Rahmad Kurniawan, Windows Azure as a Cloud Computing Platform

7/28/2019 Rahmad Kurniawan, Windows Azure as a Cloud Computing Platform

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1. IntroductionCloud computing technology is one of the technologies gaining momentum and

industry attention, influencing business decisions and acting as a game changer. Generally,

cloud computing is a method of computing which information technology (IT) capabilities

are provided as an internet-based services.

Cloud computing is like an electricity grid. If need electricity then do not have to have

power but only need to contact service provider to connect the house to the electrical power

grid. payments are made according to how the amount of usage. Cloud computing enables the

delivery of scalable and available capabilities by leveraging dynamic and on demand

infrastructure [1]. There are three Service Models of cloud computing. They are Software as

a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and the last services model of cloudcomputing is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). There are many PaaS (Platform as a Service)

of cloud computing services. Windows Azure is Microsoft's PaaS (Platform as a Service)

Cloud offering to help its customers realize the benefits of cloud computing.

2. Explanation2.1. Business Value

Several companies have established a presence in this space with a variety of offers

for businesses to leverage within their organization. Windows Azure is similar to other

platforms, there are significant differences which offer business leaders new and excitingcapabilities not found in any other system. One of the greatest aspects of Windows Azure is

the flexibility of the platform. Consisting of several different services, Windows Azure

provide companies the option to consume any level of functionality they require.

Applications can be scaled up on more servers quickly and easily by way of a simple

configuration file change. This capability ensures applications will be responsive under

demand, and optimized for minimal costs under low-demand times. Windows Azure has

more data centers and delivery points than Amazon and Google. This dispersion of

information allows Windows Azure to deliver content faster and smarter to users around the

globe. Benefits of Windows Azure is the ability to run applications from a variety of

technologies and platforms, such as. NET (as a technology from Microsoft), JAVA, and PHP.

It is the platform of Microsoft implementation of cloud computing.[2]

2.2. Technology SpecificationsWindows Azure runs on machines in Microsoft data centers. Rather than providing

software that Microsoft customers can install and run themselves on their own computers,

Windows Azure is a service that customers use it to run applications and store data on

Internet-accessible machines owned by Microsoft. Those applications might provide services

Rahmad Kurniawan (P68500)

Individual Project of Management of Information Technology (TU6414)

Title: Windows Azure As A Cloud Computing Platform (3 Pages)


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to businesses, to consumers, or both. Here are some examples of the kinds of applications that

might be built on Windows Azure:

1. An independent software vendor (ISV) could create an application that targetsbusiness users, an approach thats often referred to as Software as a Service

(SaaS). ISVs can use Windows Azure as a foundation for a variety ofbusiness-oriented SaaS applications.

2. An ISV might create a SaaS application that targets consumers. WindowsAzure is designed to support very scalable software, and so a firm that plans to

target a large consumer market might well choose it as a foundation for a new

application.

3. Enterprises might use Windows Azure to build and run applications that areused by their own employees. While this situation probably wont require the

enormous scale of a consumer-facing application, the reliability and

manageability that Windows Azure offers could still make it an attractive

choice.

There are three components of the Windows Azure technology, such as:

1. Windows Azure (application container)2. Microsoft SQL Azure3. Windows Azure platform AppFabric

Figure 1: Windows Azure has three main parts: the Compute service, Storage service, and the Fabric. [1]

2.3. Competitive EnvironmentWindows Azure has many competitors. They are IBM Smart Cloud Services, Engine

Yard, Heroku, Force.com, Skytap, Vmware, Rackspace Cloud, GoGrid, Enlight cloud, HP

Cloud Services, OpenShift and the major competitors like Amazon S3 and Google Apps

provide many companies an excellent solution for their cloud-based products and

offerings.[3] Windows Azure continues to provide an excellent platform for businesses.

Figure 2: Cloud Avalaible to Accept Data (Write and Read) (Source:http://nasunicdn.s3.amazonaws.com)


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2.4. AnalysisWindows Azure presents a new environment for deploying and distributing

information and applications. Windows Azure offer business leaders new and exciting

capabilities not found in any other system. One of the greatest aspects of Windows Azure is

the flexibility of the platform. Another great feature only on Windows Azure is their unique

storage and CDN (Content Delivery Network) capabilities. While other cloud platforms offer

CDN and storage, Windows Azure has more data centers and delivery points than Amazon

and Google. This dispersion of information allows Windows Azure to deliver content faster

and smarter to users around the globe. This is essential to providing an optimal user

experience in any location. Microsoft allows companies to quickly replicate content around

the globe and effectively accommodate their customer needs.

The Windows Azure AppFabric facilitates a hybrid or private cloud for businesses.[4]

This platform can provide a great extension of a companys network by leveraging cloud-powered applications and servers that are closely integrated with their existing infrastructure.

SQL Azure continues to be enhanced as a robust and adept relational database. Microsoft,

recognizing customer needs and functionality, is constantly improving the platform to

provide larger database sizes and more functionality. Microsofts platform also has unique

capabilities that are only found within Windows Azure. Windows Azure has capability and

flexibility of the architecture so that can be used for businesses.

3. SummariesEach platform has characteristics and advantages. Microsofts Windows Azure

continues to provide an excellent platform for businesses. Windows Azure is Microsoft's

PaaS (Platform as a Service) Cloud offering to help its customers realize the benefits of cloud

computing. Microsofts platform also has unique capabilities that are only found within

Windows Azure. Windows Azure has capability and flexibility of the architecture so that can

be used for businesses.

4. References[1]Chou, David. (2010). SOA With .NET & Windows Azure Realizing Service-

Orientation with the Microsoft Platform. Prentice Hall.[2]Chappell, David (2009). Introducing Windows Azure.[3]Peng, Junjie. (2009). Comparison of Several Cloud Computing Platforms. Second

International Symposium on Information Science and Engineering InformationScience and Engineering (ISISE).

[4]Mell, Peter. The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. National Institute ofStandards and Technology U.S. Department of Commerce Special Publication 800-

145.

[5]http://nasunicdn.s3.amazonaws.com

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Rahmad Kurniawan, Windows Azure as a Cloud Computing Platform