Friday, November 25, 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
Should We Get Our Heads Out of the Cloud?
When news first broke that the United States' National Security Agency (NSA) was "operating a covert program, called Prism, which obtains email and other electronic data records from Internet companies," a furor erupted over the violated privacy of information once it enters the cloud. It shocked a nation and then the world. I'm not sure what was more shocking: the fact that it happened or that so few people were truly prepared for this possibility.
Concerns that our online information could face government scrutiny first arose over 10 years ago when the Patriot Act was signed into law, and has now raised questions for businesses as to the security and privacy which could be afforded when uploading content to the cloud. With the ongoing revelations from the NSA files, many organizations that have embraced cloud computing in recent years now face new uncertainty and may even go so far as to revert to on-site only access to information and abandon the cloud.
Cloud computing is the popular buzz-phrase to describe all kinds of online access to information that has been embraced by both individuals and businesses of all sizes because of its ability to improve mobility and offer new services. But is that convenience coming at a price?
We don't think so but, like with any business decision, you need to evaluate the risks and rewards. And I'd say you also need to take extra steps to verify that adequate security protection is in place.
There are many steps that corporations like Intel take to safeguard information before it even enters the cloud. I sometimes worry that businesses, particularly in the case of small business, rush into convenience and solutions without looking under the hood -- and that means confirming there are sufficient security measures in place.
The key is to be aware and take appropriate steps to protect the data that you are putting out there, while ensuring the services you choose are doing their due diligence to ensure your safety and privacy, and that of your customers.
And while sensational news like the NSA surveillance program could send many people out of the clouds and back to earth (also known as local network infrastructures), we need a reality check, as some local networks are less secure than their cloud counterparts. It all depends on how the infrastructure was set up.
We talk to small businesses every day that depend on cloud services to function and to compete. They now have access to software and solutions that were previously only commonplace in much larger organizations, and for many, cloud services have opened up a new world (from electronic health records to improving worker safety, to name but a few examples). From a business standpoint, it's a good thing.
I would hope that, if nothing else, the existence of surveillance program serves as a wake-up call to business that we can't take security for granted. It's a good reminder to take a fresh look at the services you're using and the way in which those networks are set up to ensure you're adequately protected. And for those with questions about cloud security, Intel IT has published this security checklist planning guide. There's no better time for a second look.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Interoute's Virtual Data Centre Performance
Performance is more than just processing speed, it's about resiliency and speed of delivery and how your application or service is served. Our platform is N+1 throughout so you’re resilient with even one machine. This is then built onto its own private network providing excellent performance between zones. On top of this we’re also one of the world's largest ISPs, so your platform is built into the heart of ours, becoming part of the fabric of the Internet.
Interoute was built to connect all of the major Global telcos over Europe, and today we run one of the worlds largest fibre optic networks which carries over 40% of Europe's Internet traffic. We know a thing or two about building huge scalable architectures that underpin every type of business, and that’s why we’ve built Interoute Virtual Data Centre (VDC) to be the high performance global cloud.
Interoute VDC is proven to be the fastest cloud. Download free analyst report showing Interoute's network performance versus other leading clouds.
Industry Leader
Interoute was originally designed to serve European telecoms operators with high capacity, big bandwidth services, and we continue to support every major telecoms operator in Europe today.
As demand for digital communications has grown, Interoute expanded its portfolio and expertise to provide international enterprises with infrastructure products, managed solutions and applications.
Continually ahead of the market, Interoute is at the forefront of cloud services, delivering innovative virtualized services across our network and data centres.
Today more than 60% of Interoute's business is from enterprises, while 40% comes from wholesale customers.
Security and Compliance
We work with leaders in highly-regulated industries including Finance, Professional Services and the Public Sector to design platforms which from the network up provide global scalable compute solutions.
VDC from Interoute relies on proven industry best practices and expertise, with security built in from the start. On our own secure network, within our ISO 27001 certified Data Centres, VDC gives you both the flexibility and the control to maintain the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of your data across our solutions.
Whether you want straight IaaS to manage yourself, or if you would like us to provide full platform management we have the solutions expertise to help.
By owning the platform from end to end we can start with security in mind and build on top. Our security team can work with you to build a design encompassing security layers such as multi factor authentication, global load balancing, DDOS protection, managed firewalls and IPS; all combined into a full end to end solution of compute + network + security.
Interoute's Cloud Network
Your own network:
- You manage and build your own IP space, you choose the ranges you want, every member zone is automatically connected on a private meshed network.
