Grid computing is a distributed structure of a large number of computers connected to solve a complicated problem. In grid computing, servers and computers run independently and are loosely connected by the Internet. Computers may connect directly or through scheduling systems.

In other words, Grid Computing involves a large number of computer which are connected parallel and makes a computer cluster.

Grid computing is used in various types of applications such as mathematical, scientific, and educational tasks via various computing resources.

Grid computing is a processor architecture that integrates computer resources from various domains to achieve a primary goal. The computers on the network will work together in grid computing on a project, thus acting as a supercomputer.

Grid systems are mainly designed for resource sharing by Distributed and cluster computing on a large scale. It divides the complex tasks into smaller pieces that are distributed to the CPUs and keeps in the grid.

What is Cloud Computing?

 Cloud Computing is defined as the on-demand facility of computer power, database storage, applications, and other IT resources through the internet. It provides a solution for IT infrastructure at a low price.

In simple words, cloud computing means storing and accessing the data via the internet instead of the computer’s hard drive.

Cloud computing is a pay-per-use model.

Grid Computing Vs Cloud Computing

1. Main objective: – The main objective of cloud computing is to offer the Service at a lower rate. It also offers scalability and flexibility so that the customer efficiently uses cloud computing with increased security and availability.

However, the grid computing objective is to focus on the network to solve complicated problems; it also provides a computer as a utility.

2. Types and Division: – The types of cloud computing are public clouds, private clouds, community clouds, and hybrid clouds.

However, Grid computing is a distributed computing system so its types are distributed information system and distributed pervasive systems.

• Use and Security: – ALarge amount of data is stored in the cloud. So it offers security according to it. The data which is stored on the cloud is secured and only be access with the help of credentials.

Grid computing relates to idol energy in computers and is mainly used for something sensible.

• Basis of Dependency: – Cloud Computing is totally dependent on the internal. The cloud offers high security along with high performance.

Grid computing can do its work continuously, even if a computer stops or failure. The other computer will pick the working and make the system more efficient and reliable.

• Difference and Similarity: – cloud computing and grid computing are different from each other in some terms like architecture, business model, and interoperability.

The similarity between cloud computing and grid computing is both are network-based technologies

   .6. Space and Storage: –  In cloud computing, backup and restores the data is easy due to of its fast data processors. The updation in cloud computing are automatic   and efficient.

However, in grid computing, space is saved, and access to additional resources can be done.

7.Remote Usage: – In cloud computing, management of computing resources are within a single location, which is located at a different place.

 However, in grid computing, there is a distributed system where the resources are allocated at various locations, and can be located from various sites.

8. Resource Requirements: – Grid computing requires more resources, and cloud computing doesn’t access the resource directly; it gets resources via the internet.

9. Problem-Solving Techniques: – For job scheduling, grid computing uses all kinds of computing resources. In grid computing, the big task is split into multiple tasks, which is solved by various computers as the work assigns to a particular computer.

Cloud computing has resources that are pooling via grouping resources and needs a base from a cluster of servers.

10. Services and Capabilities: – Academic researchers mainly used Grid computing and have the ability to handle a large set of job that are complex and includes a large collection of data.

Cloud computing is totally internet-based computing. The cloud offers various types of services like management of data, job queries, the security of data, etc. It removes the cost of purchasing new hardware and software which are required to build applications.

11. Interoperability: – In grid computing, interoperability can be handled quickly, but cloud computing does not support interoperability.

Grid Computing Vs. Cloud Computing: Comparison Chart                              

• Grid Computing
• Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Virtualization
• Utility Computing

Grid Computing: – Grid computing is a distributed structure of large number of computers connected to solve a complicated problem. In grid computing, servers and computers run independently and are loosely connected by the internet. Computers may connect directly or through scheduling systems.

In other words, Grid computing is defined as a processor architecture that integrates computer resources from various domains in order to achieve a primary goal. The computers on the network will work together in grid computing on a project, thus acting as a supercomputer.

Grid systems are mainly designed for resource sharing by Distributed and cluster computing on a large scale.

It divides the complex tasks into smaller pieces that are distributed to CPUs and keeps in the grid.

Advantages of Grid Computing

1. Solve larger and complex problem in short time.
2. Working with other organizations is simpler.
3. It makes the better use of existing hardware.

Disadvantages of Grid Computing

1. Grid software and its standards are still evolving.
2. Learning curve to getting starting.
3. Non-interactive job submission.

Service-Oriented Architecture: – SOA is a system for applications that takes applications from everyday business and splits them into separate business functions and processes called services.

Application components are delivered to the other components via a network communication protocol in service-oriented architecture systems.  The basic principle of service-oriented architecture is independent of products, vendors and technologies.

A service is a separate unit of features that can be accessed remotely and independently introduced and modified, such as digital retrieval of a credit card statement.

