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In the cloud computing business model, the most mainstream of the "Power" mode at the beginning of the book mentioned above. In addition to this mode, "supermarket" model has also been part of the industry people respected. The following in-depth analysis and comparison of these two models, which will involve their user experience and cost challenges, and to discuss our business model in terms of the future of cloud computing in the end of this section.
12.2.1 "supermarket" model
When we enter the supermarket, which has an array of goods and let us choose, whether it is homemade or from third-party suppliers, we can very easily put together the necessities of life needed. At the same time due to the generally larger-scale supermarket operator, which in product prices and operating costs above has advantages. And the supermarket is not only this one, if not satisfied with this goods and services, can choose another one, though before before integration and other difficult to transfer or supermarket specifically for goods we need. At the same time, when we need to be more secure, more trusted food or other more customized products, we can be our own cultivation, production or to the supermarket to buy our trust.
Simply put, the "supermarket" model is the concept of a platform. The main cloud computing vendors to provide a cloud platform, provides a wealth of information services for users to choose on this platform. Whether it is from the platform or third-party providers of information services, can be purchased on demand, and the price is generally higher than self-built concessions. If this service provided by the cloud provider so we are not satisfied, we can choose another cloud provider, but the entire migration process would be more complicated. Although the "supermarket" model is mainly reflected in the public cloud, but when the user is extremely concerned for the safety or require customization, or if you want complete control data, the user can also copy and cloud computing vendors through a cloud platform or move into part within the user's private data center to achieve a cloud or hybrid.
There are already many IT vendors provide a similar "supermarket" model of cloud platforms such as Amazon's AWS, Microsoft's Windows Azure platform and IBM's Blue Cloud, etc., although these cloud platforms are still in the formative years, but can be expected in the future these clouds as platforms should be able to provide a wealth of services like supermarkets. User "supermarket" model of experience and cost challenges can be summarized as follows.
1. User Experience
- Angle of individual users. Clientless, directly through the browser to access the service, but it is difficult conversion services and data migration.
- The company's point of view. Through the IT business in part or in whole to migrate to the cloud, to make it easier to use IT services, but the situation is locked suppliers have occurred.
- Application developers point of view. The introduction of the format of the virtual devices, such as reducing the application development, publishing and maintenance complexity. However, due to the different formats supported among cloud providers, it will lead to some potential problems.
- Cloud providers angle. Industrial scale was expanded.
2. Cost
- Angle of individual users. Eliminating the need for initial investment, it can be used as desired.
- The company's point of view. Reducing the cost and maintenance cost of the initial investment of late, but if the long-term large-scale use is not necessarily cheaper than self-built.
- Application developers point of view. Reducing application development, maintenance and marketing costs.
- Cloud providers angle. Because of the scale of its operations is increasing, "supermarket" model is more economical, but low profits.
3. Challenges
If you want to achieve the "supermarket" model, what challenges need to solve it?
In terms of security, including the following 6:00.
- The security of network communications.
- Security virtual infrastructure.
- Access control permissions.
- Ownership of data.
- Data privacy.
- Isolation of the data.
In terms of quality of service, mainly the following two points.
- SLA (Service Level Agreement) is an agreement between the service provider and the customer, but also the conditions of service required for normal operation met. The most common include response time and throughput.
- High availability. Not only the shortest possible downtime, but also need the ability to quickly recover from a failure. This involves a wide range of issues, including communication facilities between cloud client and both of them.
In terms of trust, because the data stored in the cloud and support services are critical to the user, so the user needs to give full trust in cloud providers, even though it has been very improved safety measures.
In terms of legal and political constraints, there are two points.
- In legal terms, each country has issued a number of related programs and process specifications related to corporate IT aspects of operations, such as the US SOX and HIPPA, the EU data protection law. Cloud services and data should also comply with these programs.
- Due to political and national security and other factors, there is the difficulty of cloud providers in their non-native area above operations.
In terms of operational efficiency, cloud providers need to make use of its advantages of scale to reduce operating costs, lower the threshold for the use of cloud computing, but also can improve their profits.
12.2.2 "Power" mode
Preface like talking about it, Nicholas Carr in the "big change" is described in great detail the history of the development of power: the beginning because of the short distance DC power transmission, generator become so many companies and individuals select the desired power, but due to long distances AC technology continues to mature transmission, Insull's ideas about the plant become a reality; after because of the scale power plants is increasing, the price of electricity also will be reduced, and more convenient to use; and finally, power plants mode into the mainstream. But thinking, the development of electric power technology development and IT technology is how similar. Now like a generator room, like AC current Internet technology, power plants and the like cloud computing center is carved out of a mold.
Overall, the "power plant" model is the concept of a public utility, is the main computing resources are concentrated to a public cloud computing center, and to comply with disclosure agreement similar to the power of SS7 220V / 110V and communications, so that businesses and individuals can be very easy to use. Because this pattern in the above scale has great advantages, its operating costs are very low. And because this model is mainly operated by large telecommunications companies, they can get the user full confidence. In addition, the "Power" mode, there is only one form of this public cloud.
