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Cloud Computing Notes

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet, allowing organizations to access services like computing power and storage without owning infrastructure. It has evolved from early time-sharing concepts to modern platforms like AWS and Azure, featuring various deployment models such as public, private, hybrid, and community clouds, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. The cloud service models include IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, offering different levels of control and management for users.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
85 views27 pages

Cloud Computing Notes

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet, allowing organizations to access services like computing power and storage without owning infrastructure. It has evolved from early time-sharing concepts to modern platforms like AWS and Azure, featuring various deployment models such as public, private, hybrid, and community clouds, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. The cloud service models include IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, offering different levels of control and management for users.

Uploaded by

Kaushik S
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

Definition of Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing refers to the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-go
pricing. Instead of owning computing infrastructure or data centers, organizations access technology
services, such as computing power, storage, and databases, on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider.

2. History of Cloud Computing

●​ 1950s–60s: Concept of time-sharing on mainframes (early form of resource pooling).


●​ 1990s: Virtualization became mainstream (VMware).
●​ 1999: Salesforce launched as the first SaaS.
●​ 2006: Amazon introduced AWS EC2 – a major milestone.
●​ 2010s: Cloud platforms matured; Azure, Google Cloud emerged.
●​ Today: AI/ML, Big Data, and IoT drive cloud innovation.

3. Characteristics of Cloud Computing

1.​ On-Demand Self-Service: Users can provision resources without human interaction with the service
provider.
2.​ Broad Network Access: Available over the network, accessed through standard mechanisms.
3.​ Resource Pooling: Shared infrastructure with multi-tenant model.
4.​ Rapid Elasticity: Resources can scale elastically outward and inward.
5.​ Measured Service: Resource usage is monitored and billed automatically.
6.​ Cost Efficiency: Reduces capital expenditure and converts it to operational expenditure.
7.​ Scalability: Easily scales up or down depending on demand.
8.​ Performance: Offers high performance through global networks of secure data centers.
9.​ Speed and Agility: Fast provisioning and flexibility enable quick adaptation.
10.​Security: Modern cloud providers offer robust cybersecurity protections.
11.​Disaster Recovery: Offers backup and disaster recovery options that are more efficient.
12.​Automatic Software Updates: The latest features, patches, and security updates are handled by
providers.

4. Cloud Deployment Models

1. Public Cloud
A public cloud is a cloud environment operated by a third-party provider that offers computing resources
like servers, storage, and networking to multiple customers over the Internet. The resources are
dynamically allocated and are shared among multiple tenants (multi-tenant architecture).

Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), IBM Cloud

Features:

●​ On-demand access to computing resources​

●​ Infrastructure hosted and managed off-site​

●​ Multi-tenancy and resource sharing​

●​ Elastic scalability​

●​ Utility-based pricing model (pay-as-you-go)

Advantages:

1.​ Cost Efficiency: No capital expenditure is required. Operational expenses are optimized by paying only
for what is used.​

2.​ Rapid Provisioning: Resources are provisioned almost instantly, making it ideal for rapid application
development and testing.​

3.​ High Scalability: Resources can be scaled up or down based on workload needs, offering flexibility
during traffic spikes.​

4.​ Global Accessibility: Public cloud providers have data centers around the world, ensuring global
accessibility and low latency.​

5.​ No Maintenance Overhead: Hardware and infrastructure maintenance is entirely handled by the
provider.​

6.​ Resilience and Redundancy: Built-in data replication and disaster recovery options.​
Disadvantages:

1.​ Data Privacy and Security Risks: Shared infrastructure introduces potential vulnerabilities and data
leakage.​

2.​ Compliance Issues: Regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA may not be fully met depending on
region and provider.​

3.​ Vendor Lock-in: Switching providers can be difficult due to proprietary services, APIs, and data
migration complexity.​

4.​ Performance Variability: Multi-tenant environments may lead to performance degradation due to noisy
neighbors.​

5.​ Limited Customization: Users must conform to the provider's system architecture and limitations.​

Ideal Use Cases:

●​ Startups and SMEs that need affordable IT infrastructure​

●​ Development and test environments​

●​ Web hosting and content delivery​

●​ Batch processing and Big Data analytics​

●​ Disaster recovery environments

2. Private Cloud


A private cloud provides a dedicated cloud infrastructure exclusively for a single organization. It can be
hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider. Unlike public cloud, it offers complete control over
resources and security configurations.

