop management services).

Commercial service platforms

A hybrid of SaaS and MSP. This type cloud computer services most often used by commercial companies: with their help, users can order a sightseeing tour or, for example, secretarial services from one common platform, and the service will provide them necessary information according to search parameters and prices entered by the user.

Internet integration

Today, the integration of cloud services is in initial phase of its development. OpSource recently introduced the OpSource Services Bus topology, using integration technology from a small startup called Boomi. SaaS provider Workday acquired CapeClear, an ESB (enterprise service bus) provider aimed at B2B integration. Since 2005, Grand Central has strived to become a one-stop "bus in the cloud" provider and bring together smaller SaaS providers to deliver integrated solutions to end users.

But in general, interconnections between different cloud services are still quite rare today. Therefore, some prefer, instead of the phrase “cloud computing” - “cloud services”, to use the term “sky computing” - “heavenly service”, i.e. a system consisting of many isolated “cloud” services, to each of which IT clients must connect separately.

On the other hand, as virtualization and SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) gradually make their way into the enterprise, the idea of ​​connected services is beginning to gain more attention. According to some forecasts, in the future, every enterprise should become a “cloud” node. But this task is unlikely to be solved in the near future - rather, this represents a long-term trend with a distant horizon.

The Internet has become an integral part of people's lives, and new opportunities are regularly emerging that can make various tasks easier. What's new are cloud technologies that can be used in different areas: education, medicine, logistics and so on.

What is cloud technology?

Let's start with a definition: cloud technologies imply the user's ability to access data without installing applications on his device, since all the software is provided by servers. It is important to know that such services can be either free or paid, and it all depends on the requests. To understand what the use of cloud technologies is, you need to understand their difference from conventional conditions.

1. Let's take email as an example, when mail client installed on the computer and all data is saved on the hard drive. In this case, the user decides what to do with the files.
2. If we talk about mail, which a person uses through a browser, then this is already a cloud technology. It is clear here that if problems arise with the server, then access to mail will be lost.

Benefits of cloud services

First, let's look at the existing advantages, which include:

1. To store information, you do not need to buy expensive computers and components, because everything will be stored on the cloud.
2. PC performance increases, because cloud technologies in office work and other areas launch programs remotely, so there is a lot of free space on the computer.
3. Maintenance problems are decreasing every year, because the number of physical servers, and the software is constantly updated.
4. The cost of purchasing software is reduced, since you only need to buy a program for the “cloud” once and that’s it, and sometimes you can even order its rental.
5. Cloud technologies have no restrictions on the amount of data stored. In most cases, the volume of such services amounts to millions of gigabytes.
6. Programs are updated automatically, so there is no need to monitor this, as is the case with downloaded applications.
7. The cloud can be used on any operating system since programs are accessed through web browsers.
8. New cloud technologies make it possible to have access to documents anytime and anywhere, because the main thing is the availability of the Internet.
9. Good security and protection against information loss, since sent data is automatically saved and copies are sent to backup servers.

Disadvantages of cloud technologies

The “cloud” also has a number of disadvantages that are worth knowing and taking into account:

1. Access is not possible in the absence of the Internet, and if there is no Internet, then it will be possible to work only with documents downloaded to the computer. It is worth noting that the Internet must be fast and of high quality.
2. The cloud service may be slower when transferring a large amount of information than with an installed program.
3. Rarely is security at a bad level, but in most cases the Cloud does backups, so no need to worry.
4. Many people are confused by the fact that they need to pay for the provision of a number of services, but this is a business project from which people need to earn money.

Application of cloud technologies

There is a certain classification of cloud services, so the following categories of “clouds” are distinguished:

1. Public. This is an IT infrastructure that can be used immediately big amount companies and services. The subscriber can be any company and individual. Users of public cloud technologies do not have the ability to manage and maintain the cloud, since this is only done by the owner of the service.
2. Private. When describing the types of cloud technologies, we should focus on this secure IT infrastructure, controlled and operated in the interests of only one organization. It can be located on the customer's premises or at an external operator.
3. Hybrid. This type has the main advantages of both previous versions. This “cloud” is in most cases used by organizations that have seasonal periods of activity, that is, when there is not enough internal IT infrastructure, then part of the capacity is transferred to cloud technologies.

