Cloud Computing

"Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) which can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction." (NIST,2009). Enabling technologies include: (i) fast wide-area, networks; (ii) powerful inexpensive server computers; and (iii) high performance virtualisation for commodity hardware.

The cloud model promotes availability. It is comprised of five essential characteristics, three service models and four deployment models.

Five Essential Characteristics

  1. On-demand self-service 
  2. Broad network access
  3. Resource pooling
  4. Rapid elasticity 
  5. Measured service

Three Service Models

  1. Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) - Use provider’s applications over a network. 
  2. Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Deploy customer-created applications to a cloud.
  3. Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Rent processing, storage, network capacity and other fundamental computing resources

Cloud Deployment Models

  1. Private cloud - Enterprise owned or leased
  2. Community cloud - Shared infrastructure for specific community
  3. Public cloud - Sold to the public, mega-scale infra-structure
  4. Hybrid cloud - Composition of two or more clouds

Cloud computing typically provides great leverage (NIST, 2000) due to:

  1. Massive scale
  2. Homogeneity
  3. Virtualization
  4. Resilient computing
  5. Low-cost software
  6. Geographic distribution
  7. Service orientation
  8. Advanced security technologies

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a method of deploying enterprise software in a hosted or on demand environment. The SaaS model allows business managers to rent or license software for running on a public or private cloud and permits access over the Internet using browser software on client computers or mobile devices.

SaaS for software applications hosted in a cloud exploit technological advances in how we store data and run applications.  SaaS for applications hosted in a cloud are growing rapidly because they reduce the costs of managing internal infrastructure for information and communication technology.  As processing takes place predominantly in a virtual server, cloud-enabled software will be responsive even on aging hardware, improving efficiency and reducing the need for up-front capital investment.

SaaS for enterprise resources applications hosted in a cloud are changing the way we work and live. It provides new opportunities for collaborating in business, commerce, industry, research, government and education and among groups of individuals on social networking sites such as Facebook.  SaaS for enterprise resources applications hosted in a cloud are powering global applications from global corporations such as Google, Amazon and Shell and provide most of the  enterprise management software for supermarkets, banks, power companies, water companies, manufacturing industries and airlines.  SaaS for entreprise resource applications hosted in a cloud could potentially help your organisation to improve its way of working, processes, communications and collaborations internally and externally and provide significant competitive advantages. 

Hosting SaaS enterprise software applications in a cloud offers several advantages over conventional use of a server in a back-office including:

  • Lower computer costs
  • Improved levels of performance
  • Reduced software costs
  • Instant software updates
  • Unlimited storage capacity
  • Easier group collaboration 
  • Device independence. 

Although the use of SaaS for software applications hosted in a cloud is increasing and the trend is reveals it is one of the major changes taking place in information and communication technology today, it is not suitable for all types of computing.  Disadvantages include that it requires an Internet connection, does not work well with low band-width network connections, can be slow, storage of data might not be secure and data can be lost.  SaaS for applications hosted in a cloud offers major advantages however for those who wish to collaborate, work in the field or are cost-conscious.  It is getting better and better and, in spite of its limitations, is transforming both the way we work and live.

Graticules' software developers make extensive use of virtual servers or clouds such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud for creating, testing and deploying enterprise resources application software, collaborative application software, SaaS for enterprise resource application services such as project managment, route finding, driving distance, driving time, creating maps of popoulation, social and economic statistics and hosted websites.  SaaS for enterprise management applications hosted in private and public clouds has lead to new types of business models for mobile communications by voice or text, sychronisation of diaries with tablet and other mobile devices and video conferencing for business collaboration.  Graticule gathers requirements, designs, develops, implements, hosts and supports SaaS for enterprise resource applications in a hosted cloud for clients. We offer consultancy, software development and maintenance services and will be pleased to discuss your ideas with you in order to crystalise them.

We bring together the latest technologies for Web Applications with Apache Tomcat and Web Services with Apache Axis2.  We recognise web applications are valuable for users and increasingly valuable to other programs through links and integration such as business processes, work-flows and feature-rich mobile applications.

Graticule provides a custom software development for clients who require web enterprise services including:

  • Bespoke software development of browser-based enterprise application solutions to meet your requirements
  • Custom softwarwe development of browser-based enterprise application solutions to meet your requirements
  • Unique management console for monitoring, tracing, logging, security configuration and more
  • Functions for managing identities including single sign-on and granular policy-based authentication and authorisation. 
  • A single system for both a Web Application and associated Web Services. 
  • Enterprise deployment capabilities including clustering and high-availability features. 
  • Bring Web Applications into a unified Governance regime with all the feature of the WSO2 Governance Registry. 
  • Leverage the OSGi extensibility model that makes WSO2 Carbon the leading technology in middleware. 
  • Extensive tooling support for service development, debugging, deployment and invocation is available with WSO2 Carbon Studio. 
  • Together with your favourite Eclipse web application tools, Carbon Studio supports the easy creation, deployment and debugging of WAR files with Carbon based Application Servers running above Apache Tomcat.