Cloud Architecture

Cloud architecture defines the technology components that are combined to build a cloud, where resources are pooled through virtualization technology and shared across a network. The components of a cloud architecture include:

• A front-end platform (the client or device used to access the cloud)
• One or more back-end platforms (servers and storage)
• A cloud-based delivery methodology
• A network to connect cloud clients, servers, and storage

Together, these technologies create a cloud computing architecture on which applications can run, providing end-users with the ability to leverage the power of cloud resources. Although the term cloud computing is relatively new (21st century), the concept of cloud computing is very similar to mainframe computing, popular since the 1960s, where centralized servers ran applications that were used by ‘dumb’ terminals connected to a private network.