Examples: VMware vCloud, Microsoft Azure Stack, OpenStack


Features:

●​ Dedicated hardware for a single organization​

●​ Full control and governance of infrastructure​

●​ High levels of customization and isolation​

●​ Can be hosted internally or externally​

Advantages:

1.​ Enhanced Security: As the infrastructure is exclusive, it ensures better data protection and mitigates
the risk of breaches.​

2.​ Regulatory Compliance: Easier to meet industry-specific standards and data residency requirements.​

3.​ Greater Customization: Architecture and services can be tailored precisely to organizational needs.​

4.​ Consistent Performance: Dedicated resources lead to predictable and stable performance.​

5.​ Improved Control and Visibility: Complete administrative access allows optimization and monitoring
of resources.​

Disadvantages:

1.​ High Setup and Maintenance Cost:| Requires substantial capital investment and ongoing operational
expenses.​

2.​ Limited Scalability: Scaling demands physical hardware upgrades.​

3.​ IT Skill Dependency: Requires skilled staff for deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting.​

4.​ Longer Deployment Times: Procurement and configuration of resources can delay time-to-market.​
Ideal Use Cases:

●​ Large enterprises with strict security requirements​

●​ Government and financial institutions​

●​ Organizations needing full compliance with data protection regulations​

●​ Long-running, resource-intensive applications​

3. Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud is a computing environment that combines public and private clouds, allowing data and
applications to be shared between them. It provides businesses with greater flexibility by moving
workloads between cloud solutions as needs and costs fluctuate.

Examples: Azure Hybrid Cloud, AWS Outposts, Google Anthos

Features:

●​ Integration of public and private infrastructures​

●​ Centralized management and orchestration tools​

●​ Application and data portability​

●​ Workload optimization and flexible resource allocation​

Advantages:

1.​ Flexibility and Scalability: Easily scale workloads to the public cloud when demand increases while
keeping sensitive operations on the private cloud.​

2.​ Optimized Costs: Efficient use of public cloud for low-security tasks and private cloud for sensitive
data reduces overall expenses.​
3.​ Enhanced Business Continuity: Redundant deployments across environments improve fault tolerance
and disaster recovery.​

4.​ Compliance Management: Allows storage of sensitive data on private infrastructure while leveraging
the agility of public cloud.​

5.​ Incremental Cloud Adoption: Facilitates a phased migration strategy for traditional businesses.​

Disadvantages:

1.​ Complexity in Integration: Requires sophisticated tools and expertise to ensure seamless data and
application movement.​

2.​ Security Challenges: Ensuring security across both cloud types requires strong governance and
monitoring.​

3.​ Increased Management Overhead: Dual environments need more maintenance and configuration.​

4.​ Interoperability Issues: Compatibility between platforms and APIs may require additional
development effort.​

Ideal Use Cases:

●​ Organizations with variable workloads and sensitive data​

●​ Enterprises requiring disaster recovery and backup solutions​

●​ Businesses aiming for cloud transition without abandoning legacy systems​

●​ Companies with seasonal demand variations​

4. Community Cloud
A community cloud is a shared cloud infrastructure that is used by several organizations with common
interests or requirements (e.g., security, compliance, jurisdiction). It may be managed internally or by a
third party and can be hosted on-premise or externally.

