🔗 Link to the Room

📚 Study Notes

Why use the cloud

• Moves apps and files from a single device to online access anywhere.
• Makes apps more reliable, accessible, and scalable.

Server Evolution to Cloud

• Cloud didn’t appear suddenly; it evolved from physical servers → virtualized servers → cloud.
• Goal is to reduce costs, use resources efficiently, and simplify scaling.

Cloud Benefits & Characteristics

• Scalability: Easily adjust resources as needed.
• On-demand self-service: Create/remove servers or storage instantly.
• Pay-as-you-go: Pay only for what you use.
• Security: Providers protect infrastructure.
• High availability: Apps run even if part of the system fails.
• Global access: Users can access apps anywhere.

Types of Cloud Deployment

• Public Cloud: Affordable, easy to scale, no infrastructure management; ideal for startups and global apps.
• Private Cloud: Greater control and compliance; used by banks, healthcare, governments.
• Hybrid Cloud: Combines public and private; good for sensitive data + scalability.

Cloud Service Models

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Rent servers/storage; you manage OS & apps.
• PaaS (Platform as a Service): Provider manages OS/infrastructure; you focus on app development.
• SaaS (Software as a Service): Complete apps provided online; provider handles everything (e.g., Gmail, Zoom).

Major Cloud Vendors

• AWS: Industry leader, global reach, extensive services.
• Microsoft Azure: Strong in enterprise & hybrid cloud.
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Data analytics, AI/ML tools.
• Alibaba Cloud: Major in Asia, global services.
• IBM Cloud: Hybrid & AI-focused.
• Oracle Cloud: Enterprise apps & databases.

Cloud in Action (Examples)

• Netflix: Scales globally, handles peak demand.
• Spotify: Manages millions of songs & users, scales quickly.
• Instagram: Stores & delivers massive media worldwide.
• E-commerce sites: Handle traffic spikes without permanent infrastructure.

Key Idea:

• Cloud allows companies to scale easily, reduce costs, stay reliable, and focus on products rather than hardware.
• You can apply the same approach to deploy your cybersecurity training app in a simulated cloud.

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❓What is the characteristic of cloud environments that enables you to handle an unexpected increase in access to your application?

Scalability

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❓What is the most common type of cloud deployment used?

Public Cloud

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❓Suppose you want to deploy an application to the internet, focusing only on application development and leaving infrastructure to others. What type of cloud service is the best?

PaaS

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Deploying a Cloud Instance

• Basic Cloud Terminology (AWS)
  • EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud):
    • A virtual computer/server in the cloud.
    • Has CPU and RAM like a physical computer.
    • Each EC2 instance = one virtual computer added to your environment.
  • Instance Type (e.g., t2, t3, m5):
    • Determines the power of the virtual computer (CPU & RAM).
    • Bigger instances: more power, higher cost.
    • Smaller instances: less power, lower cost.

Deploying your environment

• in this room you will create three virtual computers (EC2 instances) - this aligns with the IaaS model.

1. Pick a Region where your resources will live.

2. Create Virtual Machine with instance typet3.micro

3. Create another two machines with instance type m5.large

4. Do Billing Analysis by checking how much each type of instance is costing you.

5. Reduce costs by stoping instances by: Go to the instances block and click the stop button for both study-machine-1 and study-machine-2

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❓What is the total cost of credits of the entire environment if study-machine-1 and study-machine-2 are stopped?

30

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❓How many credits does an m5.large EC2 instance cost per month?

70

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❓What is the total cost of credits if only the new instances we created are running?

150

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❓What would be the total running cost of the environment if a third t3a.small study machine (study-machine-3) were added alongside study-machine-1 and study-machine-2?

188

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[!NOTE] Key Terminology:
Public Cloud - Cloud services you access over the internet that many people and companies share.
Private Cloud - A cloud built just for one company, so they have more control and security.
Hybrid Cloud - A mix of public and private clouds that can work together and share data.
IaaS - A service where you rent basic computer parts like servers and storage from the cloud.
PaaS - A service that gives you a ready-to-use environment to build and run apps without managing servers.
SaaS - Software you use online without installing anything, like Gmail or Zoom.
EC2 - Amazon’s cloud computers that you can quickly create, use, and resize whenever you need them.