Explore Courses
Liverpool Business SchoolLiverpool Business SchoolMBA by Liverpool Business School
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityMBA (Master of Business Administration)
  • 15 Months
Popular
O.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global UniversityMaster of Business Administration (MBA)
  • 12 Months
New
Birla Institute of Management Technology Birla Institute of Management Technology Post Graduate Diploma in Management (BIMTECH)
  • 24 Months
Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool John Moores UniversityMS in Data Science
  • 18 Months
Popular
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangalorePost Graduate Programme in Data Science & AI (Executive)
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityDBA in Emerging Technologies with concentration in Generative AI
  • 3 Years
upGradupGradData Science Bootcamp with AI
  • 6 Months
New
University of MarylandIIIT BangalorePost Graduate Certificate in Data Science & AI (Executive)
  • 8-8.5 Months
upGradupGradData Science Bootcamp with AI
  • 6 months
Popular
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutData Engineer Bootcamp
  • Self-Paced
upGradupGradCertificate Course in Business Analytics & Consulting in association with PwC India
  • 06 Months
OP Jindal Global UniversityOP Jindal Global UniversityMaster of Design in User Experience Design
  • 12 Months
Popular
WoolfWoolfMaster of Science in Computer Science
  • 18 Months
New
Jindal Global UniversityJindal Global UniversityMaster of Design in User Experience
  • 12 Months
New
Rushford, GenevaRushford Business SchoolDBA Doctorate in Technology (Computer Science)
  • 36 Months
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangaloreCloud Computing and DevOps Program (Executive)
  • 8 Months
New
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutAWS Solutions Architect Certification
  • 32 Hours
upGradupGradFull Stack Software Development Bootcamp
  • 6 Months
Popular
upGradupGradUI/UX Bootcamp
  • 3 Months
upGradupGradCloud Computing Bootcamp
  • 7.5 Months
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University Doctor of Business Administration in Digital Leadership
  • 36 Months
New
Jindal Global UniversityJindal Global UniversityMaster of Design in User Experience
  • 12 Months
New
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
Bestseller
Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisEcole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisDoctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
Rushford, GenevaRushford Business SchoolDoctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradSAFe® 6.0 Certified ScrumMaster (SSM) Training
  • Self-Paced
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradPMP® certification
  • Self-Paced
IIM KozhikodeIIM KozhikodeProfessional Certification in HR Management and Analytics
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
Duke CEDuke CEPost Graduate Certificate in Product Management
  • 4-8 Months
Bestseller
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutLeading SAFe® 6.0 Certification
  • 16 Hours
Popular
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutCertified ScrumMaster®(CSM) Training
  • 16 Hours
Bestseller
PwCupGrad CampusCertification Program in Financial Modelling & Analysis in association with PwC India
  • 4 Months
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutSAFe® 6.0 POPM Certification
  • 16 Hours
O.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global UniversityMaster of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool John Moores University MS in Machine Learning & AI
  • 18 Months
Popular
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityDBA in Emerging Technologies with concentration in Generative AI
  • 3 Years
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangaloreExecutive Post Graduate Programme in Machine Learning & AI
  • 13 Months
Bestseller
IIITBIIITBExecutive Program in Generative AI for Leaders
  • 4 Months
upGradupGradAdvanced Certificate Program in GenerativeAI
  • 4 Months
New
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangalorePost Graduate Certificate in Machine Learning & Deep Learning (Executive)
  • 8 Months
Bestseller
Jindal Global UniversityJindal Global UniversityMaster of Design in User Experience
  • 12 Months
New
Liverpool Business SchoolLiverpool Business SchoolMBA with Marketing Concentration
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityMBA with Marketing Concentration
  • 15 Months
Popular
MICAMICAAdvanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
MICAMICAAdvanced Certificate in Brand Communication Management
  • 5 Months
Popular
upGradupGradDigital Marketing Accelerator Program
  • 05 Months
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Corporate & Financial Law
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in AI and Emerging Technologies (Blended Learning Program)
  • 12 Months
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Intellectual Property & Technology Law
  • 12 Months
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Dispute Resolution
  • 12 Months
upGradupGradContract Law Certificate Program
  • Self paced
New
ESGCI, ParisESGCI, ParisDoctorate of Business Administration (DBA) from ESGCI, Paris
  • 36 Months
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University Doctor of Business Administration From Golden Gate University, San Francisco
  • 36 Months
Rushford Business SchoolRushford Business SchoolDoctor of Business Administration from Rushford Business School, Switzerland)
  • 36 Months
Edgewood CollegeEdgewood CollegeDoctorate of Business Administration from Edgewood College
  • 24 Months
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityDBA in Emerging Technologies with Concentration in Generative AI
  • 36 Months
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University DBA in Digital Leadership from Golden Gate University, San Francisco
  • 36 Months
Liverpool Business SchoolLiverpool Business SchoolMBA by Liverpool Business School
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityMBA (Master of Business Administration)
  • 15 Months
Popular
O.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global UniversityMaster of Business Administration (MBA)
  • 12 Months
New
Deakin Business School and Institute of Management Technology, GhaziabadDeakin Business School and IMT, GhaziabadMBA (Master of Business Administration)
