Building cloud computing services

Cloud computing services are applications and infrastructures resources that exists on the internet. The primary components of cloud architecture are client infrastructure, application, service, runtime cloud, storage, infrastructure, management, security and internet. The following are factors to consider when building a cloud computing service.

a. Define your business needs and goals

Before a business can implement a cloud computing infrastructure, it needs to carefully define its needs and goals. These needs and goals can be evaluated by asking questions such as:

• What types of workloads will be moved to the cloud?
• How many users will need to access shared cloud resources?
• What is the performance and availability requirements?
• How much data needs to be stored, and how often will it need to be accessed?

Then the next step is to identify which cloud deployment model – public, private, or hybrid is best suited for the business. Finally, the cloud service provider must be selected, and the infrastructure put in place. There are a number of different cloud computing providers, each with their own unique offerings. It is important to compare and contrast these options in order to find the best fit for the business.

b. Choose the right cloud platform

Determining which cloud platform is the best fit for a business can be difficult. There are a variety of cloud providers – including those offering private cloud, hybrid cloud and public cloud services. Each of these providers comes with their own set of features and pricing models.

More importantly however, the needs of each business vary, making it important to select a platform whose cloud computing services meet the specific requirements of the business. So, with such a variety of options to choose from, how can a business select the right cloud platform?

It is also important to consider customer support when selecting a cloud platform. After all, even the best cloud platforms can experience downtime or other issues. When problems do arise, it is crucial to have access to 24/7 customer support in order to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible.

c. Set up your virtual infrastructure

Once the cloud provider has been selected, businesses can begin to migrate their existing data and applications to the cloud infrastructure. Migrating data and applications can be a bumpy ride, so here are a few tips to make the data migration process go smoothly: 

Take inventory of what you need to migrate. This will help you determine which cloud provider is a good fit, and what kind of migration tools you’ll need.

Establish a timeline and business case for the migration This will help you get buy-in from stakeholders and ensure that the project stays on track.

Check the cloud technology included with your cloud provider. Finally, consider using a cloud platform that offers built-in migration tools. This can save you time and money in the long run.

d. Configure security and networking.

Cloud computing architectures are highly secure, but you’ll need to take steps to protect your data. When configuring security and networking for a cloud computing infrastructure, there are a few important factors to consider.

First, you need to make sure that all data is properly encrypted. This will help to protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized users. Second, you need to ensure that the network is properly configured. This includes setting up firewalls and implementing robust authentication and authorization controls in order to ensure that only authorized users have access to the network and its sensitive data. Finally, you need to make sure that the cloud computing infrastructure is properly monitored. This includes monitoring for unusual activity and keeping an eye out for any potential security threats, especially if you are using public cloud computing. 

e. Configure your storage solutions.

When configuring storage solutions in a cloud computing infrastructure, it’s important to consider the needs of your applications and workloads. For example, if you’re running a cloud-based database, you’ll need to ensure that your storage solution can provide the required performance and capacity for both your operating systems and your data storage, especially if you’re a business with a large data set.

We may also need to consider issues such as data redundancy and security. Once you’ve selected a storage solution, you’ll need to configure it appropriately for your cloud infrastructure. This process will vary depending on the solution you’ve chosen, but in general, you’ll need to create storage accounts and set up replication and security. By taking the time to properly configure your cloud-based storage solution, you can help ensure that your applications and workloads have the resources they need to run smoothly.

f. Deploy your applications

Businesses will also need to deploy their applications to the cloud infrastructure. This can be done using a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution or by manually provisioning virtual machines (VMs) and other resources.

 In the cloud, applications are hosted on a network of remote servers, which are accessed over the internet. When deploying applications in a cloud computing infrastructure, it’s important to consider the below factors which can help with successfully deploying applications in the cloud:

a. Make sure that your application is compatible with the cloud platform you’re using. Not all applications are well suited for cloud deployment, so it’s important to do your research upfront.

b. Create a detailed plan for how you will deploy your application. This should include both the technical aspects of the deployment as well as any business or organizational considerations.

c. Test your application thoroughly before deploying it to the cloud. This will help to ensure that there are no unforeseen issues when you go live.

d. Should be prepared to scale your application according to demand. Cloud deployments can often experience spikes in traffic, so it’s important to have a plan in place for how you will handle increased demand.

e. Balance workloads between multiple servers: In order to avoid overloading a single server, it is important to distribute workloads evenly across multiple servers. This will help to improve performance and reduce the risk of outages.

f. Use automation tooling: Automation can help to speed up the process of provisioning and configuring servers. This can save time and money when deploying applications in the cloud. Once your applications are up and running, you’ll need to monitor them closely to ensure that they are performing as expected. This includes monitoring application logs, tracking performance metrics, and setting alerts for when issues arise.

g. Manage and monitor your cloud environment

Cloud computing infrastructure can be a complex and ever-changing landscape. To ensure that your cloud infrastructure is running smoothly, it’s important to have a cloud infrastructure management plan for monitoring and managing your cloud environment. Here are some tips: 

First, create a cloud management strategy that outlines your goals and objectives for the cloud. This will help you prioritise tasks and make sure everyone on your team is on the same page. Make sure to also define clear roles and responsibilities for those who will be working with the cloud infrastructure. 

Next, establish governance policies and procedures for how the cloud infrastructure will be managed. This can include things like who has access to the cloud, what kinds of changes can be made, and how changes will be tracked.

Next, set up a cloud monitoring system that tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) such as uptime, response times, and resource utilisation. This will give you visibility into how your cloud infrastructure is performing and identify areas for improvement. 

Finally, establish a process for regularly reviewing your cloud infrastructure and making changes as needed. This might include adding new features, adjusting resource allocation, or scaling up or down as needed. By having a plan in place for managing and monitoring your cloud infrastructure, you can keep it running smoothly and avoid any unexpected surprises.