Cloud Computing: Advantages & Challenges

This assignment delves into the multifaceted world of cloud computing. It examines various aspects, including different service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), pricing strategies, and security considerations. The assignment also explores the strengths and weaknesses of cloud computing, highlighting its benefits such as scalability and cost-efficiency alongside potential drawbacks like vendor lock-in and data privacy concerns.

Running head: HEADSPACE CLOUD SYSTEM
MY HEALTH RECORD CLOUD BASED APPLICATION

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Abstract
Emerging technologies have transformed business and organizational operations. For instance
cloud computing technology provides software, infrastructure and storage facilities over the
Internet. This paper introduces Headspace Company, whose aim is to provide health solutions
for youth experiencing challenges with mental health. Headspace aims to deploy a cloud
applications for their operations. As such, the report also discusses cloud based solutions,
their strength and weaknesses. Further, the paper outlines key data security approaches which
is crucial in cloud computing installations. Also, the research introduces systems
requirements by expounding on both functional and non-functional requirements using
FURPS model. In addition, the paper discusses SDLC development methodology with regard
to both adaptive and predictive SDLC approaches and outline the merits and demerits of
both.

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Table of Contents
Background Scenario.................................................................................................................4
Project Objective....................................................................................................................4
Project Scope..........................................................................................................................4
Cloud Based Applications..........................................................................................................5
Advantages of Cloud Applications........................................................................................5
Weaknesses of Cloud Applications........................................................................................6
System Requirements.................................................................................................................8
Functional System Requirements vs. Non-functional System Requirements............................8
FURPS Model............................................................................................................................8
System Methodology.................................................................................................................9
SDLC System Approach............................................................................................................9
Predictive SDLC....................................................................................................................9
Advantages of Predictive SDLC........................................................................................9
Disadvantages of Predictive SDLC....................................................................................9
Adaptive SDLC......................................................................................................................9
Advantages of Adaptive SDLC........................................................................................10
Disadvantages of Adaptive SDLC...................................................................................10
Adaptive versus Predictive SDLC...........................................................................................10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................12

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Background Scenario
Headspace is an Australian based company that works with young persons who suffer from
mental health problems including anxiety, depression. Such health problems are on the
increase today especially in New South Wales (NSW) region. Some of the consequences of
mental health challenges include suicide. Headspace has therefore been set up to admit and
help youth aged between 12 and 25 in overcoming such health problems, which eventually
can lead to suicide. The current system is manual and has no facility to help the patients
express their problems. A person who visits the hospital may see more than one hospital staff
including case workers, medical staff, a general practitioner, a psychiatrist or even a
psychologist.
As a result, patients are forced to retell their story every time they visit the institution. This is
frustrating and can lead them towards not opening up which can hinder the process to help
them overcome health problems. It is therefore important to come up with a system that will
enable them to tell their stories only once and the professional at headspace can access it from
the platform and enable their assistance and support flow smoothly.
Project Objective
To implement a cloud based system for Headspace that will allow the youth with mental
health problems to be able to narrate or submit their situation in order to be helped and
supported by the professionals in the institution.
Project Scope

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The project will cover Headspace and will include all the functions of the institution. It will
provide a platform for youth with the health issues to submit their story and a portal for
hospital staff to access such stories and be able to help and assist them in overcoming the
challenges.
Significance of the Project
The project is beneficial for both the patients and hospital staff. For the youth with health
challenges, they will be provided it will enable them to have an easy of expressing
themselves. It will help streamline the operations in Headspace in terms of data gathering and
centralization. Staff will be able to access data at any time and be able to support patients
effectively.
Cloud Based Applications
A cloud system is a set of services such as software applications, IT infrastructure, and
storage facilities provided over the Internet by providers for users (Fernando, Loke, &
Wenny, 2013). Organizations are increasingly adopting cloud based systems to enhance
effectiveness and the efficiency of business procedures. Cloud based services major
advantage is that they help businesses reduce on costs as they don’t have to buy the hardware
equipment’s associated with new system adoption. Also an organization doesn’t need to have
and retain the technical knowledge and expertise required to maintain IT infrastructure
(Shaikha Al-Ebrahim, Sabika, & Ahmad, 2013). Cloud based solutions can be deployed
either as private cloud applications, public clouds, hybrid clouds which is a mixture of public
and private clouds and lastly as community clouds which comprises of an association
between one or more organizations (Oujani, 2013). Organizations can subscribe services such
as software solutions, access to application platforms and infrastructure storage facilities, all
accessed through the Internet (PARANET, 2015). Businesses characteristically deploy cloud

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based applications in order to enhance cloud- capacity, improve operational functionality and
access other on-demand services while at the same time reducing costs of procuring and
maintaining IT infrastructure.
Advantages of Cloud Applications
Cloud computing provides business with very many benefits including the following
(Shaikha Al-Ebrahim, Sabika, & Ahmad, 2013)
 Increased efficiency - cloud solutions facilitate data storage in one space whereby
users can access and perform their roles with effectiveness which increases efficiency
in the business.
 Data and information centralization - cloud solutions require that information is stored
in one central place. Storing data in one central location means that organization will
work with updated data and information to perform their operations.
 Increased organizational throughput – since information is in one central location,
authorized staff are able to easily access and perform their procedure which improves
business productivity
 Cost reductions – deploying cloud solutions means that an organization will depend
on third party services for its IT services infrastructure and saves on the money that
would have otherwise been used to procure IT services including hardware costs and
maintenance fees (Worlanyo, 2015)
 Regular applications update – since services are hosted by third party providers, they
provide services updates on the services that organizations are obtaining from them.
Businesses therefore do not need to hassle with getting their systems updated.

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Weaknesses of Cloud Applications
Cloud computing also comes with several disadvantages, some of which include the
following according to (Silva & Oliveira, 2011):
 System downtime – downtime refers to a period in time where system services are
inaccessible (Perlin, 2012). Since cloud solutions are accessed online, if there either
hardware failure, software failure, network failure or a natural disaster, the system
experiences downtime which is risky for organizations
 Data and information insecurity - cloud solutions are faced with a lot of insecurities
including attack by malicious programs and viruses. Cloud applications are also prone
to hacker attacks who intrude people to steal, manipulate or get system access.
 Vendor lock in – cloud applications from one vendor are not compatible with other
cloud solutions provider.
 System incompatibility – it is complicated to deploy and integrate cloud solutions
with other organizational systems (Venkatraman, 2011)
 Additional costs and subscription charges – it is possible for an organization to incur
other additional expenses after cloud applications installation
Data Security Considerations
One of the major risks in cloud solutions deployment is data insecurity. Major consideration
according to (Worlanyo, 2015) include the following:
i) Data privacy - ensures that the information is not revealed to unauthorized users.
Headspace is dealing with very sensitive data and therefore needs to ensure the patient
data privacy
ii) Data confidentiality – ensures data is only accessed by authenticated personnel to
avoid unauthorized access

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iii) Data integrity – involves the process of ensuring that data is not manipulated in way
buy unauthorized persons. To implement data integrity, it is important for Headspace
to ensure that third party persons do not access patient’s sensitive data
iv) Data availability - ensures that organizations have full access to their data and
information
v) Data security procedures – measures including encryption protocols and VPN
networks should be installed to secure data transmission is secure
System Requirements
System requirements refers to a set of features and description that the proposed system is
required to maintain. (Rouse, 2007 ). They can either be hardware or software requirements.
Hardware system requirements include all the tangible features the system will need in order
to function as intended (Techterms, 2014). On the other hand, software requirements involve
all the functionalities of the proposed system and are classified as either functional or non-
functional with the FURPS model.
Functional System Requirements vs. Non-functional System Requirements
Functional requirements refer to features that describe what the system does hence the
primary roles of the proposed system. Non-functional requirements include features that
describes how the systems achieves its functions. Both functional and non-functional
requirements are explained using the FURPS model
FURPS Model
The FURPS model explains the system requirements in terms of either functional or non-
functional as outlined below (Getronics, 2003)
 Functional - capabilities, features, security.

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 Usability – documentation, help, human factors,
 Reliability - frequency of failure, recoverability, predictability.
 Performance - throughput, response times, accuracy, resource usage, availability
 Supportability – configurability, maintainability, adaptability, internationalization
System Methodology
System methodologies refer to a set of activities that are followed to deploy a new system
(CMS, SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH , 2008). There are very many system
development methodologies including software development life cycle (SDCL).
SDLC System Approach
System development life cycle is a software development procedure that follows a set of
phases for developing software (itinfo, 2017). Two types of SDLC approaches include
predictive and
Predictive SDLC
Predictive SDLC is software development method that facilitates that the project is structured
and all its phases can be determined from the first to the last phase (Alwan, 2015). The
development team usually follows the already laid procedures to achieve system deployment.
Advantages of Predictive SDLC
 Follows a set of laid out already known procedures
 Provides a structured linear development plan
 Easy to estimate

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 Better for complex development processes
Disadvantages of Predictive SDLC
 Does not easily factor system changes
 Consumes a lot of time for complex systems
 Can fail to produce quality if system requirements are not well- understood
Adaptive SDLC
Adaptive SDLC approach accepts the fact and likelihood that a systems development project
can change as a result of some factors including change in requirements, management or
business priorities (CMS, SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH, 2008). In order
to factor these changes, the methodology is divided into several iterative phases (Alwan,
2015).
Advantages of Adaptive SDLC
 Provides system quality since it allows phase iterations that help select the best
system designs (Owen, 2016)
 Provide facility to accommodate system changes
 Involves a lot of skills and expertise representation during development
Disadvantages of Adaptive SDLC
 Can consume a lot of time if there are many changes and iterations
 Requires skills expertise in order to select quality designs
 Lack of expertise can affect the deployment processes

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Adaptive versus Predictive SDLC
The choice between which system development approach to follow largely depends on the
kind of project at hand. In the case of headspace, it would be better to follow a predictive
SDLC approach. This is because theirs is a better analysis of system objective and
requirements.
Conclusion
Emerging technologies including cloud computing have transformed organizational
processes. They have enabled efficient and effective business operations which increase
productivity and enhance both staff and customer/ client experiences. It is therefore crucial
that organization embrace cloud solutions in order to improve on operation efficiency and
productivity. The researcher therefore recommends that headspace deploys the health record
cloud based system in order to enhance both staff and client experience as well as improve
general organizational productivity.

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References
Alwan, M. (2015, January 3). What is systems development lifecyle. Retrieved from
www.airbrake.io: https://airbrake.io/blog/sdlc/what-is-system-development-life-cycle
CMS. (2008, March 27). SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. Retrieved from
www.cms.gov: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/CMS-
Information-Technology/XLC/Downloads/SelectingDevelopmentApproach.pdf
CMS. (2008, March 27). SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH . Retrieved from
CMS: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/CMS-Information-
Technology/XLC/Downloads/SelectingDevelopmentApproach.pdf
Fernando, N., Loke, S., & Wenny, R. (2013). Mobile cloud computing: A survey. Science
Direct , 84-106.

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Getronics. (2003, February 21). Software Requirements Specification. Retrieved from
ec.europa.eu:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/modes/road/social_provisions/doc/
tcn_srs_01-00.pdf
itinfo. (2017, October 4). Software Development Methodologies. Retrieved from itinfo.com:
http://www.itinfo.am/eng/software-development-methodologies/#chapter13
Oujani, A. (2013, April 24). A Survey of Cloud Computing Simulations and Cloud Testing.
Retrieved from www.cse.wustl.edu:
https://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse567-13/ftp/cloud/index.html
Owen, G. (2016, January ). How can I move from a Waterfall approach and learn Agile?
Retrieved from Tech Target :
http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/answer/How-can-I-move-from-a-
Waterfall-approach-and-learn-Agile
PARANET. (2015, March 25). The three types of Cloud Computing Service Models .
Retrieved from http://www.paranet.com:
http://www.paranet.com/blog/bid/128267/The-three-types-of-Cloud-Computing-
Service-Models
Perlin, M. (2012, September 17). Downtime, Outages and Failures - Understanding Their
True Costs. Retrieved from www.evolven.com:
https://www.evolven.com/blog/downtime-outages-and-failures-understanding-their-
true-costs.html
Rouse, M. (2007 , February). software requirements specification (SRS). Retrieved from Tech
Target : http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/software-requirements-

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specification
Shaikha Al-Ebrahim, M. A.-R., Sabika, B., & Ahmad, I. (2013). Cloud Computing Pricing
Models: A Survey. International Journal of Grid and Distributed Computing, 93-106.
Silva, L., & Oliveira, J. L. (2011). Strengths and Weaknesses of Using Cloud Computing.
Retrieved from Health Management Org:
https://healthmanagement.org/c/imaging/issuearticle/strengths-and-weaknesses-of-
using-cloud-computing
Techterms. (2014). System Requirements . Retrieved from techterms.com:
https://techterms.com/definition/systemrequirements
Venkatraman, A. (2011, November). Advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing.
Retrieved from www.computerweekly.com:
http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloud-
computing
Worlanyo, E. (2015, November 30). A Survey of Cloud Computing Security: Issues,
Challenges and Solutions. Retrieved from www.cse.wustl.edu:
https://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse570-15/ftp/cld_sec/index.html

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