Complete Integration
- We provide free 1Gb/s private interconnects at over 300 locations worldwide, enabling you to easily connect your existing infrastructure into our platform.
- We also directly connect to other cloud providers such as AWS and Azure, where you only pay their connection fees.
- Free data transport and no multiple telecoms suppliers to contract with.
Simple segmentation
- Network segmentation is made incredibly easy by choosing which machines have access to each network, the Internet and other pools of IT.
Built in Internet
Each zone is locally connected to multiple Internet peering locations, providing;
- Lightning quick performance.
- Extreme low latencies.
- Service level predictability needed for distributed computing.
Simple configuration
- You can build networks through the simple GUI or script it through the API.
- As the network is yours there is no complex routing – simply add the network, add the machines and they can communicate securely.
Interoute's Cloud Platform
Interoute Virtual Data Centre: The only cloud built on its own fibre network
What is Interoute Virtual Data Centre?
Interoute Virtual Data Centre (VDC) is an automated and scalable Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud platform providing compute, network and storage. VDC is uniquely built on its own global fibre optic network owned and managed by Interoute. The only smart cloud built on top of a smart network; because of this VDC delivers some key benefits:
- Private by default when connecting together your traditional on-premise IT, existing legacy public cloud and new applications running on agile VDC infrastructure
- The industry leader for low-latency, high throughput and intelligent software defined networking with no data transport cost, when compared with legacy public cloud. This enables scalable, distributed architectures than span public cloud, traditional in-house IT and applications running on VDC, with predictable service levels and lower cost
- Complies with data residency regulations via data centres in 14 zones across the globe. This geographic distribution also means compute on VDC is never far from where the service is being consumed
VDC is the only cloud solution that bridges traditional slow but stable IT, commodity public cloud and fast, new, adaptable IT services that tightly align with organisations digitally transforming their business. All this without the usual cloud-related architectural, billing, security, service level or legal challenges.
Public Cloud Simplicity, Private Cloud Security
- Public and private on the same platform – The integration of the Interoute private network between your corporate infrastructure and Virtual Data Centre infrastructure with minimal latency and guaranteed service level connectivity eliminates the cost and resource constraints of fully building out a private cloud.
- Compliance – Interoute has the largest footprint, with management and ownership of its own facilities in Europe, ensuring location and access control is sensitive to your demands.
- Security – built into the fabric of the Interoute MPLS network, Interoute VDC leverages this secure standard for corporate networking. MPLS provides "Internet any-to-any access" but with label separated security.
- Integration – Interoute VDC can be used either to extend your web presence or build out your internal corporate IT infrastructure. Use our API to control your VDC infrastructure directly from you existing applications.
- Architecture – Based on open standards this ensures that as technology changes, Interoute is able to lead, react and respond with a best in class service.
- Fully automated backup and disaster recovery – Interoute VDC storage options include the ability to create local and remote copies of all your data with the click of a mouse; you can also schedule copies to be made automatically. Choose whether the volume you need is standalone, replicated locally or remotely in one of the other Interoute VDC Centre zones.
What is SaaS?
SaaS, or Software as a Service, describes any cloud service where consumers are able to access software applications over the internet. The applications are hosted in “the cloud” and can be used for a wide range of tasks for both individuals and organisations. Google, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr are all examples of SaaS, with users able to access the services via any internet enabled device. Enterprise users are able to use applications for a range of needs, including accounting and invoicing, tracking sales, planning, performance monitoring and communications (including webmail and instant messaging).
SaaS is often referred to as software-on-demand and utilising it is akin to renting software rather than buying it. With traditional software applications you would purchase the software upfront as a package and then install it onto your computer. The software’s licence may also limit the number of users and/or devices where the software can be deployed. Software as a Service users, however, subscribe to the software rather than purchase it, usually on a monthly basis. Applications are purchased and used online with files saved in the cloud rather than on individual computers.
There are a number of reasons why SaaS is beneficial to organisations and personal users alike:
- No additional hardware costs; the processing power required to run the applications is supplied by the cloud provider.
- No initial setup costs; applications are ready to use once the user subscribes.
- Pay for what you use; if a piece of software is only needed for a limited period then it is only paid for over that period and subscriptions can usually be halted at any time.
- Usage is scalable; if a user decides they need more storage or additional services, for example, then they can access these on demand without needing to install new software or hardware.
- Updates are automated; whenever there is an update it is available online to existing customers, often free of charge. No new software will be required as it often is with other types of applications and the updates will usually be deployed automatically by the cloud provider.
