Basic Cloud Storage Architecture

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

INTRODUCTION:

Cloud storage is the type of storing your data on the online in the 3rd party's cloud services in their multiple virtual servers, using a network. Cloud storage has a main advantage over traditional data storage where if you store your data on the cloud you can retrieve it from anywhere that has an internet access. This make a way forward for may organisation for to store their work data so that the worker doesn't need to use the same device to get access to data or to carry any physical storage devices. If that particular organisation has branch office the accessing of data through cloud will be much easier. As cloud storage is an easy way to store and access data it has bad model in terms of security and privacy, here is the working principle of cloud and its advantage and disadvantage of it.

BASIC CLOUD STORAGE ARCHITECTURE:

In the modern days cloud storage is based on highly virtualization infrastructure and it has the same characteristics as the cloud computing have in the terms of scalability, agility, elasticity and multi-tendency. Here is the simple architecture to show how cloud storage works.

03 Generic Storage Architecture

All storage architecture comprise of a number of layers that are work together to provide users with a seamless storage services. The cloud storage are classified in to 3 different layers they are front end, middleware and back end.

Front End: This layer is exposed to end user and typically exposes APIs (application programing interface) that allows access to the storage. There are quite number of protocols that are constantly being introduced to increase and to give additional support to cloud system and also for web services front-ends using Representational State Transfer (REST) principles. For example a user use an application running on their own desktop and they can perform basic task such as creating folders, uploading a file or modifying it, as well as they can define permission and share data with the other users. Examples of access methods and the samples are listed

REST APIs: Representational state transfer is a stateless web architecture model that is built upon the communication between the clients and to the server.

File-based protocols: this type of protocols such as CIFS and NFS are supported by private vendors like zetta and cleversafe.

Middleware: This layer is called as middleware or storage logic layer which supports a number of functions including in making data de-duplication and reduction no only this it also replication of data across geographical regions.

Back End: the back end layer is the final layer where the actual hardware is implemented and the user refers to the read and writes instruction in the hardware abstraction layer.

Additional layers: The additional layer depends on the purpose of the technology they may be number of additional layers that can be added as per the needs some of the common additional Layers are,

Management layer: this lay may support the function like scripting and reporting capabilities to enhance automation and the provisioning of storage.

Backup layer: the cloud back layer can be exposed directly to application program interface calls from snapshot and backup services.

DR (virtualization) layer: in this layer the DR services provides can attach storage to a virtual hypervisor, enable the cloud storage data to be accessed by virtual hosts that are activated in a DR scenario, for example i365 Is an cloud storage services where it process automatically convert the backups of server screenshot in to the DR environment in a minutes.

Cloud storage service:

Some of the commonly used cloud serveries and among consumer they are google drive, dropbox, icloud, Microsoft skydrive and box

drive.jpg (174×138) Dropbox_Logo1.png (200×200) apple-icloud.jpg (195×170) skydrive-logo-l.jpg (256×176)Box_logo__Shiny_hi-res_.jpg (250×152)

In this google drive is belongs to google, icloud by apple and finally skydrive is by Microsoft.

All this are most popular cloud services and they also gives the user’s to access certain amount of free storage for the customer.

Advantages of cloud storage:

Cost – The cost of the cloud storage is cheap compared to having an external device such as hardest or external tapes for a backup. Online storage services reduces more cost compared to the olden traditional backup methods, it also provide an ample storage space in the cloud for a low monthly fee.

Invisibility – invisibility is one of the interesting feature which is the cloud storage is invisible; with no physical device at presence, it doesn’t take up any valuable space at home or in the office.

Security – Most of the online storage services encrypt their data as it is being transmitted as well as when it is simply being stored in the servers. More than this, if a disaster should strike the office, the most important data will basically remain safe since it is being stored off-site and it has been secured to.

Automation – The biggest feature is a automation where the olden traditional hard drive or tape lack in doing where in the case of cloud storage it does this feature it make the online backup automatically and store the data safely which is an most important feature for the people in the business levels. It’s very easy you can simply select your data what to be back up, when to back up and at what time it should take back up, and the services does the rest.

Accessibility – It is easy now days to access the cloud storage from tablets to smartphones, netbooks to desktops; we’re using more devices on a daily basis than ever before, and toggling files between each of these devices. More than that you can access your bank account from any internet connection, whether you're on a mobile browser or your work computer.

Syncing –Fast sync is made in cloud storage which ensure your data are automatically updates across all of your devices. This is the way where your latest version of file get updated on all your devices so fast.

Sharing – It allow an easy file sharing where you can share your photo or an document with your family and friends its easy now cloud storage services allow you to easily share file with just a few clicks.

Collaboration – Online storage services are also ideal for collaboration purposes. They allow multiple people to edit and collaborate on a single file or document. You don’t have to worry about tracking the latest version or who has made what changes.

Protection – Cloud storage serves as an added layer of data protection for your precious and irreplaceable files. Backups are kept in a secure location that is physically removed from the originals.

Recovery –recovery is easy and is simple because your data are stored on the multiple virtual servers so you can easily get the backups of all you’re original files so that you can restore them with in zero downtime.

Disadvantages of cloud storage:

Security and privacy in the Cloud: Security is the one of the biggest concern when it comes to cloud storage. By leveraging a remote cloud based infrastructure, a company essentially gives away private data and information, things that might be more sensitive and highly confidential. It is then up to the cloud service provider to manage, protect and retain them, thus the provider’s reliability is very critical. A company’s existence might be put in, so all possible alternatives should be explored before a decision. On the same note, even end users might feel uncomfortable surrendering their data to a third party.

Similarly, privacy in the cloud is another huge issue. Companies and users have to trust their cloud service and also we trust them also there is no guarantee that the data stored in the cloud will be kept private. There are various stories of data loss and password leakage in the media does not help to reassure some of the most concerned users.

Threats caused by cloud storage:

Security breach in dropbox:

One of the famous online storage dropbox had a security breach on 1st of august 2012.where a stolen password has been used to access an employee’s accounts allowing a "project document "containing user email addresses and attended to that username and password of the members are get stolen and also used to sign into the some of the users account

New security measure by dropbox:

Due to this security breach the new security measure are taken by the company which includes an automated system to spot suspicious activity and new pages allowing the user to examine with earlier log-ins to their account.

From this dropbox advised their user to create a unique password and also tells them to change the user password quite often and also offering its member for the option of using two-factor of authentication one is the normal password and other one is a code texted to their phone to gain access.

Data loss In google drive:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19079353