Cloud technologies in education

Computers and the Internet have also made their way into the education system, making it possible to improve and facilitate the process of performing a number of tasks. Cloud technologies in educational process can be used for the following purposes:

1. Organization collaboration employees over important documents, for example, an annual plan or program. Everyone is responsible for their own part of the document, and if necessary, all users will have the opportunity to leave comments and add information.
2. General project work, so the teacher can assign assignments to students, divide responsibilities and check reports, giving comments.
3. Cloud technologies can be used to create electronic diary and submitting any written assignments. This is a great option for children who are homeschooled or miss school for some reason.

Cloud technologies in medicine

IN Lately The “cloud” is actively being introduced into medicine, which raises it to new level. New technologies provide enormous potential for revolutionary changes, because it becomes much easier to maintain and systematize medical documentation. The use of cloud technologies in medicine is important because they help to quickly determine the diagnosis and make a conclusion. At the moment, such a service is just beginning to be implemented, since there are no regulatory mechanisms for maintaining medical confidentiality.

Cloud technologies in logistics

The cloud has excellent potential in transport and warehouse logistics. Using cloud technologies, it is possible to ensure full interaction between all participants in the chain, that is, the sender, operators, transport company and recipient. All of them can communicate in real time, regardless of location. Using cloud technologies provides the following advantages:

• conduct open tenders for contractors;
• determine the most successful routes;
• control delivery;
• process and store all transportation data;
• improve the quality of order fulfillment.

Cloud technologies in banking

Competition among banks is enormous and not all are able to withstand times of crisis. Such financial institutions are beginning to use innovative technologies to cut costs. Cloud data storage services are aimed at automating financial processes. As a result, there is an increase in the efficiency of credit institutions by reducing the cost of reporting. It is important to note that since there is a threat of intruders entering cloud storage, they do not store information about clients.

Cloud technologies for business

Business people use the cloud for the following purposes:

1. A virtual server is rented, thanks to which the manager can fully control all hosted services, regardless of the provider.
2. It’s easy to create a virtual contact center online, so you can save on renting premises and organizing workspaces. Work can begin within two days from the date of submission of the application to the provider.
3. Cloud services for business are used to create virtual office, that is, the workplace will not be tied to a specific computer. Plays in the cloud internal network company, that is, disks, folders and planning programs are included.

Games via cloud service

In the 2000s, cloud streaming services began to appear, allowing users to play heavy games over the Internet without downloading or loading their computer. In America and China this direction is already well developed. Microsoft recently made Official statement that a DeLorean system will be developed, thanks to which a person will play through a cloud service, and the system will predict his actions before he presses the keys.

Many modern users computers and mobile devices They can no longer imagine life without the Internet, which has become firmly established in our everyday life. Relatively recently, new cloud technologies have appeared, which are quite different from classic models computer systems, although in some cases they work on similar principles. However, for many, the very concept of “cloud,” although familiar, still remains unclear. Read on to find out what it is.

What is cloud technology?

If we talk about the concept itself in simple language, we can say that technological solutions This type basically involves the storage and use of information, software or special services without actual use on hard computers disks (they are used only for initial installation client software for the purpose of accessing cloud services).

In other words, the use of cloud technologies allows you to use only the purely computing resources of a computer terminal or mobile device. This explanation may seem too confusing to many. Therefore, in order to understand what the use of cloud technologies looks like in practice, we can give the simplest example.

Most modern users, one way or another, use by email. Often, it is the presence of such an address that is necessary for registration in Internet services, social networks, online games, etc. In any Windows system has a built-in email Outlook client. When receiving or sending letters, they are all saved directly on the hard drive in the program folder.

It's another matter when the mailbox is located on remote server(for example, Mail.Ru, Gmail, Yandex-mail, etc.). The user simply enters the site, enters his registration data (login and password), after which he gains access to his mail. This is cloud technology in the simplest sense, since all correspondence is stored not on the user’s computer (hard drive), but on a remote server. Actually, and special program you don’t need to access your mailbox (the most common web browser is enough, which in this case acts as a client application).

Thus, the most important thing is how cloud technologies differ from standard methods IT consists precisely in storing information or some kind of software on a remote server, which at one time was called the “cloud”, and in the ability sharing to data or software. Today you can see many services that are built exactly according to the principles of the cloud. But it was not always so.

Development of cloud technologies

In general, conversations about the introduction of such models have been going on since the late 60s of the last century. Then came the concept of using the computing power of computer systems around the world with an organization in the form of a public utility, the authors of which were Joseph Licklider and John McCarthy.