Although vision mode "power plant" very good, as long as the access network, businesses and individuals will be able to freely access information and services, but also lifted the burden of maintenance of computing equipment, and low prices, very safe, and is not vendor lock-in , but the reality is that many aspects of it are only just starting, especially in heterogeneous terms of service, so to realize the "power plant" mode, is definitely not an overnight thing. Mode "power plant" user experience, using the costs and challenges can be summarized as follows.
1. User Experience
- Angle of individual users. Because the "power plant" model based on open protocols, so users can not only safer and more convenient to avoid the appearance by the tool (such as the browser) to use the service, and the situation is vendor lock-in.
- The company's point of view. The overall IT services move to the public cloud, the enterprise will remove the burden of maintaining the entire IT services to more focus on its core business, of course, except for some special needs of enterprise and national security sectors.
- Application developers point of view. Because the development and popularization of streamlining supplier of open protocols, applications, deployment and maintenance more convenient.
- Cloud providers angle. Because the "Power" mode greater than the "supermarket" model in size, so more room for improvement in all aspects.
2. Cost
- Angle of individual users. And "supermarket" model compared to information services cheaper.
- The company's point of view. IT department allows the company to reduce the cost structure better and more reasonable.
- Application developers point of view. And "supermarket" model compared to the "power plant" model will further reduce application development, maintenance and cost of sales.
- Cloud providers angle. Large-scale industry will reduce its operating costs, improve operating profit, but business is very stable.
3. Challenges
If you want to "plant" mode to become a reality, what challenges will we face?
First of all, and "supermarket" model as "Power" mode should provide satisfactory answers to the safety and quality of service. But because the "Power" mode, the cloud supplier to the country's main telecommunications company, so there is a natural advantage on both trust and political. Large-scale upgrade at the same time make it more space in terms of operational efficiency, but the corresponding price pressure is greater.
Secondly, in addition to these challenges above, also include the following.
Limitations of existing processes. Because cloud computing will have some subversion of the company's existing IT processes, so if cloud computing is accepted and medium-sized companies, then their IT processes would be a great impact, and even entire IT department will disappear. This is not only a technical issue, but a political issue.
Heterogeneous services. Because of heterogeneity will be difficult to migrate applications and data between cloud vendors, the situation is locked suppliers are likely to occur, which will bring great risks to cloud computing users. And on the three levels of cloud computing, heterogeneous are reflected.
- SaaS level: select the technology.
- PaaS levels: the format supported by the language and scope of the database.
- IaaS layers: application publishing formats and management interfaces.
Support for legacy applications, such as Cobol applications on the mainframe. Because in many companies, legacy applications are part of its core application, if the cloud lack of support, it will hinder cloud in the promotion of these enterprises.
12.2.3 difference "supermarket" model and the "Power" mode
Next, to sum up the difference between the "supermarket" and "Power" mode, see Table 12-2.
The main difference Table 12-2 "supermarket" model and the "Power" mode
| "Supermarket" model |
"Power" mode |
|
| Key concept |
Platform |
Utilities |
| user experience |
The network will be able to access the service, but there may be cases locked suppliers will |
Internet access will be able to use the service, because based on open protocols, it will be locked from suppliers, and more convenient, more trustworthy |
| cost |
Long-term use close to the self, but more flexible, and eliminates the initial investment |
With the increasing scale and technology, and the price will be low cost |
| Impact on existing IT models |
Extending and optimizing existing models |
Revolution is the existing mode |
| The challenge |
Safety, quality of service, trust, legal and political as well as operational efficiency |
Safety, service quality, operational efficiency, flow restrictions, services and supports heterogeneous legacy applications |
| Manifestations |
Private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud |
Public cloud |
| Similar products |
AWS, Windows Azure platform and IBM Blue Cloud |
Does not appear |
| Expected maturity date |
Around 2015 |
2025 ~ 2030 |
12.2.4 supermarket or power plant
In fact, these two models are very good, did not say who is superior. Although the "power plant" model is more attractive to the eye, but also has been recognized by a lot of people, but the challenge "power plant" model face much more than the "supermarket" model. It is foreseeable that in the short term, "supermarket" model will be more useful. But in the long run, because of the potential advantages of "Power" mode more, especially in terms of trust, political and operational efficiency, and the "Power" mode will gradually replace the "supermarket" model. But this process will be very long, we need to meet a number of conditions, including operational efficiencies and transform and open protocols such as corporate IT processes, it can be expected that the two models will coexist for a long time.
Emergence of supermarkets to people's lives has brought great convenience, so that the "open seven things" is no longer a headache. The emergence of the power plant is to change the course of history, just as Nicholas Carr puts it: "When every family has access to cheap energy, there is the incredible creativity to take advantage of these cheap energy. "for cloud computing, whether it is the" supermarket "mode or" Power "mode, will bring happiness to the people, promote the development of society as a whole.
Reproduced in: https: //my.oschina.net/dake/blog/196787