  • 12 Months
Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool John Moores UniversityMS in Data Science
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
O.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global UniversityMaster of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangalorePost Graduate Programme in Data Science (Executive)
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
O.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global UniversityO.P.Jindal Global University
  • 12 Months
WoolfWoolfMaster of Science in Computer Science
  • 18 Months
New
Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool John Moores University MS in Machine Learning & AI
  • 18 Months
Popular
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityDBA in Emerging Technologies with concentration in Generative AI
  • 3 Years
Rushford, GenevaRushford Business SchoolDoctorate of Business Administration (AI/ML)
  • 36 Months
Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisEcole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisDBA Specialisation in AI & ML
  • 36 Months
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
Bestseller
Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisEcole Supérieure de Gestion et Commerce International ParisDoctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
Rushford, GenevaRushford Business SchoolDoctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
  • 36 Months
Liverpool Business SchoolLiverpool Business SchoolMBA with Marketing Concentration
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityMBA with Marketing Concentration
  • 15 Months
Popular
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Corporate & Financial Law
  • 12 Months
Bestseller
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Intellectual Property & Technology Law
  • 12 Months
Jindal Global Law SchoolJindal Global Law SchoolLL.M. in Dispute Resolution
  • 12 Months
IIITBIIITBExecutive Program in Generative AI for Leaders
  • 4 Months
New
IIIT BangaloreIIIT BangaloreExecutive Post Graduate Programme in Machine Learning & AI
  • 13 Months
Bestseller
upGradupGradData Science Bootcamp with AI
  • 6 Months
New
upGradupGradAdvanced Certificate Program in GenerativeAI
  • 4 Months
New
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradSAFe® 6.0 Certified ScrumMaster (SSM) Training
  • Self-Paced
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutCertified ScrumMaster®(CSM) Training
  • 16 Hours
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutLeading SAFe® 6.0 Certification
  • 16 Hours
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradPMP® certification
  • Self-Paced
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutAWS Solutions Architect Certification
  • 32 Hours
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutAzure Administrator Certification (AZ-104)
  • 24 Hours
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradAWS Cloud Practioner Essentials Certification
  • 1 Week
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradAzure Data Engineering Training (DP-203)
  • 1 Week
MICAMICAAdvanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
MICAMICAAdvanced Certificate in Brand Communication Management
  • 5 Months
Popular
IIM KozhikodeIIM KozhikodeProfessional Certification in HR Management and Analytics
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
Duke CEDuke CEPost Graduate Certificate in Product Management
  • 4-8 Months
Bestseller
Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA)Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA)Executive PG Programme in Human Resource Management
  • 11 Months
Popular
Goa Institute of ManagementGoa Institute of ManagementExecutive PG Program in Healthcare Management
  • 11 Months
IMT GhaziabadIMT GhaziabadAdvanced General Management Program
  • 11 Months
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityProfessional Certificate in Global Business Management
  • 6-8 Months
upGradupGradContract Law Certificate Program
  • Self paced
New
IU, GermanyIU, GermanyMaster of Business Administration (90 ECTS)
  • 18 Months
Bestseller
IU, GermanyIU, GermanyMaster in International Management (120 ECTS)
  • 24 Months
Popular
IU, GermanyIU, GermanyB.Sc. Computer Science (180 ECTS)
  • 36 Months
Clark UniversityClark UniversityMaster of Business Administration
  • 23 Months
New
Golden Gate UniversityGolden Gate UniversityMaster of Business Administration
  • 20 Months
Clark University, USClark University, USMS in Project Management
  • 20 Months
New
Edgewood CollegeEdgewood CollegeMaster of Business Administration
  • 23 Months
The American Business SchoolThe American Business SchoolMBA with specialization
  • 23 Months
New
Aivancity ParisAivancity ParisMSc Artificial Intelligence Engineering
  • 24 Months
Aivancity ParisAivancity ParisMSc Data Engineering
  • 24 Months
The American Business SchoolThe American Business SchoolMBA with specialization
  • 23 Months
New
Aivancity ParisAivancity ParisMSc Artificial Intelligence Engineering
  • 24 Months
Aivancity ParisAivancity ParisMSc Data Engineering
  • 24 Months
upGradupGradData Science Bootcamp with AI
  • 6 Months
Popular
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutData Engineer Bootcamp
  • Self-Paced
upGradupGradFull Stack Software Development Bootcamp
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
KnowledgeHut upGradKnowledgeHut upGradBackend Development Bootcamp
  • Self-Paced
upGradupGradUI/UX Bootcamp
  • 3 Months
upGradupGradCloud Computing Bootcamp
  • 7.5 Months
PwCupGrad CampusCertification Program in Financial Modelling & Analysis in association with PwC India
  • 5 Months
upGrad KnowledgeHutupGrad KnowledgeHutSAFe® 6.0 POPM Certification
  • 16 Hours
upGradupGradDigital Marketing Accelerator Program
  • 05 Months
upGradupGradAdvanced Certificate Program in GenerativeAI
  • 4 Months
New
upGradupGradData Science Bootcamp with AI
  • 6 Months
Popular
upGradupGradFull Stack Software Development Bootcamp
  • 6 Months
Bestseller
upGradupGradUI/UX Bootcamp
  • 3 Months
PwCupGrad CampusCertification Program in Financial Modelling & Analysis in association with PwC India
  • 4 Months
upGradupGradCertificate Course in Business Analytics & Consulting in association with PwC India
  • 06 Months
upGradupGradDigital Marketing Accelerator Program
  • 05 Months