- Cross device compatibility; SaaS applications can be accessed via any internet enabled device, which makes it ideal for those who use a number of different devices, such as internet enabled phones and tablets, and those who don’t always use the same computer.
- Accessible from any location; rather than being restricted to installations on individual computers, an application can be accessed from anywhere with an internet enabled device.
- Applications can be customised and whitelabelled; with some software, customisation is available meaning it can be altered to suit the needs and branding of a particular customer.
Office software is the best example of businesses utilising SaaS. Tasks related to accounting, invoicing, sales and planning can all be performed through Software as a Service. Businesses may wish to use one piece of software that performs all of these tasks or several that each perform different tasks. The required software can be subscribed to via the internet and then accessed online via any computer in the office using a username and password. If needs change they can easily switch to software that better meets their requirements. Everyone who needs access to a particular piece of software can be set up as a user, whether it is one or two people or every employee in a corporation that employs hundreds.
Summary
- There are no setup costs with SaaS, as there often are with other applications
- SaaS is scalable with upgrades available on demand
- Access to Software as a Service is compatible across all internet enabled devices
- As long as there is an internet connection, applications are accessible from any location
What is PaaS?
Platform as a Service, often simply referred to as PaaS, is a category of cloud computing that provides a platform and environment to allow developers to build applications and services over the internet. PaaS services are hosted in the cloud and accessed by users simply via their web browser.
Platform as a Service allows users to create software applications using tools supplied by the provider. PaaS services can consist of preconfigured features that customers can subscribe to; they can choose to include the features that meet their requirements while discarding those that do not. Consequently, packages can vary from offering simple point-and-click frameworks where no client side hosting expertise is required to supplying the infrastructure options for advanced development.
The infrastructure and applications are managed for customers and support is available. Services are constantly updated, with existing features upgraded and additional features added. PaaS providers can assist developers from the conception of their original ideas to the creation of applications, and through to testing and deployment. This is all achieved in a managed mechanism.
As with most cloud offerings, PaaS services are generally paid for on a subscription basis with clients ultimately paying just for what they use. Clients also benefit from the economies of scale that arise from the sharing of the underlying physical infrastructure between users, and that results in lower costs.
Below are some of the features that can be included with a PaaS offering:
- Operating system
- Server-side scripting environment
- Database management system
- Server Software
- Support
- Storage
- Network access
- Tools for design and development
- Hosting
Software developers, web developers and businesses can benefit from PaaS. Whether building an application which they are planning to offer over the internet or software to be sold out of the box, software developers may take advantage of a PaaS solution. For example, web developers can use individual PaaS environments at every stage of the process to develop, test and ultimately host their websites. However, businesses that are developing their own internal software can also utilise Platform as a Service, particularly to create distinct ring-fenced development and testing environments.
Below are some of the benefits of PaaS to application developers:
- They don’t have to invest in physical infrastructure; being able to ‘rent’ virtual infrastructure has both cost benefits and practical benefits. They don’t need to purchase hardware themselves or employ the expertise to manage it. This leaves them free to focus on the development of applications. What’s more, clients will only need to rent the resources they need rather than invest in fixed, unused and therefore wasted capacity.
- Makes development possible for ‘non-experts’; with some PaaS offerings anyone can develop an application. They can simply do this through their web browser utilising one-click functionality. Salient examples of this are one-click blog software installs such as WordPress.
- Flexibility; customers can have control over the tools that are installed within their platforms and can create a platform that suits their specific requirements. They can ‘pick and choose’ the features they feel are necessary.
- Adaptability; Features can be changed if circumstances dictate that they should.
- Teams in various locations can work together; as an internet connection and web browser are all that is required, developers spread across several locations can work together on the same application build.
- Security; security is provided, including data security and backup and recovery.
In summary, a PaaS offering supplies an operating environment for developing applications. In other words, it provides the architecture as well as the overall infrastructure to support application development. This includes networking, storage, software support and management services. It is therefore ideal for the development of new applications that are intended for the web as well as mobile devices and PCs.
What is IaaS?
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is one of the three fundamental service models of cloud computing alongside Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). As with all cloud computing services it provides access to computing resource in a virtualised environment, “the Cloud”, across a public connection, usually the internet. In the case of IaaS the computing resource provided is specifically that of virtualised hardware, in other words, computing infrastructure. The definition includes such offerings as virtual server space, network connections, bandwidth, IP addresses and load balancers. Physically, the pool of hardware resource is pulled from a multitude of servers and networks usually distributed across numerous data centers, all of which the cloud provider is responsible for maintaining. The client, on the other hand, is given access to the virtualised components in order to build their own IT platforms.
