Q3-5 What Are the Typical Cloud Options?

Question 1

What are the three main types of cloud service models?

Answer 1

The three main types of cloud service models are:

Software as a Service (SaaS): Provides applications over the internet.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): Provides platforms allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet.

Question 2

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

Answer 2

SaaS provides software applications over the internet.

The service provider manages everything from the infrastructure to the application itself.

Examples include Salesforce.com and Microsoft Office Online.

Question 3

What is Platform as a Service (PaaS)?

Answer 3

PaaS provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage their own applications without dealing with infrastructure management.

Examples include Microsoft Azure and Google App Engine (GAE).

Question 4

What is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

Answer 4

IaaS provides virtualized computing resources, including servers, storage, and networking, over the internet.

The customer is responsible for managing the operating system and applications.

Examples include Amazon AWS and Google Compute Engine.

Question 5

What are the key differences between SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS?

Answer 5

SaaS: Provides ready-to-use applications.

PaaS: Provides platforms for developers to build applications.

IaaS: Provides raw computing infrastructure.

Question 6

How does cloud computing achieve economies of scale?

Answer 6

Cloud computing achieves economies of scale by allowing providers to offer services on a large scale, reducing the average cost per unit as the operation grows.

This is similar to how businesses can scale up production to reduce costs as the size of operations increases.

Question 7

Can you provide an example of a SaaS cloud service?

Answer 7

Salesforce.com provides programs for customer relationship management (CRM) and sales tracking as a service.

Question 8

Can you provide an example of a PaaS cloud service?

Answer 8

Microsoft Azure provides a platform with hosted Windows Servers for developers to build and manage applications.

Question 9

Can you provide an example of an IaaS cloud service?

Answer 9

Amazon AWS provides virtual servers and storage services, allowing customers to manage their own operating systems and applications.

Question 10

What are the benefits of using cloud computing?

Answer 10

Cloud computing provides benefits such as:

Cost savings due to economies of scale.

Flexibility and scalability.

Reduced need for physical infrastructure management.

Increased collaboration through web-based tools.

Question 11

What makes it difficult to describe simple processes like making a sandwich?

Answer 11

Describing processes can be challenging because:

There are many assumptions made in daily tasks that are not always obvious.

People may skip steps or assume that certain actions are understood without explicitly stating them.

The granularity of detail needed can vary depending on the complexity and audience.

Question 12

Why is it important for businesses to improve the process of listing activities?

Answer 12

Accurate activity lists help businesses clearly articulate their processes, improving efficiency, communication, and consistency.

It also reduces errors and allows for better analysis and optimization of tasks.

Question 13

What is a private cloud?

Answer 13

A private cloud is a cloud infrastructure owned and operated by an organization for its own benefit.

It is elastic and internet-based, but not pooled with other organizations, keeping data and apps under the company’s physical control.

Question 14

When might an organization choose to use a private cloud?

Answer 14

Organizations that are legally required to maintain physical control over their data, such as financial institutions or government agencies, may use a private cloud to maintain their own hosting infrastructure.

Question 15

What is edge computing?

Answer 15

Edge computing refers to moving data storage and computation closer to where it is needed, rather than relying on a central location.

This can reduce delays and improve performance, particularly for technologies like driverless cars.

Question 16

How will cloud computing evolve with edge computing?

Answer 16

As edge computing becomes more prevalent, the cloud will move closer to the data.

This shift will enhance performance and reduce latency, allowing the cloud to “be everywhere.”

Question 17

What is showrooming?

Answer 17

Showrooming occurs when consumers visit brick-and-mortar stores to examine and evaluate products but then purchase the products online, typically from a cheaper vendor.

Question 18

What are the ethical concerns with showrooming?

Answer 18

Ethical concerns include the impact on physical retail stores, which invest resources in providing customer service and product displays.

Customers may use these services without intending to buy from the store, which can harm the store’s business.

Question 19

What advantages do online vendors have in the practice of showrooming?

Answer 19

Online vendors often have lower operating costs because they do not need physical retail spaces, employees, utilities, or the same level of overhead, allowing them to offer lower prices.

Question 20

How does sales tax impact online purchases compared to in-store purchases?

Answer 20

In many cases, online vendors do not charge sales tax unless they have a physical presence in the state, making online purchases cheaper than in-store purchases where sales tax applies.

Question 21

Is it ethical for consumers to avoid paying sales tax by purchasing online?

Answer 21

This raises ethical questions, as consumers are technically required to declare and pay state sales tax on out-of-state purchases, though few do.

The debate revolves around fairness to the state and in-store competitors.