It has four properties:

1. It defines a business activity with a specific result, logically.
2. It is self-contained.
3. For its customers, it is a black box.
4. It may consist of other underlying services.

Virtualization              

Virtualization is a technique, which permits to share single physical resources among various organizations.

Virtualization is the designing of a virtual variant of something, like a server, a desktop, a storage device, an operating system or network resources”.

The primary use of virtualization is to deliver default versioned software for cloud users.

Types of Virtualization

There are various types of virtualization.

1. Hardware virtualization
2. Operating system virtualization
3. Server virtualization
4. Storage virtualization

Hardware Virtualization: –Hardware virtualization is a type of virtualization; it is the abstraction of computing resources from the software that uses cloud resources. It includes embedding virtual machine software into the server’s hardware components. That software is known as hypervisor. The hypervisor software does the task of managing the shared physical hardware resources between the guest operating system and the host operating system. The hardware that is abstracted is indicated as actual hardware.

The definition of virtualization is an abstraction, so virtualization of hardware is achieved by abstracting the physical hardware component by using VMM or hypervisor. Hypervisor relies on command set extensions in the processors to accelerate common virtualization tasks for improving the performance. When the VMM or Virtual Machine Monitor software or any hypervisor gets direct installed on the hardware system, then the term virtualization is used.

The main task that is performed by the hyper-visor is to process monitoring, memory, and hardware controlling. When hardware virtualization is done, different operating systems can be installed, and different applications can run on it. If hardware virtualization is done for server platforms, then it is called server virtualization.

Types of Hardware Virtualization

There are various types of hardware virtualization

1. Full virtualization
2. Emulation virtualization
3. Para-virtualization
4. Full Virtualization: – In full virtualization, the hardware architecture is completely simulated. Guest software doesn’t require any change to run applications.
5. Emulation Virtualization:-In this, the virtual machine simulates the hardware, and the guest operating system does not require any hardware.
6. Para-virtualization:-In Para-virtualization, the hardware is not simulated; rather the guest software runs its isolated system.

Advantages of hardware virtualization

1. Efficient resource virtualization: – In hardware virtualization, physical resources can be shared among virtual machines. In this, if there is needed for unused resources allocated by one virtual machine can be used by another virtual machine.
2. Increase IT flexibility: – By using virtualization, the fast development of hardware resources became possible.
3. Low cost:-Due to server consolidation, the cost is low, and multiple operating systems can exist in a single hardware.
4. Advanced hardware virtualization features: – With the advancement of modern hypervisor more difficult operations maximize the abstraction of hardware and ensure maximum

Update and this technique help to change an ongoing virtual machine from one host to another host dynamically. Operating system virtualization

Virtualization of the operating system is the use of code to allow computer hardware to run multiple instances of different operating system.

Concurrently permits you to run various applications requiring different system on one computer system.

It is also known as OS-level virtualization. It is a virtualization technology that works on the OS layer. In this, the kernel of an OS allows more than one isolated user-space instance to exist. Such instances are known as container/software or virtualization engines. In other words, OS kernel will run on a single system and offer that operating system’s functionality to copy on each of the isolated partitions.

Uses of OS Virtualization

1. It is used for the virtual hosting environment.
2. Used in securely allocation of finite hardware resources among a large number of different users.
3. System administration uses it to consolidate server hardware by moving services on separate hosts.
4. To improvised security by separating various applications to various containers.
5. These types of virtualization don’t need hardware to work efficiently.

Server Virtualization

Server virtualization means partitioning of a physical server into various virtual servers. It is used to expand the server resources. In the server virtualization, the resources of the server are hidden from the users, and software is used to divide the physical server into various virtual environments called as a virtual server or private server result in the dedication of one server to perform a single application. In other words, server virtualization is the division of the physical server into various virtual servers.

Usage of Server Virtualization

Server virtualization is generally used on web servers, which reduce the cost of web hosting services with a separate web server network; multiple virtual servers can run on the same platform.

The uses of server virtualization are:-

• To centralize the server administration
• Improve the availability of server
• Helps in disaster recovery
• Ease in development and testing
• Make efficient use of server resources

Approaches used for Server Virtualization

The approaches used for server virtualization are:

1. Virtual machine model
2. Para-virtual machine model
3. Operating system (OS) layer virtualization

Software Virtualization

Software virtualization is also called application virtualization. Software virtualization is the same as virtualization but can abstract the software installation procedure and create virtual software installations. Example: VMware software, virtual box, etc.

Most of the applications and their distributions become difficult tasks for IT firms and departments. The mechanism for installing an application varies. So, to solve this type of problem, virtualized software is introduced, which is an application that will be installed into its self- contained unit and provide software virtualization.  