Cloud Computing Architecture: Comprehensive Guide For Beginners

Updated on 11 April, 2024

5.43K+ views
8 min read

As we get more digitised the demand for cloud computing services is increasing. Cloud computing solutions reduce the operation costs for companies and allow them to operate with more flexibility. Learning about cloud computing solutions can help you enter one of the hottest industries right now. 

However, to understand how a cloud computing solution works you must be familiar with the components of cloud computing networks. A cloud computing system is very similar to a mobile computing architecture, so if you were wondering how to learn about the same, this is the perfect place to get started. 

Check out our free courses to get an edge over the competition.

Before we talk about architecture, let’s first understand what cloud computing is.

What is Cloud Computing?

Services that can be delivered without being physically close to hardware such as analytics, software, and databases are called cloud computing. For example, YouTube employs cloud computing for storing and streaming its user’s videos. Similarly, Flipkart uses cloud computing to store data about all the products present on its website. 

Cloud computing consists of delivering on-demand resources through the internet. These resources include database, server, software, etc and it allows you to build and manage those resources and applications on the cloud platform. 

Some of the most prominent cloud computing providers are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Oracle, IBM Cloud, and Google Cloud. 

Learn Software Courses online from the World’s top Universities. Earn Executive PG Programs, Advanced Certificate Programs or Masters Programs to fast-track your career.

Check out upGrad’s Advanced Certification in Blockchain

Through cloud computing, companies can save a lot of funds and resources as they don’t have to physically store the required resources. Servers and storage units are very expensive and that’s why many companies can’t afford them. However, with cloud services, they can use such facilities by paying a small price.  

Virtual desktops, servers, software, data storage, and applications are some of the numerous facilities you can get in cloud computing. 

Some of the notable advantages of cloud computing are:
 

  • Reduced operating costs
  • Lower risk of data loss
  • Better cybersecurity
  • Enhanced accessibility

Components of Cloud Computing 

We know that all kinds of organizations large and small, use cloud computing for their digital needs because they can access those resources from anywhere at any time and all that’s required is a stable internet connection. 

The components of cloud computing primarily consist of event-driven architecture and service-oriented architecture. 

Therefore, we can divide the components of cloud computing into two sections:

  • Front-end
  • Back-end

The front-end components of cloud computing work as the client in the architecture and communicate with the backend through the internet or a network. The front-end section remains visible to the user and it sends queries to the backend through the middleware. 

Check out upGrad’s Advanced Certification in DevOps 

On the other hand, the back-end components of cloud computing protect the data and respond to the queries sent by the front-end. The back-end has most of the components and is significantly larger than the front-end. 

The entire cloud service model is called BaaS (Back-end-as-a-service). A cloud computing architecture usually has a combination of hardware and software. The selection of the components depends on the business’s requirements and budget. For example, some businesses might only use software components whereas some others might use the hardware components of cloud computing more.

Now that we have become a little familiar with front-end and back-end sections of a cloud-computing network, let’s discuss both of them in detail:

Front-End Components of Cloud Computing

The front-end of a cloud computing service consists of all the components a user interacts with. It is a collection of the multiple sub-components that make up the user interface and is a vital part of how the user connects to the cloud computing service. Some of the components included in the front-end of a cloud computing network are web browsers, local networks, and web applications. 

The primary components of the front-end are:

User Interface

The user interface consists of all the things the user uses to perform a task on the cloud. Gmail, YouTube Studio, and Google Docs are some of the notable examples of user interfaces of cloud solutions. 

Software

The software running on the user’s end is a vital part of the front-end. It determines how well the user can interact with the cloud network and has a huge influence on the network’s user experience. It usually consists of browsers or client-side applications. 

