Webb's Stores and Cloud Computing: Cloud Computing for Business Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of cloud computing solutions for Webb's Stores. It begins by defining cloud computing and its service models (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS), highlighting the benefits such as mobility, cost efficiency, and automation. The report then explores how Webb's Stores can utilize Amazon Web Services (AWS) to integrate its existing infrastructure with cloud-based resources, focusing on a hybrid architecture to serve a new branch. The advantages of using SaaS for office automation are discussed, including cost savings, scalability, and accessibility, along with the drawbacks and a detailed examination of Microsoft Office 365. The report also delves into IaaS and PaaS migration approaches, comparing their advantages and disadvantages, and concludes with a recommendation for Webb's Stores to adopt IaaS to replicate data stored in its data centers, providing extended control over its resources.

Running head: WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING
Assignment
[Student Name Here]
[Institution’s Name Here]
[Professor’s Name Here]
[Date Here]

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 2
Task 1
a. A virtualization technology that represents any technique that is used to offer services
through online systems i.e. the internet. In itself, cloud computing is offered on a subscription
basis where a service provider (owner of IT resources) leases solutions to a subscriber (user).
Example; email services that are offered and accessed using browsers. Now, based on the
requirements, Webb Stores can have a variety of choices including Infrastructure as a service
(IaaS), Software as a service (SaaS) and Platform as a service. In essence, these are the
service models offered by cloud computing and they can be used for all operations conducted
by the company (Sourabh, 2014).
Now, through cloud computing, Webb’s Stores can have the following benefits:
• Mobility of resources as access can be done from any location.
• Cost efficiency – most resources are leased which eliminates the implementation
and maintenance cost.
• Automation of services – employees and other users are able to connect to the
company’s services without the help of the administrator (Software, 2015).
b. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers enterprise unique solutions that are tailored to
provide competent security, privacy and governance requirements. Through these services,
Webb Stores can combine its existing physical infrastructure with cloud based resources in
order to expand its organization. At the moment, the company has two data centres in Sydney
and Melbourne, vital components of business operations. Instead of adopting a new
infrastructure, the company can use a hybrid architecture to combine these resources with
those of a service provider in order to serve the new location in Victoria. This outcome can be
easily achieved by setting up a simple networking infrastructure in the new branch and also
by equipping the staff with devices that can access the internet. From these devices, the staff

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 3
in the new branches can access the resources owned by the company through online portals
as provided by AWS (Amazon, 2017). Now, note that this integration would lower the cost of
setting up the new branch and would facilitate a simple cloud migration, an endeavour that
would have minimal risks.
c. A hybrid architecture supported by a simple cloud bursting technique would be applied.
A hybrid architecture would capitalise on both the benefits of the on-premise equipment such
as security and privacy, with those of the cloud-based solutions i.e. mobility and flexibility.
Furthermore, a hybrid solution presents minimal risks as few resources would be migrated to
the service provider. In addition to this, the simple cloud bursting technique would facilitate a
holistic outlook in the access of services as two competent and different resource centres
would be used (Nginx, 2015).
Fig: Hybrid architecture using simple cloud bursting
Task 2
Advantages of using SaaS for office automation
SaaS: a popular service model that offers software packages to subscribers through leased
facilities. In this case, Webb Stores would lease office resources such as office packages,

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 4
emails and simple communication tools. These packages would then be accessed using
either browsers or specialised applications, designed to access the service provider’s
resources (AMTP, 2017).
a. Benefits:
• Cost saving – Webb Stores would not acquire the infrastructure needed to support
the office operations such as servers and networking equipment.
• Scalability and upgradeability – the company would also increase or decrease its
resource requirement based on the terms set with the service provider.
• Resilient – the service provider would have several data centres thus assuring the
user of uninterrupted services.
• Accessibility – the leased services would be accessed from any location, and
device, so long as an internet connection is available.
b. Drawbacks
• Webb Store may be faced with integration problems, as some services may have
contradicting standards.
• Security and privacy concerns as the company’s data is stored in foreign
equipment (McLellan, 2013).
c. Name of the service; Microsoft Office 365
i. Arguably one of the best office automation product, Office 365 facilitates most of
Microsoft’s productivity resources such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Moreover, the
cloud based office suite allows users to share, create and edit content through all existing
operating systems i.e. IOS, Android, Mac and Windows itself. Furthermore, all these

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 5
services are offered on a real-time basis and are supported by other complementary
services such as email and video conferencing tools (Vladimirskiy, 2016).
ii. How is Microsoft Office 365 better than any other services?
• Easy collaboration – many people can contribute to the development of a single
document while experiencing live changes.
• Version updates – after acquiring the resource, all other subsequent updates are
given for free.
• Extended features – the service offers multiple features that will always meet the
needs of the users as they have varying preferences
• Strong security features – its supported high-end encryption and data analytics
(PTG, 2016).
iii. Disadvantages
• Users can not access their files when they are in the offline mode (the internet is
compulsory).
• Secondly, the existing service versions may be incompatible with the existing
office resources, therefore compatibility issues.
• Subscription worries more so if the resource is renewed every month (PTG, 2016).
Task 3
i. IaaS migration approach
In this instance, Webb Stores would migrate all computing resources to the cloud, this
would include the fundamental infrastructure such as storage and networking equipment.
Now, having migrated these resources to the cloud, the company would then establish the

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 6
supporting/operating applications (software packages) in order to access the leased
resources. As a result of these operational applications, the organization would have
extended control over their leased resources as compared to a SaaS application that limits
users to front-end operations (Molnar & Schechter, 2006).
ii. PaaS migration approach
PaaS serves as an intermediary service as it’s usually located in the centre of the other
service models. In essence, the model will offer both application and software
development platform to the customers. Through this platform, customers are able to
develop, test and deploy solutions using simple frameworks. Furthermore, with PaaS, the
service provider manages the back-end operations such as the maintenance of OS, servers
and networks while the subscriber uses the applications at the front-end of the resources
(SSH, 2017).
Advantages Disadvantages
IaaS
IaaS offers many pricing options depending
on the resources needed by the user.
Therefore, a user can lease network
resources, storage, and even both.
The subscriber has to maintain and support
front end applications.
Furthermore, with the extended service
options, there are also multiple deployment
options.
Security and privacy issues
Resilient and flexible owing to the number
of resources owned by the service provider.
The users can easily loss control over their
leased resources.
PaaS
It offers a complimentary service that PaaS is still in its maturity stage thus still

WEBB’S STORES AND CLOUD COMPUTING 7
capitalises on both IaaS and SaaS. holds many development issues.
Secondly, it facilitates the customization of
resources through its development
platforms.
Vendor lock-in as very few service
providers offers it in their solution
packages.
A quick and simple model of developing
software applications.
Security issues as resources are also stored
in foreign locations.
(SSH, 2017)
iv. Recommendation
Webb Stores requires a solution that will replicate the data stored in its data centres. At the
moment, this outcome has had many issues which have led to the cloud computing option.
IaaS offers the best option as it provides the necessary resources needed to host the content
stored in the company’s data centres. Moreover, it provides extended control over the
company’s resources, an important feature for accessing the data stored in the virtual storage.
In addition to this, the company does not require any software development options which in
itself eliminates the PaaS model.

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References
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McLellan, C. (2013). SaaS: Pros, cons and leading vendors. ZD Net, Retrieved 27 April,
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