What is reliability in cloud computing?
Reliability in cloud computing is related to cloud technology quality. If the components in a cloud computing service perform their functions and fail rarely, the service is said to be reliable. Thus, when selecting a cloud computing service, it is advisable to look at its reliability. This article discusses the design principles behind reliable cloud computing, the importance of building to scale when it comes to cloud computing, the perceived reliability in cloud computing, and the differences between reliability and availability.
Design principles for reliability in cloud computing
Cloud computing enables delivery of complex systems on a global, resource-sharing scale. Technologies used in cloud computing systems include virtualization, grid computing, and distributed computing, among others.
Always build cloud computing systems with reliability in mind. The following design principles are a helpful guide:
- Ensure automatic recovery prior to or in case of failure. Monitor key performance indicators and trigger automated recovery procedures when an issue that can lead to system failure is detected. At the same time, notifications should be sent automatically to the teams in charge so that they can step in when required.
- Simulate and ensure functionality of recovery procedures work. Test the different scenarios that can lead to system failure, and make sure that automated recovery procedures can address failure scenarios effectively. Tweak the procedures to make them more effective in case weaknesses are found during testing.
- Monitor resource utilization, and increase or decrease resources as needed. Ensure that systems are in place for monitoring and adjusting resources automatically based on demand. This helps prevent resource saturation, which happens when demand exceeds capacity, potentially disrupting the service.
- Increase service availability by scaling horizontally. Let multiple small resources handle requests. This helps lower the risk of having a single point of failure, enabling the system to keep working even when a resource goes down.
- Monitor and adjust with changes automatically. The service should adjust automatically when there are changes to your infrastructure. A tracking and review mechanism should also be put in place so that you can take remediation measures when there are changes that can impact the system adversely.
By keeping these design principles in mind, you can minimize the number of times your cloud-based system fails. In case your system does fail, the impact of the failure can be minimized as well.
Importance of scalability in cloud computing
Scalability, or the ability of a system to handle current and future demand, is related to reliability in cloud computing. By incorporating scalability into your cloud computing architecture, you can ensure consistent performance for your users, (regardless of demand), increase or decrease storage capacity when needed, save on hardware and storage costs as well as time, and build fault-tolerant systems.
There are several scalability types in cloud computing, including:
- Cloud elasticity. This ensures that your users always have the resources they need. It happens automatically and seamlessly, without your users noticing a drop in system performance.
- Vertical scaling. Also known as scaling up, this pertains to upgrading a single resource, like memory or storage. Vertical scaling also happens seamlessly, or without shutting down the service.
- Horizontal scaling. This ensures that the system can handle higher demand through additional components, like adding or linking more servers to your cloud computing setup. This is also applicable for when you want to build redundancy into your system. Like the other scalability types, it also does not require taking down a service.
- Auto-scaling. This enables a cloud computing service to recommend the type of scalability appropriate for your needs. In this type of scaling, you can choose to optimize either performance or costs, or both. Most cloud computing services offer this service to their clients.
Perceived reliability of cloud computing security
There is a widespread perception that cloud computing security is inherently weak and opens your data to potential attacks from external threats. Many organizations cite this as their primary reason for not moving to the cloud completely.
However, many cloud-based systems are often more secure than their on-premises counterparts. Often, the fault does not lie with the provider when a cloud computing service gets compromised. Rather, users remain the weak points in cloud security, as they fall target to phishing and business email compromises, among other forms of attacks.
This is not to say that cloud computing will forever remain more secure than traditional computing. According to a 2021 IBM report, more malware is being designed to target Linux servers that form the backbone of many cloud computing environments. It is expected that this trend will continue as even more organizations move to the cloud.
Availability vs reliability in cloud computing
Availability, or the amount of time a system is up and functioning properly, is another term associated with reliability in cloud computing. While availability is measured in terms of time loss, reliability is measured in terms of the number and impact of failures. Reliability may be seen as a measure of availability.
When implementing a cloud-based system, organizations must balance their need for availability and reliability with how much they can afford to spend on the system’s components. Typically, they look at service level agreements (SLAs) when choosing a cloud service provider to help them decide if what they are getting is in tune with their needs. Most SLAs stipulate that infrastructure management, security, and troubleshooting and repair, among other factors that influence reliability and availability, are the provider’s responsibilities.
While losses brought about by failure to meet SLAs may be compensated financially, when this is not possible due to factors beyond the provider’s control, credits may be extended to the customers instead. If it is imperative that your systems are up and running all the time, you may want to use redundant and failover systems on your own, instead of relying solely on your provider. Note that this can increase the costs of maintaining your IT infrastructure.
How Parallels RAS helps reliability in cloud computing
Parallels®RAS is the go-to platform when deploying virtual applications and desktops that meet your availability and reliability requirements. Parallels RAS supports the diverse types of cloud computing, including Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS), so the platform is perfect if your needs require using any of these models.
Parallels RAS enables convenient access to virtual applications and desktops using any major hypervisor. It supports hyperconverged solutions and (Remote Desktop Session Hosts (RDSHs), enabling application delivery to your end users on any device. It also enables your IT team to provide virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) desktops and published applications to your end users quickly, aside from allowing automation of other complex and repetitive tasks.
Parallels RAS offers comprehensive security features that meet the demands of larger organizations for secure data access and transmission. Advanced filters, encrypted connections, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and role-based access control (RBAC) are just some of these features. Parallels RAS also supports hybrid cloud deployments.
Parallels RAS comes with a single full license that offers complete access to its suite of virtualization features. Aside from enabling straightforward installation using wizards, its user-friendly interface means that your end users can familiarize themselves with the system quickly.