Examples: Government clouds, Healthcare consortium clouds, Education sector clouds

Features:

●​ Shared infrastructure among organizations with common concerns​

●​ Cooperative ownership or third-party managed​

●​ Common standards, policies, and compliance requirements​

●​ Promotes collaboration among member entities​

Advantages:

1.​ Cost Sharing: Infrastructure and service costs are shared among participants, reducing individual
burden.​

2.​ Improved Collaboration: Enables inter-organizational collaboration, especially for research or regional
services.​

3.​ Targeted Compliance: Designed to meet specific regulatory and governance standards for the group.​

4.​ Security and Privacy: Offers a balance between the security of private cloud and cost benefits of public
cloud.​

5.​ Custom Configuration: Allows customization to meet sector-specific needs.​

Disadvantages:

1.​ Limited Flexibility: Tailored to group needs; may not suit specific needs of individual organizations.​
2.​ Shared Responsibility: Governance and administration can be complicated by multiple stakeholders.​

3.​ Resource Contention: Similar to public cloud, resource allocation can become a concern.​

4.​ Higher Cost than Public Cloud: More secure but less economical than public cloud.​

Ideal Use Cases:

●​ Inter-governmental departments or agencies​

●​ Educational institutions collaborating on research​

●​ Healthcare organizations with shared data standards​

●​ Non-profits with similar mission objectives​

5. Cloud Service Models

Cloud computing offers services over the internet using a pay-as-you-go pricing model. These services are
generally categorized into four major models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service
(PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Function as a Service (FaaS). Each model represents a different
level of abstraction and control for the consumer.

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud service model that provides virtualized computing resources
over the internet. This includes servers, storage, networking, and operating systems. Consumers
manage the applications, data, runtime, middleware, and OS, while the provider manages the
virtualization, servers, storage, and networking.

Examples: Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines, Google Compute Engine

Advantages
●​ High Control and Customization: Full control over OS, storage, and applications, allowing
configuration to meet specific needs.​

●​ On-Demand Scalability: Easily scale resources up or down based on workload.​

●​ Cost Efficiency: No need for capital investment in hardware; pay only for used resources.​

●​ Legacy Support: Allows migration of legacy systems without redesign.​

●​ Rapid Provisioning: Faster setup compared to physical infrastructure deployment.​

Disadvantages

Complex Management: Requires management of OS, patches, configurations, and security policies.​

●​ Security Responsibility: Users are accountable for data and application-level security.​

●​ Variable Costs: Poor monitoring can lead to unexpected charges due to underutilized resources.​

●​ Vendor Dependency: Scripting and infrastructure management often rely on provider-specific tools.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) offers a development and deployment environment in the cloud, with tools to
support the complete application lifecycle. The platform includes infrastructure, development
frameworks, databases, and runtime environments, abstracting infrastructure management from the
developer.

Examples: Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure App Service, Heroku

Advantages
●​ Accelerated Development: Developers can focus on coding while the platform manages the
infrastructure.​

●​ Integrated Tooling: Built-in CI/CD pipelines, version control, and monitoring systems.​

●​ Auto Scaling and Load Balancing: Automatically adjusts resource allocation based on traffic and
demand.​

●​ Reduced Maintenance Burden: Provider handles software updates, patches, and system configurations.​

Disadvantages

●​ Limited Control: Access to the underlying OS or environment is restricted.​

●​ Language and Framework Constraints: Only supported languages and versions are usable.​

●​ Vendor Lock-In: Tight integration with provider-specific services can hinder portability.​

●​ Cost Accumulation: Additional features (e.g., databases, monitoring) may incur extra costs.​

3. Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS) delivers fully functional, ready-to-use applications over the internet. Users
access the software through a web browser or client, without managing any underlying infrastructure
or platform components.

Examples: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox

Advantages

●​ Minimal IT Overhead: No installation, maintenance, or updates required by the user.​

●​ High Accessibility: Access software from anywhere with an internet connection.​


●​ Rapid Deployment: Applications are instantly available upon subscription.​

●​ Scalable Licensing: Licensing can be adjusted based on user demand.​

Disadvantages

●​ Limited Customization: Modifying or extending core functionalities is often restricted.​

●​ Data Privacy Concerns: Sensitive data resides on third-party infrastructure.​

●​ Internet Dependency: Application availability depends on stable network connectivity.​

●​ Discontinuity Risks: Service changes or shutdowns are entirely at the provider’s discretion.