In common with the other two forms of cloud hosting, IaaS can be utilised by enterprise customers to create cost effective and easily scalable IT solutions where the complexities and expenses of managing the underlying hardware are outsourced to the cloud provider. If the scale of a business customer’s operations fluctuate, or they are looking to expand, they can tap into the cloud resource as and when they need it rather than purchase, install and integrate hardware themselves.
The following are salient examples of how IaaS can be utilised by enterprise:
- Enterprise infrastructure; by internal business networks, such as private clouds and virtual local area networks, which utilise pooled server and networking resources and in which a business can store their data and run the applications they need to operate day-to-day. Expanding businesses can scale their infrastructure in accordance with their growth whilst private clouds (accessible only by the business itself) can protect the storage and transfer of the sensitive data that some businesses are required to handle.
- Cloud hosting; the hosting of websites on virtual servers which are founded upon pooled resources from underlying physical servers. A website hosted in the cloud, for example, can benefit from the redundancy provided by a vast network of physical servers and on demand scalability to deal with unexpected demands placed on the website.
- Virtual Data Centers (VDC); a virtualised network of interconnected virtual servers which can be used to offer enhanced cloud hosting capabilities, enterprise IT infrastructure or to integrate all of these operations within either a private or public cloud implementation.
A typical Infrastructure as a Service offering can deliver the following features and benefits:
- Scalability; resource is available as and when the client needs it and, therefore, there are no delays in expanding capacity or the wastage of unused capacity
- No investment in hardware; the underlying physical hardware that supports an IaaS service is set up and maintained by the cloud provider, saving the time and cost of doing so on the client side
- Utility style costing; the service can be accessed on demand and the client only pays for the resource that they actually use
- Location independence; the service can usually be accessed from any location as long as there is an internet connection and the security protocol of the cloud allows it
- Physical security of data centre locations; services available through a public cloud, or private clouds hosted externally with the cloud provider, benefit from the physical security afforded to the servers which are hosted within a data centre
- No single point of failure; if one server or network switch, for example, were to fail, the broader service would be unaffected due to the remaining multitude of hardware resources and redundancy configurations. For many services if one entire data center were to go offline, nevermind one server, the IaaS service could still run successfully.
What are Cloud Servers?
In some respects cloud servers work in the same way as physical servers but the functions they provide can be very different. When opting for cloud hosting, clients are renting virtual server space rather than renting or purchasing physical servers. They are often paid for by the hour depending on the capacity required at any particular time.
Traditionally there are two main options for hosting: shared hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is the cheaper option whereby servers are shared between the hosting provider’s clients. One client’s website will be hosted on the same server as websites belonging to other clients. This has several disadvantages including the fact that the setup is inflexible and cannot cope with a large amount of traffic. Dedicated hosting is a much more advanced form of hosting, whereby clients purchase whole physical servers. This means that the entire server is dedicated to them with no other clients sharing it. In some instances the client may utilise multiple servers which are all dedicated to their use. Dedicated servers allow for full control over hosting. The downside is that the required capacity needs to be predicted, with enough resource and processing power to cope with expected traffic levels. If this is underestimated then it can lead to a lack of necessary resource during busy periods, while overestimating it will mean paying for unnecessary capacity.
With cloud hosting clients get the best of both worlds. Resource can be scaled up or scaled down accordingly, making it more flexible and, therefore, more cost-effective. When there is more demand placed on the servers, capacity can be automatically increased to match that demand without this needing to be paid for on a permanent basis. This is akin to a heating bill; you access what you need, when you need it, and then only pay for what you’ve used afterwards.
Unlike dedicated servers, cloud servers can be run on a hypervisor. The role of a hypervisor is to control the capacity of operating systems so it is allocated where needed. With cloud hosting there are multiple cloud servers which are available to each particular client. This allows computing resource to be dedicated to a particular client if and when it is necessary. Where there is a spike in traffic, additional capacity will be temporarily accessed by a website, for example, until it is no longer required. Cloud servers also offer more redundancy. If one server fails, others will take its place.
Below are the key benefits of cloud servers:
- Flexibility and scalability; extra resource can be accessed as and when required
- Cost-effectiveness; whilst being available when needed, clients only pay for what they are using at a particular time
- Ease of set up; Cloud servers do not require much initial setup
- Reliability; due to the number of available servers, if there are problems with some, the resource will be shifted so that clients are unaffected.
What is a Hybrid Cloud?
