Cloud Computing

Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of Cloud Computing and its architectures

Learning Outcome 2: Evaluate the deployment models, service models and technological drivers of Cloud Computing and validate their use          

Learning Outcome 3: Develop Cloud Computing solutions using service provider’s frameworks and open source tools

Learning Outcome 4: Analyse the technical challenges for cloud applications and assess their risks

Aim & Objective

This coursework is designed to demonstrate the broad understanding and knowledge of the module, assessing and evaluating the student's strength and level of analysis; divided into four learning outcomes. The coursework should be submitted as one document in a report format in final submission.

Assignment Scenario:

You are employed at abc, a small to medium-sized company, and are tasked with overseeing the development of a new network infrastructure. In your role as the IT manager, you have been entrusted with the responsibility of researching, evaluating, designing, and implementing a robust company cloud service. This cloud service aims to provide resilient mobile and storage solutions for all employees, enabling them to effortlessly store, share, and access documents and digital files while on the move. Importantly, this system should seamlessly operate across multiple platforms, including mobile phones, and its primary objective is to facilitate easy access to work-related information for employees and engineers throughout the country.

It is important to note that your company currently lacks any cloud infrastructure. Therefore, your report will need to delve into the exploration, analysis, and evaluation of various service and deployment models. Your ultimate goal is to ensure that end users at abc.co.uk can access files from any platform or desktop client via the internet. Notably, the company's directors have placed a significant emphasis on mobility and have plans for future projects that include the integration of VoIP services.

In your capacity as an engineer, your task is to produce a technical report outlining the design solution and a comprehensive security manual. These documents should address the following key points:

Introduce and describe the problem

Write a rational describing and analytical background of cloud history and evolution, include some illustration / diagrams to clarify the idea.
Brief description of the problem and proposed higher level solution description

Rationale for the solution:

Discussion on why the solution is appropriate for the scenario. o Architectural design (architectural diagram and description).

Deployment model (description of the model, and discussion on why that model was chosen).
Service model (description of the model, and discussion on why that model was chosen).
Critical discussion on data migration during the project.

Cloud computing solutions can be realised using various frameworks and tools. You will work with cloud service providers or open source tools to configure and implement multiple cloud solutions based on the design you have created for the given scenario.

Solution 1 Configure a cloud computing platform with a cloud service provider's framework including the installation of any simple applications on/for the platform.

Solution 2 Implement a cloud platform using an open source tool and demonstrate how to use the platform as a simple database server.

Analysis of the most common problems of a cloud computing platform. o Possible solutions to these problems. o Analysis of the most common security issues in the cloud environment. o Discussion on how to overcome these issues.

Reflect your experience on your formative draft submission and the feedback suggested by your lecturer. (e.g. how to improve your final coursework. You could discuss your choice of sources, your writing style, the accuracy of your referencing, or anything else...(150-to- 200 words)