Cloud Communications: A New Computing Paradigm

By Ashok Bindra

TMCnet Contributor

With rising demands and rapid changes in the information technology business, a new approach is needed to free individuals and organizations from the con­straints of traditional IT. And experts believe the cloud is part of the answer and will play an important role in the new era of IT. According to Cisco Systems’s chief technology officer Padmasree Warrior (News - Alert), “Cloud will change the way the world lives, works, plays, and learns.” Imagine having access to nearly unlimited computing power on any device from anywhere.”

By definition, cloud communications are Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid. In fact, it is a new computing paradigm, wherein IT resources and services are abstracted from the underlying infrastructure and provided on-demand and at scale in a multi-tenant environment. Cisco (News - Alert) Systems’ white paper “Cloud: Powered by the Network” identifies some key characteristics of cloud computing, which include:

-- Information technology, from infrastructure to applications, is delivered and consumed as a service over the network

-- Services operate consistently, regardless of the underlying systems

-- Capacity and performance scale to meet demand and are invoiced by use

-- Services are shared across multiple organizations, allowing the same under­lying systems and applications to meet the demands of a variety of interests, simultaneously and securely

-- Applications, services, and data can be accessed through a wide range of con­nected devices (e.g., smart phones, laptops, and other mobile internet devices)

In short, cloud communications encompass several variations of service models, such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS (News - Alert)). And includes deployment models like private, public, hybrid, and community clouds.

As a result, there are many benefits of the new computing technology. Aside from transforming the economics of IT from capital-intensive to pay-as-you-go, cloud communications provide speed and scalability to enable users to grow without time and resource intensive IT build-outs. Plus, it brings powerful IT resources to the masses. Organizations of all sizes, across all geographies, can access information technology resources that previ­ously were out of reach. World-class applications and computing infrastructure are available to all without considerable up-front investment.

Furthermore, cloud communications enable new business models and responds faster to changing customer needs, as well as improves information management with reduced operating risks. Lastly, it is structured to protect sensitive information through automated policy enforcement.

Challenges and Governance

Since transitioning to the cloud is not an instantaneous or simple transformation, it requires controlled and pragmatic approach. Because cloud communications involve new technologies, new service and deployment models, moving older systems and legacy applications to cloud can be a real challenge. That said, legacy platforms can co-exist with cloud deployments and should be slowly migrated as and when it is appropriate.

There are some limitations with cloud communications, such as its ability to customize functionality or guarantee quality of ser­vice. Some workloads may have stringent compliance or technical requirements issues, for example. In these cases, depending on workload-specific requirements around cost, risk, and performance, organizations must decide where the cloud is most appropriate solution.

Consequently, cloud communications challenge organizations to rethink governance processes for consuming, delivering, and managing IT resources. As cloud services are available to budget owners across the organization with the swipe of a credit card, legal and risk management departments will look for standards that must assure security, privacy, SLA conformance, and compliance.

Hence, the cloud is not one-size-fits-all proposition. Different types of workloads across businesses will require different service and deployment models. Toward that end, Cisco has profiled four types of organizations-- small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), large enterprises, public-sector organizations, and information technology and communications service providers.

To focus on business and innovation, SMBs are tapping the benefits of public cloud communication services. However, large enterprises need more control over data, applications, and systems. Therefore, they are better suited for private and hybrid cloud model. Likewise, government entities, including agencies, armed forces, and educational institutions, will employ a variety of cloud models. For instance, those equivalent to large enterprises will go for similar configurations, while organizations with mutual interest and goals may collaborate to build and share community clouds. In fact, some government groups may even prefer a public cloud. In any case, there is a major issue with public-sector institutions. Balancing concerns and regulations regarding privacy and security with aspirations for transparency and sharing information will a key challenge for the public-sector institutions.

Concurrently, service providers must be prepared to address customer concerns ranging from policy compliance to end-to-end security, including quality of service and technical customization. They must be able to deliver a range of functionality, service levels, and payment models.