Mini Case Studies

Netflix

●​ Migration: Fully moved to AWS by 2016—leveraging EC2, S3, Lambda, CloudFront,


Redshift. desktoptocloud.comBacancyScribdAmazon Web Services, Inc.​

●​ Architecture: Microservices based, auto-scaling across regions, Chaos Monkey tests for
resilience. desktoptocloud.com​

●​ Serverless Usage: Lambda functions orchestrate video upload workflows—chunking,


encoding, integrity validation. Reddit​

Uber

●​ Data Infrastructure: Real-time data streaming via Kafka (~7 PB/day), Flink, Pinot, Spark.
Massive scale. Reddit​
●​ Cloud Migration: Moved to GCP/Oracle, implemented FinOps and cost governance to
optimize spend while scaling global operations.

Model Real-World Examples Use Case

IaaS Netflix uses AWS EC2, S3, Auto Scaling, High-performance workloads, custom
analytics pipelines
CloudFront for full control and scalability.

(Scribd)

PaaS Development teams deploying via Heroku, Rapid application deployment withou
infrastructure overhead
Azure App Services, Google App Engine.

Used for web apps and microservices.

SaaS Salesforce, Google Workspace, Office 365, Zoom Business productivity, CRM,
(Dokan, Reddit) communication tools

Evolution and Modern Understanding of Cloud-Based Data Storage

1. Examining the Evolution of Network Storage

The journey of network storage reflects the growth of digital infrastructure over decades.
Originally, data storage was entirely local and isolated, but as technology evolved, the need for
accessibility, scalability, and collaboration pushed the development of networked and eventually
cloud-based storage systems.

A. Local Storage (Pre-Network Era)

●​ Data was stored on floppy disks, CDs, hard drives, and tapes.​

●​ No sharing or central management.​

●​ High risk of hardware failure and data loss.​

B. Network Attached Storage (NAS)

●​ A file-level storage solution connected to a local network.​

●​ Allows multiple devices/users to access data concurrently.​

●​ Ideal for small businesses, homes, and collaborative environments.​

C. Storage Area Network (SAN)

●​ Block-level storage accessible over a dedicated high-speed network.​

●​ Delivers superior performance, reliability, and scalability.​

●​ Used in large enterprise data centers with mission-critical applications.​

D. Virtualization & the Cloud Era

●​ Cloud storage emerged with virtualized infrastructure.​

●​ Data is stored off-premises on servers managed by third-party providers.​

●​ Offers dynamic scaling, pay-per-use pricing, global access, and integrated services.​
2. Understanding Cloud-Based Data Storage

Cloud-based storage involves storing digital data on internet-accessible servers hosted by providers
like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure. Users access their data through web interfaces or
APIs.

Core Features:

●​ Elasticity: Easily scale storage space up or down.​

●​ Ubiquity: Access from any location or device with internet.​

●​ Resilience: Built-in redundancy and failover systems.​

●​ Managed Infrastructure: Providers handle upgrades, hardware, and security.​

Types of Cloud Storage:

●​ Public Cloud: Shared resources, accessible over the public internet.​

●​ Private Cloud: Dedicated environment for a single organization.​

●​ Hybrid Cloud: Combination of public and private for flexibility.​

3. Advantages of Cloud-Based Data Storage

1.​ Global Accessibility: Access your data anywhere, enabling remote work and collaboration.
This increases productivity and flexibility, especially for distributed teams and businesses.
2.​ Cost Efficiency: Avoid capital expenditure on hardware; pay only for what you use. Cloud
solutions are especially useful for startups and SMEs that need cost-effective IT
infrastructure.
3.​ Scalability: Instantly increase or decrease storage capacity depending on workload, seasonal
needs, or business growth. No need for manual upgrades.
4.​ Automatic Backups and Recovery: Simplified disaster recovery with minimal downtime.
Cloud storage offers scheduled and continuous backups, ensuring data is never lost.
5.​ Data Security: Providers offer encryption, compliance certifications (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA),
and advanced security layers like identity and access management.
6.​ Reduced Maintenance: Providers manage backend infrastructure, operating systems,
updates, and patches, freeing up in-house IT teams for strategic tasks.
7.​ Team Collaboration: Real-time sharing and editing of documents across teams and
departments. Tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive enhance collaboration.
8.​ Environmentally Friendly: Shared infrastructure results in reduced energy consumption
per user compared to running separate data centers.

4. Disadvantages of Cloud-Based Data Storage

1.​ Dependence on Internet: Loss of connection means loss of access. Unstable internet or
poor bandwidth can hinder productivity.
2.​ Security Risks: Despite high-level security, data breaches, insider threats, or misconfigured
access permissions may lead to data exposure.
3.​ Ongoing Costs: While initial costs are low, long-term usage, high data transfer, and
frequent retrieval can become expensive over time.
4.​ Vendor Lock-In: Migration from one cloud provider to another is often costly and
complex due to proprietary APIs, data formatting differences, and compatibility issues.
5.​ Latency Issues: Access speed can vary depending on the geographic location of the user and
the data center. High-latency environments affect real-time applications.
6.​ Limited Control: Since infrastructure is managed by providers, organizations may have
limited control over hardware choices and some configuration settings.
7.​ Compliance Concerns: Organizations in regulated industries may face challenges ensuring
that their cloud storage complies with all data residency and privacy laws.
5. Cloud-Based Backup Systems
Cloud-based backup systems refer to the use of remote, internet-accessible platforms to store copies
of data, ensuring business continuity, disaster recovery, and compliance with data retention
policies.

Key Components

1.​ Automated Scheduling​

○​ Backups can be scheduled hourly, daily, weekly, or based on custom triggers (e.g.,
system changes or user activity).​

○​ Ensures minimal human intervention, reducing risk of missed backups.​

○​ Cron-like schedulers or built-in orchestration tools handle timing.​

○​ Useful for organizations with dynamic workloads or high compliance demands.​

2.​ Version Control​

○​ Maintains multiple versions of files/data snapshots.​

○​ Enables rollback to previous states to recover from ransomware, accidental deletion,


or configuration errors.​

○​ Versioning policies (e.g., retention period, number of versions) can be tailored to


data sensitivity and compliance.​

3.​ End-to-End Encryption​

○​ In Transit: TLS/SSL protocols secure data during transfer.​

○​ At Rest: AES-256 is commonly used to protect data within storage environments.​


○​ Optional: Client-side encryption gives users full control over encryption keys
(zero-knowledge security).​

4.​ Geo-Redundancy​

○​ Replication of data across multiple geographically dispersed data centers.​

○​ Ensures high availability even in the event of regional outages, natural disasters, or
targeted cyberattacks.​

○​ Some providers offer cross-region replication (CRR) and multi-zone fault


tolerance.​

Advanced Features

●​ Policy-Based Retention: Tailor data retention based on file types, users, or legal
requirements.​

●​ Incremental Backups: Only changes since the last backup are saved, improving efficiency.​

●​ Instant Recovery: Restore files or entire systems in seconds using image-based backups or
pre-staged environments.​

Examples & Use Cases

●​ Acronis Cloud Backup: Known for ransomware protection and hybrid cloud
environments.​

●​ Veeam Backup for AWS/Azure: Integrates with native cloud APIs; suitable for complex
enterprise architectures.​

●​ Google Workspace Backup (e.g., Spanning, Backupify): Essential for SaaS data
protection and regulatory compliance.​
6. Understanding File Systems in the Cloud
Cloud file systems define how data is stored, accessed, and managed within cloud environments.
These systems are optimized for various use cases ranging from unstructured data analytics to
high-performance transactional workloads.

