Home > Articles

This chapter is from the book

Essential Characteristics of AWS Cloud Computing

If you haven’t heard of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a branch of the U.S. government, you’re not alone. Around 2010, NIST began documenting the public cloud. After talking to all the major vendors, it released an initial report in June 2011 defining many cloud components that were common across all the public cloud vendors. The report’s genius was in defining what the emerging public cloud actually was (the command components). Over the years, NIST’s cloud definitions have moved from definitions to becoming standards for how many companies view working in the public cloud. According to NIST, five key definitions of the public cloud have really morphed into a definitive standard methodology of operating in the public cloud:

On-demand self-service—We not only expect cloud service to be delivered quickly; we demand it. All cloud providers offer a self-serve portal as AWS does, as shown in Figure 1-6. You request a cloud service, and in seconds it’s available in your AWS account ready to configure. Gone are the days of requesting a virtual server via email and waiting several days until it’s built. At AWS, a virtual server can be started and operational in seconds. Procuring a software-defined network at AWS (called a virtual private cloud) is available and operational in seconds. AWS has an expansive self-serve management console that allows you to order and configure many cloud-hosted services in seconds in any AWS region. Any cloud service that you order from AWS is automatically delivered to you through heavily automated procedures. There are no public cloud providers that survive without a self-service portal driven by heavy-duty automation in the background. This NIST definition is now a standard.

FIGURE 1-6

Figure 1-6 The AWS management portal

Broad network access—Cloud services can be accessed from almost anywhere across the globe using the Internet. If you host applications at AWS, perhaps they are public-facing SaaS apps. AWS also provides HTTPS endpoints to access every cloud service hosted at AWS. However, you may not want broad network access, which is defined as public network access to your cloud services. In fact, many companies that are moving to the AWS cloud have no interest in a publicly accessible software solution. They want their hosted cloud services to remain private, accessible only by their employees using private connections. Each cloud customer ultimately defines the real meaning of broad network access. At AWS, applications can be publicly available, or, you can stay completely private. VPN connections from your place of work to AWS are commonplace; in fact, you can order Direct Connect and establish a private fiber connection to AWS running at speeds up to 10 Gbps. Depending on the type of applications you’re using in the cloud, high-speed network access is essential. We can even use, access, and administer AWS service from our phone using AWS apps. Certainly, accessing AWS from any device is possible. For more details on networking, check out Chapter 3, “AWS Networking Services.”

Resource Pooling—Infrastructure resources for public cloud providers are pooled together in many data centers across the different regions of the world and are dynamically assigned on demand. A company running an on-premise private cloud would pool its virtual machines, memory, processing, and networking capabilities into one or two data centers, and from its own pool offer limited compute resources. All public cloud providers have a massive pool of resources to serve our various needs. AWS has clusters of data centers (known as AZs or availability zones), and each AZ could have over 80,000 bare-metal servers available and online allowing customers to host their application services with a high level of resiliency and failover. Having many available online resources also enables AWS to keep the price down. Without a massive pool of resources, AWS would not be able to offer its cloud services on demand that are able to scale up and down based on customer demand. Having a massive resource pool is a necessary standard for all public cloud providers; customers do not expect to run out of resources. Take, for example, AWS S3 storage, which is unlimited with no defined maximum limit. For more details on regions and AZs, check out Chapter 2.

Rapid Elasticity—Elasticity in the public cloud, or scaling, is the key feature required by all hosted cloud applications. Elasticity at AWS is utilized for both compute and storage. Because most services and applications are built on compute and storage, applications in the AWS cloud have the capability to automatically scale, as shown in Figure 1-7. And elasticity, or scaling, is only useful if it’s automated based on demand. Turning off a virtual server, adding RAM, and turning it back on is not the elasticity that we are interested in; we want horizontal scale—that is, more application servers—not just a bigger server. Real-time monitoring of a hosted cloud application at AWS allows us to react almost instantaneously before the application’s performance is close to degrading. With EC2 Auto Scaling in the background, additional computer resources are automatically ordered and delivered to the application server’s cluster, maintaining the application’s performance. Rapid elasticity based on demand is only possible with real-time monitoring driving automated scale. This is why the public cloud is so popular; with a massive pool of available cloud resources and the ability to automatically scale applications out and in based on demand, at AWS anybody can easily scale application stacks up and down. For more details on deploying scale and elasticity with EC2 Auto Scale, check out Chapter 5, “Planning for Scale and Resiliency.”

FIGURE 1-7

Figure 1-7 Applications can scale based on demand in the public cloud

Measured Service—In the cloud, you are only billed for what you use; that’s defined as a measured service. Cloud providers make their money by charging for everything that you use in their data centers, including data transfer costs. Packet flow inbound to the public cloud is usually free; outbound packet flow, or traffic between subnets hosted in different data centers, is usually charged an outbound data transfer fee. Charges are per second, or per minute in the case of computer services like AWS EC2 compute instances, or they are per gigabyte per month in the case of storage services like S3 or virtual hard drives, which at AWS are called elastic block storage (EBS). AWS charges can be broken down into compute, storage, and data transfer charges. If an AWS service is on, the meter is running. Cost management is one of your most important jobs when operating in the cloud. AWS has many useful tools to help you control your costs, including the AWS Simple Pricing Calculator, AWS Budgets, and the Cost Explorer, as shown in Figure 1-8. You can find details on these features in Chapter 2. Being billed for consuming cloud services is a reality that we are all used to. What you also may have to get used to is exactly how you are being billed. Again, you must understand and carefully monitor compute, storage, and data transfer costs. For example, you can order a load balancer at AWS for $30 per month. However, there is an additional charge to be aware of: all the data packets transferred through the load balancer are charged, and that by itself can be a hefty price.

FIGURE 1-8

Figure 1-8 AWS Budgets and Cost Explorer track and alert when costs are over budget

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020