Advantages of Software Virtualization

1. Client Deployment Became Easier: –We can easily install virtual software by copying a file to a work station or linking a file in a network.
2. Easy to Manage: –Software virtualization is easy to maintain. You only need to update at one place and deploy the virtual update application to all cloud.
3. Software Migration: – Without software virtualization, moving from one software platform to another platform takes more time for deploying. These impacts on an end-user system with the support of virtualized software environment support, the migration became easier.

Utility Computing

Utility computing is a technology used in cloud computing. In this computing resources are offered to the users based on specific demand.

Utility computing is based on pay-per use model.

The cloud computing architecture consists of cloud services, middleware, software components, resources, their geo location, and the externally noticeable attributes among them their relationship. In cloud computing, security mainly depends on choosing the right architecture for the right application.

There are many components in the architecture of cloud computing. These components are connected loosely with each other. Cloud architecture can be broadly classified as follows:

1. Front-end, where the client interacts.

2. Back-end, which is the cloud section.

1. Frontend: – The client or user side of the cloud computing model is called front end. Frontend consist of clients or user computer device, different application and interfaces needed to access the cloud computing platforms.

2. Backend:-The cloud model itself is called backend. It includes all the resources, such as computers, server’s storage devices, deployment models, services and various security mechanisms which are required to offer different cloud computing services. Backend provides traffic control, built in security and different protocols. It consists of servers which have different protocols, which interface the devices with each other.

• A cloud computing system contains any type of web application programs, like data processing, video games, entertainment and software development. To administrate the entire cloud computing system, a central server is established. It manages the traffic and also monitors the user demand to make sure that the entire task of the system work well without any complexity. The server follows some set of rules called protocols. It uses a special type of software, known as middleware, communicates with the user who are connected to the cloud server.
•  If the service provider has many customers, then there is a great demand for vast storage space. The cloud computing system must maintain a copy of the user’s data which is known as redundancy. 

Advantage of cloud computing Architecture :-

The following are the advantage of cloud computing architecture:-

1. Minimum efforts of the administrator are required.

2. Pay as you go, that is, contract flexibility.

3. Elasticity and availability

 4. Quick application deployment

5. Easy to manage

6. More efficient usage

7. Rapid deployment

Major Cloud Computing Vendors:-There are quite a number of cloud computing vendors. Here are some of the major players in the marketplace and their products:

Components of Cloud Computing Architecture

There are the following components of cloud computing architecture –

1. Client Infrastructure

Client Infrastructure is a Front end component. It provides GUI (Graphical User Interface)  to interact with the cloud.

2. Application

The application may be any software or platform that a client wants to access.

3. Service

A Cloud Services manages that which type of service you access according to the client’s requirement.

Cloud computing offers the following three type of services:

i. Software as a Service (SaaS) – It is also known as cloud application services. Mostly, SaaS applications run directly through the web browser means we do not require to download and install these applications. Some important example of SaaS is given below –

Example: Google Apps, Salesforce Dropbox, Slack, Hubspot, Cisco WebEx.

ii. Platform as a Service (PaaS) – It is also known as cloud platform services. It is quite similar to SaaS, but the difference is that PaaS provides a platform for software creation, but using SaaS, we can access software over the internet without the need of any platform.

Example: Windows Azure, Force.com, Magento Commerce Cloud, OpenShift.

iii. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – It is also known as cloud infrastructure services. It is responsible for managing applications data, middleware, and runtime environments.

Example: Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2, Google Compute Engine (GCE), Cisco Metapod.

4. Runtime Cloud

Runtime Cloud provides the execution and runtime environment to the virtual machines.

5. Storage

Storage is one of the most important components of cloud computing. It provides a huge amount of storage capacity in the cloud to store and manage data.

6. Infrastructure

It provides services on the host level, application level, and network level. Cloud infrastructure includes hardware and software components such as servers, storage, network devices, virtualization software, and other storage resources that are needed to support the cloud computing model.

7. Management

Management is used to manage components such as application, service, runtime cloud, storage, infrastructure, and other security issues in the backend and establish coordination between them.

8. Security

Security is an in-built back end component of cloud computing. It implements a security mechanism in the back end.

9. Internet

The Internet is medium through which front end and back end can interact and communicate with each other.

• Cloud computing is low in cost and affordable because we get the bills as per the usage.
• The storage and maintenance of a large amount of information or data are possible.
• The cloud computing is very flexible.
• It provides high security.
• The option of data recovery is available.
• Data can be managed easily.
• It has the automatic update option.

Disadvantages:

• Along with the advantages, it also has some disadvantages and they are as follows:
• One of the disadvantages of the cloud computing is that it is risky.
• It requires the continuous internet connection and has the migration issue.

Advantages Of Cloud Computing:-

Low Cost: To run cloud technology, users don’t require high power computer & technology as because the application will run on the cloud and not on users’ PC.