A. Object Storage

●​ Definition: Stores data as objects (file + metadata + unique ID) in a flat namespace.​

●​ Scalability: Virtually unlimited capacity; ideal for big data analytics and archival.​

●​ Access: RESTful APIs; not mountable as a local drive like traditional file systems.​

●​ Durability: Often provides "11 nines" (99.999999999%) of durability.​

Use Cases

●​ Static web content (images, HTML/CSS).​

●​ Backup and disaster recovery.​

●​ IoT and log data storage.​

Examples

●​ Amazon S3: Lifecycle policies, intelligent tiering for cost optimization.​

●​ Google Cloud Storage: Fine-grained access control with IAM and uniform bucket-level
access.​
B. File Storage

●​ Definition: Mimics traditional on-premise file systems using hierarchical structures.​

●​ Mountable: Can be mounted over NFS or SMB protocols, enabling shared access among
virtual machines.​

●​ Consistency: Offers strong read-after-write consistency.​

Use Cases

●​ Shared team folders or project workspaces.​

●​ Content management systems (CMS).​

●​ Home directories in VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) environments.​

Examples

●​ Amazon EFS (Elastic File System): Auto-scaling with multiple availability zones.​

●​ Azure Files: Fully managed file shares, easily integrated with Windows-based applications.​

C. Block Storage

●​ Definition: Splits data into blocks, each treated as an individual disk volume.​

●​ Performance: High IOPS and low latency; ideal for database and transactional workloads.​

●​ Control: Users have full control over partitioning, formatting, and file system installation.​

Use Cases
●​ Hosting high-performance databases (e.g., MySQL, MongoDB).​

●​ Boot volumes for virtual machines.​

●​ Data-intensive applications (e.g., video processing, financial modeling).​

Examples

●​ Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store): Provides SSD and HDD options with encryption and
snapshots.​

●​ Azure Managed Disks: Simplifies VM storage management; supports zonal redundancy.​

Comparison Table

Feature Object File Storage Block


Storage Storage

Data Flat (Objects) Hierarchical Blocks (Raw)


Structure

Performance Moderate Moderate High

Use Case Backups, Shared access Databases,


Media VMs

Protocol REST API NFS/SMB iSCSI or VM


Access Mount
Scalability Very High High Moderate

Mountable No Yes Yes (as disks)

7. Industry-Specific Cloud-Based Storage Solutions

Cloud providers offer tailored solutions based on regulatory and operational needs.

Healthcare

●​ HIPAA-compliant storage.​

●​ Handles electronic medical records (EMRs), imaging data.​

Finance

●​ PCI-DSS compliance for financial records.​

●​ Secure transaction history storage.​

Education

●​ Google Workspace for Education, Microsoft 365.​

●​ Cloud-based learning platforms and storage for course material.​


Media & Entertainment

●​ High throughput storage for video rendering, editing, streaming.​

Government

●​ Localized cloud with strong encryption and access control.​

8. Cloud-Based Database Solutions


Cloud-based database solutions are fully managed, scalable data management systems delivered
as a service. They offload the administrative burden of infrastructure, security, availability, and
scaling from developers and database administrators (DBAs), enabling teams to focus on
application logic and data-driven insights.

Types of Cloud Databases

1.​ Relational Databases (SQL)​

○​ Use structured schema and support SQL querying.​

○​ Ideal for transactional workloads and applications with strict data integrity needs
(ACID compliance).​

○​ Features: Table-based design, joins, stored procedures, indexing.​

○​ Examples:​

■​ Amazon RDS: Supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server,


MariaDB. Offers multi-AZ deployments, automated backups.​

■​ Azure SQL Database: Intelligent performance tuning, built-in high


availability.​
■​ Google Cloud SQL: Seamless integration with GCP services like Cloud
Run, App Engine.​