A hybrid cloud is an integrated cloud service utilising both private and public clouds to perform distinct functions within the same organisation. All cloud computing services should offer certain efficiencies to differing degrees but public cloud services are likely to be more cost efficient and scalable than private clouds. Therefore, an organisation can maximise their efficiencies by employing public cloud services for all non-sensitive operations, only relying on a private cloud where they require it and ensuring that all of their platforms are seamlessly integrated.
Hybrid cloud models can be implemented in a number of ways:
- Separate cloud providers team up to provide both private and public services as an integrated service
- Individual cloud providers offer a complete hybrid package
- Organisations who manage their private clouds themselves sign up to a public cloud service which they then integrate into their infrastructure
In practice, an enterprise could implement hybrid cloud hosting to host their e-commerce website within a private cloud, where it is secure and scalable, but their brochure site in a public cloud, where it is more cost effective (and security is less of a concern). Alternatively, an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering, for example, could follow the hybrid cloud model and provide a financial business with storage for client data within a private cloud, but then allow collaboration on project planning documents in the public cloud - where they can be accessed by multiple users from any convenient location.
A hybrid cloud configuration, such as hybrid hosting, can offer its users the following features:
- Scalability; whilst private clouds do offer a certain level of scalability depending on their configurations (whether they are hosted internally or externally for example), public cloud services will offer scalability with fewer boundaries because resource is pulled from the larger cloud infrastructure. By moving as many non-sensitive functions as possible to the public cloud it allows an organisation to benefit from public cloud scalability whilst reducing the demands on a private cloud.
- Cost efficiencies; again public clouds are likely to offer more significant economies of scale (such as centralised management), and so greater cost efficiencies, than private clouds. Hybrid clouds therefore allow organisations to access these savings for as many business functions as possible whilst still keeping sensitive operations secure.
- Security; the private cloud element of the hybrid cloud model not only provides the security where it is needed for sensitive operations but can also satisfy regulatory requirements for data handling and storage where it is applicable
- Flexibility; the availability of both secure resource and scalable cost effective public resource can provide organisations with more opportunities to explore different operational avenues
What is a Public Cloud?
The most recognisable model of cloud computing to many consumers is the public cloud model, under which cloud services are provided in a virtualised environment, constructed using pooled shared physical resources, and accessible over a public network such as the internet. To some extent they can be defined in contrast to private clouds which ring-fence the pool of underlying computing resources, creating a distinct cloud platform to which only a single organisation has access. Public clouds, however, provide services to multiple clients using the same shared infrastructure.
The most salient examples of cloud computing tend to fall into the public cloud model because they are, by definition, publicly available. Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings such as cloud storage and online office applications are perhaps the most familiar, but widely available Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings, including cloud based web hosting and development environments, can follow the model as well (although all can also exist within private clouds). Public clouds are used extensively in offerings for private individuals who are less likely to need the level of infrastructure and security offered by private clouds. However, enterprise can still utilise public clouds to make their operations significantly more efficient, for example, with the storage of non-sensitive content, online document collaboration and webmail.
The public model offers the following features and benefits:
- Ultimate scalability; cloud resources are available on demand from the public clouds’ vast pools of resource so that the applications that run on them can respond seamlessly to fluctuations in activity
- Cost effective; public clouds bring together greater levels of resource and so can benefit from the largest economies of scale. The centralised operation and management of the underlying resources is shared across all of the subsequent cloud services whilst components, such as servers, require less bespoke configuration. Some mass market propositions can even be free to the client, relying on advertising for their revenue.
- Utility style costing; public cloud services often employ a pay-as-you-go charging model whereby the consumer will be able to access the resource they need, when they need it, and then only pay for what they use; therefore avoiding wasted capacity
- Reliability; the sheer number of servers and networks involved in creating a public cloud and the redundancy configurations mean that should one physical component fail, the cloud service would still run unaffected on the remaining components. In some cases, where clouds draw resource from multiple data centres, an entire data centre could go offline and individual cloud services would suffer no ill effect. There is, in other words, no single point of failure which would make a public cloud service vulnerable
- Flexibility; there are a myriad of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS services available on the market which follow the public cloud model and that are ready to be accessed as a service from any internet enabled device. These services can fulfil most computing requirements and can deliver their benefits to private and enterprise clients alike. Businesses can even integrate their public cloud services with private clouds, where they need to perform sensitive business functions, to create hybrid clouds
- Location independence; the availability of public cloud services through an internet connection ensures that the services are available wherever the client is located. This provides invaluable opportunities to enterprise such as remote access to IT infrastructure (in case of emergencies etc) or online document collaboration from multiple locations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