Storage capacity: The Cloud storage capacity is unlimited & generally offers a huge storage capacity of 2000-3000 GBs or more based on the requirement.

Low cost of IT infrastructure: As discussed earlier, the investment will be less if an organization uses Cloud technology; even the IT staffs and server engineers are also not required.

Increase computing power: Cloud servers have a very high-capacity of running and processing tasks as well as the processing of applications.

Reduce Software Costs: Cloud minimizes the software costs as users don’t need to purchase software for organizations or every computer.

Updating: Instant software update is possible & users don’t have to face the choice problem between obsolete & high-upgrade software.

Disadvantages Of Cloud Computing:-

Internet speed: Cloud technology requires high-speed internet connection as web-based applications often require large bandwidth amount.

Constant Internet Connection: Its impossible to use cloud infrastructure without the internet. To access any application or cloud storage, a constant internet connection is required.

Security: Data storage might not be secure. With cloud computing, all the data gets stored in the cloud & hence unauthorized user may gain access to user’s data in the cloud.

Characteristics of cloud computing:

                            Cloud computing technology is a new era computing technology where collection of software and hardware devices placed over a network to access as per requirement or on demand basis through internet instead of having them locally within the enterprise. Cloud computing service provider company holds  the responsibility  to control and deliver all  the  software and  hardware  using  virtualization among  the  various types of  clients.

According to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) definition lists five essential characteristics of cloud computing:

1. On-Demand Self-Service
2. Broad Network Access
3. Resource Pooling
4. Rapid Elasticity or Expansion
5. Measured Service.
6. Multi-tenancy

1. On-demand self-service: The ability for an end user to sign up and receive services without the long delays that have characterized traditional IT services.

2. Broad network access: Ability to access the service via standard platforms (desktop, laptop, mobile etc)

3. Resource pooling: Resources are pooled across multiple customers.

– Example of resources includes storage, processing, memory, and network bandwidth.

 4. Rapid elasticity: Capability can scale to cope with demand peaks

5. Measured Service: Billing is metered and delivered as a utility service.

Users of the cloud can benefit from other organizations delivering services associated with their data, software and other computing needs on their behalf, without the need to own or run the usual physical hardware (such as servers) and software (such as email) themselves.

OR

1. On Demand self service: – User can get computer services such as Email, Application Network, or Server service can be provided without requiring interaction with each service provider.

Self-service means that the consumer performs all the actions needed to acquire the service himself, instead of going through an IT department. For example – The consumer’s request is then automatically processed by the cloud infrastructure, without human intervention on the provider’s side.

2. Broad Network Access:-Cloud capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanism that promote use by heterogeneous client such as mobile phone, laptop.

3. Resource pooling-– The providers computing resources are pooled together to serve multiple customers, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to the customers demand.
– There is a sense of location independence in that the customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources.(e.g. country, state, or datacenter).
– Example of resources includes storage, processing, memory, and network bandwidth.

4. Rapid elasticity-– Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand.
– To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.

5. Measured service:-– Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g. storage, processing, bandwidth, and active use account).
– Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.

6. Multi-tenancy:-In a private cloud, the customers are also called tenants, can have different business divisions inside the same company. In a public cloud, the customers are often entirely different organizations.

Most public cloud providers use the multi-tenancy model. Multi-tenancy allows customers to run one server instance, which is less expensive and makes it easier to deploy updates to a large number of customers.

The cloud symbol is typically used to represent the internet. Cloud computing is now commonly used to describe the delivery of software, infrastructure and storage services over the internet.

Or

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet

OR

Cloud computing is a pool where we can access all services under one roof though internet.  Cloud computing has the most powerful architecture of computation.

According to Evgeny Morozov,   “Cloud computing is a great idea for centralization of computer services under one server/roof.”

OR

     Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The term is generally used to describe data centers available to many users over the Internet.

Cloud computing is the delivery of on-demand computing services — from applications to storage and processing power – typically over the internet

and on a pay-as-you-go basis or “Pay for what you need”.

• Cloud computing is a new concept for hosting and delivering services over the Internet under one roof. 
• Cloud computing is online-based computing services, where each one deliver/shared data , resources, software, hardware and portable devices on-demand based using visualization among the clients.
• Cloud computing is a combination of distributed computing, grid computing and parallel computing. 
• The small to medium business companies are now adopting cloud computing in much more higher rate than large size of companies.
•  The main thing of cloud computing is reducing the processing cost on the users.
• User use a various type of online services offered by cloud computing providers such as hardware, software, storage area and application development platform  and to access multiple type of utility program, application and storage devices over the internet.
• The Main benefit of the cloud computing includes cost saving, energy saving, high availability and support to green computing technology.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing can be defined as delivering computing power( CPU, RAM, Network Speeds, Storage OS software) a service over a network (usually on the internet) rather than physically having the computing resources at the customer location.

Example: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud