Cloud Computing Strategy for Regional Gardens Limited

CLOUD COMPUTING
NAME
COURSE
UNIVERSITY/AFFILIATION

Abstract.
This paper determines the cloud computing strategy for the Regional Gardens limited,
a gardening enterprise. This report addresses the integration of hybrid cloud computing into
the current information technology and computing infrastructure. Cloud computing
architectures such as software as a service and platform as a service are suggested in the
report as the ideal architectures to enable the company meet their objectives, Armbrust et al
(2010). This report assesses the risks involved with the implementation and deployment of
the hybrid cloud computing. Using a risk assessment matrix, the risks are described and a
solution presented for each. Additionally, the report recommends the security and other issues
that must be included in the company’s BCP such as back-up and recovery and resilience.
Lastly, in the report, a strategic plan is laid to explain the migration of email services from
the on premise facility to the cloud based server.
Introduction.
The agricultural sector has really developed fats and largely over the past years. At
the centre of the development has been the ability to use technology in the agricultural
processes. Apart from use of farm machinery as the technology, communication technology
has been a pillar in the development. With the need to cut the cost of acquiring information
technology, staff, infrastructure and software, cloud computing has become an emerging and
very reliable technology, Armbrust et al (2010). Cloud computing is an online-based
environment that provides computational services to the clients such as servers, computing
and big data analytics, storage, applications and a platform for development. Through the
internet, the computer services provided cut the cost of ownership of acquiring on premise
technology and equipment.
The application of hybrid computing means that each provision, that is the Amazon
and the Bathurst data centre remain separate entities that are connected through proprietary
software and technology that allows portability and exchange of data and software interfaces.
The cloud computing provides different models or architectures of computing that provide
different services to the clients through their measured subscriptions. The models are
software as a service, platform as a service and infrastructure as a service. Through the SaaS
model, the client accesses and uses the software directly over the internet without installing
on to their computers. In the PaaS model, the cloud offers a computing platform that enables

the development of applications with the different programming languages available such as
java and python. In the IaaS model and architecture, the cloud allows the client to access the
cloud resources and scale them up depending on the needs of the client and payment is made
in the pay-per-use design, Jamil & Zaki (2011).
Project development.
Cloud architectures.
The cloud architecture is the structural system composting of the components,
services and functions provided by the cloud service provider. The components are formed by
the front end of the cloud including interfaces for software functionality, the back end such as
storage, the network used to access the cloud and the delivery system.
In the strategy employed by the Regional Gardens Board, the following architectures are
suitable for the implementation of the project.
1. Software as a service.
In this cloud based service model, the Regional Gardens employees do not use installed
computer or mobile applications to perform functions of the company. Rather, the employees
access the services installed and running on the cloud via the internet and use the online
applications to perform the functions. The SaaS architecture is highly flexible and scalable,
Armbrust et al (2009). Unlike the past, where Regional Gardens would need to load their
applications on the cloud, currently the cloud provider allows the client to use the software
and applications without the need for any local installations. The cloud based software
allows the users to use the same application with the same code, same customization and
configuration and therefore the work output is enhanced in terms of quality and quantity. The
software service on the cloud allows the company to pay an annual fee for the use of the
cloud services. The software as a service architecture is set up in that the cloud-based service
provider deals with all the other issues such as maintenance and security of the software
platform.
A good structure of the proposed structure as a service model is the multitenant
architecture. In this design, the same application or software is accessed by the different
employees of the company from anywhere at any time on demand. This model supports
scalability since the same program can be installed or virtually run from different servers and
therefore allow different employees to run the same application at the same time, Armbrust et

al (2009). Additionally, in this model, the company’s IT administrator can be allowed access
to the beta version of the application for testing before official upgrades.
The advantages therefor to the Regional Gardens company are:
Software as a service reduces the cost of ownership of the purchased and installed
software since the software is now accessed online through the internet without the need to
locally install the program. Instead of spending money on the purchase of the program, the
cloud based service provider provides the software to be accessed from the web browser
installed on the company’s computers. Additionally, the software as a service allows for the
payment of only the software the company is going to use. This eliminates the need for the
payment of un-used licenced third party programs, Wu, Garg, & Buyya, (2011, May).
Software as a service can be accessed anywhere at any time, very accessible. This feature
allows for the company to focus more on production from remote areas.
SaaS is highly flexible and scalable. Since the program is cloud hosted, it allows the
company to easily increase the usage of the software resources without being afraid of
exhausting or overrunning the limited on premise resource.
SaaS model reduces the responsibilities of the IT department to provide security and
maintenance of the system and therefore reduces the company’s expenditure on acquiring a
large IT human expertise since the cloud based service provider shoulders the responsibilities
of security, software upgrade and maintenance.
SaaS model offers a cross device compatibility since its accessed from the net. This
feature also confers additional advantages in that all the employees use the same code base to
perform the company’s functions and therefore the errors, bugs and system crashes of using
older versions of programs is eliminated.
2. Platform as a service.
This is a cloud based service that will allow Regional Gardens to develop and manage
their own applications and programs that suit the demands of the company, Armbrust et al
(2010). The services are provided from an online platform and server. Just like the software
as a service, the PaaS allows the employees access and use the online software however,
permission is granted to the company IT experts to manage and control the software aspects
of the service provided.