2.​ NoSQL Databases​

○​ Handle unstructured or semi-structured data (JSON, key-value, graph).​

○​ Prioritize scalability, flexibility, and speed over strict consistency.​

○​ Subtypes: Key-value, document-based, columnar, graph.​

○​ Examples:​

■​ MongoDB Atlas (document): Suitable for content management, IoT,


catalogs.​

■​ Amazon DynamoDB (key-value and document): Serverless, single-digit ms


latency at scale.​

■​ Google Firestore: Ideal for mobile/web apps with offline support and
real-time syncing.​

3.​ In-Memory Databases​

○​ Store data in RAM instead of disk for ultra-fast data access.​

○​ Used for caching, real-time analytics, and session storage.​

○​ Examples:​

■​ Redis (available via AWS ElastiCache, Azure Cache for Redis): Supports
pub/sub, sorted sets, persistence.​

■​ Memcached: Simpler key-value store, used primarily for caching only.​


4.​ Data Warehousing Solutions​

○​ Optimized for analytical queries on massive datasets (OLAP).​

○​ Use columnar storage, query optimization, and parallel processing.​

○​ Ideal for business intelligence (BI), dashboarding, and long-term trend analysis.​

○​ Examples:​

■​ Amazon Redshift: Integrates with S3, supports federated queries.​

■​ Google BigQuery: Serverless; uses SQL and integrates with Looker, Data
Studio.​

Core Features of Cloud-Based DBs

●​ Automated Maintenance​

○​ Includes OS/database patching, version upgrades, and health checks.​

●​ Backups and Recovery​

○​ Point-in-time recovery (PITR), continuous backups, retention policies.​

●​ High Availability and Replication​

○​ Multi-zone or multi-region failover, synchronous/asynchronous replication.​

●​ Security​

○​ Network isolation (VPC), IAM roles, encryption (in-transit & at-rest), audit
logging.​
●​ Elastic Scalability​

○​ Horizontal (sharding/partitioning) and vertical (compute/storage) scaling without


downtime.​

●​ Integration & Ecosystem​

○​ Native connectors with cloud services (ETL tools, APIs, event-driven pipelines).​

9. Cloud-Based Block Storage


Block storage is a persistent storage model where data is divided into blocks and stored as
independent pieces. Each block has a unique identifier and can be formatted with a file system of
your choice. This storage type is well-suited for workloads that require consistent IOPS
(Input/Output Operations Per Second) and low-latency access.

Key Features

1.​ Disk-Like Behavior​

○​ Presented to virtual machines or containers as a virtual hard disk.​

○​ Users can format, partition, and manage them just like local disks (NTFS, ext4,
XFS).​

2.​ Performance and Latency​

○​ Supports high-throughput transactional systems (OLTP).​

○​ Offers provisioned IOPS, burst capabilities, and throughput optimization.​

3.​ Durability and Availability​


○​ Built-in data replication across availability zones.​

○​ Snapshots enable versioned backups and fast volume recovery.​

4.​ Security​

○​ Encryption at rest using provider-managed or customer-managed keys.​

○​ Encryption in transit supported via secure protocols and APIs.​

5.​ Scalability and Flexibility​

○​ Volumes can typically be resized without downtime.​

○​ Can be detached from one VM and attached to another dynamically.​

6.​ Snapshotting​

○​ Create point-in-time images of volumes for backup, cloning, or rollback purposes.​

Use Cases

●​ High-performance databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL).​

●​ Enterprise apps like SAP, Oracle ERP.​

●​ Virtual machines and containerized apps with persistent storage needs.​

●​ File servers and media editing workflows.​

Examples

Provider Service Highlights


Amazon EBS (Elastic Block SSD (gp3/io2) and HDD (st1/sc1) types,
Store) snapshot automation.

Google Persistent Disks Automatically replicated; balanced, SSD, and


Cloud Extreme types.

Microsoft Managed Disks Ultra, Premium, and Standard tiers; secure disk
Azure sharing.

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