The next step was the introduction in 1999 of so-called CRM systems in the form of websites provided by subscription, which provided access to computing resources via the Internet, which the online bookstore Amazon began to actively use in 2002, which later transformed into a huge IT corporation.

And only in 2006, thanks to the emergence of the Elastic Compute Cloud project, they started talking seriously about the full-scale implementation of cloud technologies and services. Naturally, the launch of a service familiar to everyone today also played an important role in the provision of computing resources Google Apps, held in 2009.

Modern cloud services

Since then, the cloud technology market has undergone quite serious changes. And the matter was not limited to providing computing resources alone.

New cloud technologies and services have begun to appear, which today can be roughly divided into several large categories:

• cloud information storage;
• gaming portals;
• antivirus platforms;
• web-based software.

Each of these groups includes many subcategories, but general outline they are all built on the same principles.

Required characteristics

According to the generally accepted requirements of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, there is a single list of conditions that cloud information technologies must meet:

• independent user service on demand (the ability of the user to determine the degree of use of technological and computing resources in the form of data access speed, server processing time, storage volume, etc., without mandatory coordination or interaction with the service provider);
• access to a universal level network (access to data transfer regardless of the type of device used);
• pooling of computing resources (dynamic redistribution of power by pooling resources for large quantity users into a single pool);
• elasticity (the ability to provide, expand or narrow the range of services at any time automatically and without additional costs);
• accounting of services provided to consumers (abstraction of used traffic, number of users and transactions made by them, bandwidth etc.).

Common classification of deployment models

Speaking about cloud technologies, one cannot fail to mention their division by types of cloud service models used.

Among them there are several main groups:

• A private cloud is a separate infrastructure used only by one organization or enterprise that includes several users, or partner companies (contractors), which may belong to the organization itself or be outside its jurisdiction.
• A public cloud is a structure intended for use by the general public in free access and, as a rule, under the control of the owner (service provider).
• Public cloud - organizational structure, designed for groups of users who have common interests or tasks.
• A hybrid cloud is a combination of two or more of the above types, which in the structure remain unique independent objects, but are interconnected according to strictly defined standardized rules for data transfer or application use.

Types of Service Models

Separately, we should highlight the methodology for classifying service models, that is, the entire set of tools and tools that a cloud service can provide to the user.

The main models include the following:

• SaaS (software as a service) is a model of a set of software provided by a cloud provider to a consumer, which can be used either directly in a cloud service from a device, or through access through thin clients, or through the interface of a special application.
• PaaS (platform as a service) is a structure that allows the user, based on the provided tools, to use the cloud to develop or create basic software for the purpose of subsequently hosting other software (own, purchased or replicated) based on database management systems, programming language execution environments, middleware Software, etc.;
• IaaS (infrastructure as a service) is a model for using a cloud service with independent resource management and the ability to host any type of software (even OS), but with limited control some network services (DNS, firewall, etc.).

Blocks of cloud services

Since cloud technologies require minimal user participation in the operation of the entire complex and are models consisting of many technological combinations that interact with each other through the use of middleware, at this stage of considering such services, we can separately highlight some important components of any software and hardware complex that are accepted call them blocks:

• Self-service portal is a tool that allows the user to order a certain type of service with additional details specified (for example, for IssA this is an order virtual machine specifying the type of processor, amount of RAM and hard drive or refusal to use it).
• Service Catalog - Set basic services and associated templates for creation, which, through the transfer of automation, will be able to configure the created service in real-life computer systems and with a certain type software.
• Orchestrator is a specialized tool for monitoring the actions of the operations performed, provided by the template for each service.
• Tariffing and billing - accounting for services provided to the user, issuing invoices for payment to coordinate financial issues.

Additional methods

Among other things, sometimes, in order to distribute the load, virtualization technology can be used in the form of a virtual server part, which is a kind of layer or connection between software services and hardware (distribution of virtual servers over real ones). This approach is not mandatory, however, cloud technologies in education use this technique quite often.

Antiviruses that download suspicious files not to computers, but to the cloud or “sandbox” (Sandbox), where they are carried out, also look quite interesting. preliminary check, after something is given permission to send it to the computer, or it is quarantined in the cloud itself.

Pros and cons of using cloud services

As for the pros and cons, of course there are. The positive aspect is that by accessing software, storage or creating their own infrastructure for users of such services, the costs associated with purchasing additional or more powerful hardware or licensed software are significantly reduced.