Client Network or Device

The client network or device is the hardware the user uses to access the cloud computing service. It can be a PC or any other input device. This device doesn’t necessarily need to have sophisticated computing power, which is one of the biggest advantages of cloud services. The cloud would handle the heavy load and processes. 

Back-End Components of Cloud Computing

The back-end section of a cloud computing network supports the frontend section and is responsible for the proper functioning of the entire network. It consists of the storage and hardware present on the remote server. The cloud service provider handles and controls the entire back-end of the network. 

Following are the primary back-end components of cloud computing networks:

Application

The application refers to the interface of the back-end. A user would interact with the application to send the necessary queries and this section handles the client’s requirements and requests. 

Service

The service adds utility to the back-end of the cloud computing network. It takes care of every task running on the system. Some of its examples are storage, development environment, and web services. The service can perform multiple tasks in the cloud runtime, which is why it’s a significant component of the back-end. We can say that it’s the heart of the entire architecture.

Cloud Runtime

It is the concept where the cloud services run. You can say that it’s the cloud operating system where technologies such as virtualization run. Virtualization allows the cloud to have multiple runtimes on the same server. Through virtualization, a cloud system can have multiple software machines running on the same hardware. It is the virtual representation of servers, apps, networks, and storage. Some of the prominent virtualization solutions include Oracle VM for x86 and Oracle Virtual Box. 

Storage

Storage is the section in a cloud where all the data resides. Every cloud service provider offers different storage. Some examples of storage include hard drives, solid-state drives, and Intel Optane DC Persistent storage. The hard drives of service constitute the storage of the cloud back-end. In a cloud computing network, the software would partition the drives according to the requirements of the cloud’s OS for running services. 

Infrastructure

We can say that the infrastructure of a cloud computing architecture is the engine running the operation. It consists of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), CPU, accelerator cards, Motherboard, network cards, and other related components. The infrastructure depends on a user’s cloud computing requirements and workloads. 

Management

The management of a cloud computing network allocates resources to the tasks. It ensures that the cloud solution runs smoothly and efficiently. Another name for management is middleware and it coordinates between the front-end components and the back-end components of cloud computing architecture.

Security

Finally, we have the security implementations of cloud computing solutions. It usually consists of a regular storage backup to prevent any data loss. Similarly, it has a debugging process to tackle issues quickly. Virtual firewalls are also vital for a cloud computing solution to prevent any unwanted party from interfering with the cloud network and accessing its data. 

Related: Cloud Project Ideas & Topics

Final Thoughts

Cloud computing architecture, as you can see, is quite simple to understand. It has very specific components where each one handles one particular responsibility. 

By understanding the mobile computing architecture, you can easily understand the workings of a cloud computing system. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in learning more about cloud computing or want to become a cloud computing professional, we recommend taking a cloud computing course. 

At upGrad, we offer the Advanced Certificate Programme in Cloud Computing program.

Our course will teach you the basic and advanced concepts of cloud computing along with the applications of these concepts. You will learn from industry experts through videos, live lectures, and assignments. Moreover, you’ll get access to upGrad’s exclusive career preparation, resume feedback, and many other advantages. Be sure to check it out.

If you know someone interested in learning about cloud technologies, do share this article with them. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ques1. What is the difference between scalability and elasticity in Cloud computing?

Ans: Scalability is used to handle the increasing workload by increasing the proportion of resource capacity. It is the ability to increase or decrease IT resources as needed to meet changing demands or the ability of the system to accommodate larger or smaller loads. Scalability helps businesses scale up or down (vertically) and out or in (horizontally). On the other hand, Elasticity is defined as “the degree to which a system is able to adapt to workload changes by provisioning and de-provisioning resources”. It is measured by the speed by which the resources are coming into demand and the usage of the resources.

Ques2. Which industries benefit from Cloud computing technology?

Ans: Cloud computing is impacting every corner of the business world. The automotive sector relies heavily on the constant availability of data, and with the Cloud, they can store inventory and additional data in one easily accessible location. Cloud is also proving to be an invaluable solution in the Education sector, where students can access the information they need all in one place, and teachers can distribute assignments with greater ease. The financial sector, healthcare sector, hospitality industry, legal industry, non profit organisations are other industries benefiting from Cloud.

Ques3. What is Hadoop in Cloud computing?

Ans: Hadoop is an open-source project that seeks to develop software for reliable, scalable, distributed computing. It is an open-source framework that allows for the distributed storage and processing of large data sets across clusters of computers using simple programming models. Hadoop is designed to scale up from a single computer to thousands of clustered computers where each machine offers local computation. Hadoop applications are designed with a fundamental assumption that hardware failures of individual machines or racks of machines are common and should be automatically handled in software by the framework.

RELATED PROGRAMS