On the other hand, most experts harshly criticize the use of cloud services simply because of their low security from outside interference. The issue of storing huge volumes of outdated or unused data is also on the agenda. A striking example of this is Google services, in which the user cannot delete any data groups or unused services.

Payment issues

Naturally, the use of such services is paid, especially if these are cloud technologies in education (specialized libraries, educational platforms), access to specialized software or regular storage data with large reserved amounts of disk space.

But for the average user, the same information storage services like DropBox, OneDrive ( former SkyDrive), "Cloud Mail.Ru", "Yandex. Disk" and many others make concessions, allocating, depending on the service itself, about 15-20 GB of disk space without payment. By modern standards, of course, not much, but enough to save some important data.

Conclusion

That's it for cloud technology. Many specialists and analysts promise them a great future, but the issue of information security or data confidentiality arises so acutely that without the use of new developments in the field of information security, such a bright prospect looks very doubtful.

Since “clouds” are a collective concept, it makes sense to classify them according to some criteria. Below are the classifications of “clouds”, one of which was proposed by InfoWorld, and the other by the commercial director of Parallels, one of the leaders in the virtualization systems market.

InfoWorld suggests dividing all “clouds” into six types:

SAAS - directly applications as a service (for example, Zoho Office or Google Apps).

SERVICE COMPUTING - for example, virtual servers.

WEB SERVICES IN THE CLOUD - optimized for working in virtual environment Internet services (for example, Internet banking systems).

PAAS is a “platform as a service”, that is, a new generation of web applications that make it possible to build a set of capabilities at the user’s request (for example, Live Mesh from Microsoft).

MSP is a provider of managed services (Managed Service Provider), serving service providers (for example, built-in anti-virus scanners for mail portals).

COMMERCIAL PLATFORMS for services - a combination of PaaS and MSP (for example, Cisco WebEx Connect).

Clouds are divided into private, public, hybrid and clan.

Private cloud

Private cloud is an infrastructure intended for use by one organization, including several consumers (for example, divisions of one organization), possibly also clients and contractors of this organization. A private cloud may be owned, operated and operated by the organization itself or by a third party (or some combination thereof), and may physically exist within or outside the owner's jurisdiction.

Public cloud

Public cloud is an infrastructure intended for free use by the general public. A public cloud can be owned, operated, and operated by commercial, academic, and government organizations (or some combination thereof).

Hybrid cloud

A hybrid cloud is a combination of two or more different cloud infrastructures (private, public or public), which remain unique objects, but are interconnected by standardized or proprietary technologies for data transfer and applications (for example, short-term use of public resources clouds for load balancing between clouds).

Clan cloud or community cloud

Community cloud is a type of infrastructure intended for use by a specific community (clan) of consumers from organizations that have general tasks(eg, mission, security requirements, policies, and compliance with various requirements). A community cloud may be cooperatively owned, managed and operated by one or more community organizations or a third party (or some combination thereof), and may physically exist within or outside the jurisdiction of the owner.

1.3 Main directions of development of cloud technologies

The four main directions of development of cloud computing are:

Some products directly provide users with Internet services such as storage, middleware, collaboration, and databases.

Infrastructure as a service ( IaaS, English Infrastructure-as-a-Service) is provided as the ability to use cloud infrastructure to independently manage processing, storage, networking and other fundamental computing resources, for example, the consumer can install and run arbitrary software, which may include operating systems, platform and application software. The consumer can control the operating systems, virtual systems data storage and installed applications, and also have limited control over the set of available network services (for example, firewall, DNS). Control and management of the main physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including the network, servers, types of operating systems used, and storage systems, is carried out by the cloud provider. Examples of users (system developers, administrators, IT managers).

Platform as a service ( PaaS, English Platform-as-a-Service) is a model where the consumer is given the opportunity to use a cloud infrastructure to host basic software for subsequent deployment of new or existing applications (in-house, custom-developed or purchased replicated applications). Such platforms include tools creation, testing and execution of application software - database management systems, middleware, programming language execution environments - provided by the cloud provider. Control and management of the main physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including network, servers, operating systems, storage, is carried out by the cloud provider, with the exception of those developed or installed applications, and, if possible, environment (platform) configuration parameters. Examples of users (application developers, testers, administrators)

Software as a service ( SaaS, English Software-as-a-Service) - a model in which the consumer is given the opportunity to use the provider's application software running in the cloud infrastructure and accessible from various client devices or through a thin client, for example, from a browser (for example, webmail) or through program interface. Control and management of the underlying physical and virtual infrastructure of the cloud, including networks, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities (except for a limited set custom settings application configuration) is carried out by the cloud provider. Example users (business users, application administrators).

Other *aaS: for example:

DaaS (Desktop-as-a-Service) offers each user a standardized virtual workplace, with the ability to configure and install other programs. Access is carried out over the network via thin client, which can be anything from a regular PC to a smartphone ( Google Chrome OS).

CaaS (Communications-as-a-Service) is a combination of software and hardware for organizing all types of communication (voice, mail) between employees of one enterprise using third-party solutions.

An alternative SaaS option is promoted by Microsoft Corporation, it is called S+S (Software+Services) and combines strengths a typical SaaS and a typical affordable application. This is ordinary software, but focused on remote services. Cloud computing is becoming a serious technology trend - many experts believe that in the next five years cloud computing will change not only IT processes, but also the information technology market itself. Thanks to this technology, device users different types, including PCs, laptops, smartphones and PDAs, will be able to access programs, storage systems and even application development platforms over the Internet, through services offered by cloud computing providers, and the resources in this case are hosted on the providers' servers.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that when using cloud computing, information technology consumers can significantly reduce capital costs - for the construction of data centers, the purchase of server and network equipment, hardware and software solutions to ensure continuity and performance - since these costs are absorbed cloud service provider. In addition, the long construction and commissioning time of large information technology infrastructure facilities and their high initial cost limit the ability of consumers to flexibly respond to market demands, while cloud technologies provide the ability to respond almost instantly to increased demand for computing power.

When using cloud computing, consumer costs shift towards operational costs - this is how the costs of paying for the services of cloud providers are classified.

The term “cloud technology” is now on everyone’s lips. An active discussion of the possible nuances of working with such technologies is taking place both on the forums of large Internet companies and among novice users. And there really is something to discuss.

Every day in search engines Computer owners are increasingly asking the question “what is cloud technology.” This is not surprising, because everything more users learn about this innovation. A striking example is antivirus programs. New Norton versions Internet Security, Kaspersky and many others in the settings offer to activate the cloud protection option. Since curiosity is characteristic of itself human nature, it is quite logical that people are becoming interested in cloud technologies.

Alas, one should not expect anything revolutionary. In part, these technologies have existed on the Internet for a long time, they simply lacked an accurate and comprehensive definition, systematization and understanding of potential opportunities. Cloud technologies are a way of processing digital data outside the environment of the initiating computer. Since many people become familiar with the term thanks to antivirus applications, let’s consider the work of “clouds” using the example of this group of programs.

Let's imagine that antivirus application encounters suspicious program code, which is not described in virus databases. If the user does not know what cloud technologies are and has not allowed their use (check the box in the settings), then the antivirus will try to localize suspicious file until the databases are updated. Everything is completely different if cloud technologies are activated. In this case, information about strange code is automatically transmitted to the developer server antivirus program, where it is promptly checked by specialists for potential danger. If a threat is confirmed to all computers connected to this resource, instructions are sent on how to neutralize the danger. The result is an unprecedented speed of response to the emergence of new viruses. What is cloud technology in in this example? The answer is to process suspicious code on the developer’s servers, away from the computers of ordinary users. This is the key feature.

Cloud technologies give a second life to low-power computing devices. Let's assume that we have a calculator with Internet access and connected to a specialized “cloud” consisting of clusters of high-performance computers. We can perform basic operations ourselves, but what to do if necessary? complex calculations? In this case, the calculator sends the task data to the cloud service, and receives in response ready-made solution. For the user, the actions performed between typing commands and receiving a response went unnoticed. After all, the main thing is the result, and it was achieved. Of course, a calculator is an extreme, but, on the other hand, it’s easier to understand the principle of operation.

In addition to such unobvious clouds, there are special services, which largely replace full-fledged applications with local computer. For example, the user needs to edit text file in the Word program. To do this, you will need to purchase the program itself (and licensed version is not cheap), allocate free disk space on the media, connect required modules. Of course, all this can be solved, but what to do if there are a lot of computers (enterprise)? Spending money on purchases It is much easier to use a cloud service that provides access to certain programs, located on its sites. The user needs to go to the desired site through a browser, launch Word remotely and open his file for editing. By the way, they are usually implemented this way convenient interfaces.

The benefits of cloud technologies can be listed for a long time. There are fewer disadvantages, but they are significant: reduced confidentiality and dependence on the work of a third-party resource.