Report: Cloud Infrastructure Analysis for Regional Garden Ltd

This report assesses the potential of cloud computing for Regional Garden Ltd's IT infrastructure, focusing on Infrastructure as a Service (IAAS), Platform as a Service (PAAS), and Software as a Service (SAAS) models. It compares the level of control and management effort required for each service model, considering Regional Garden's existing IT infrastructure, which includes Windows and Linux servers, Active Directory, SQL Server, and Exchange. The report identifies problems with the traditional IT infrastructure and proposes cloud solutions to enhance scalability, reduce costs, and improve system integration. It emphasizes the benefits of cloud adoption, such as cost-effectiveness, full control over the software platform, seamless integration of new systems, and minimal management overhead. The report concludes with suggestions for front-end and controller configurations to optimize the cloud infrastructure for Regional Garden Ltd.

Moving to Cloud Infrastructure

Main concepts of Cloud Computing
A cloud provides a diverse IT environment that is deliberate for the purpose of remotely provisioning scalable and
measured IT resources. Cloud provides a unlimited storage facilities with scalable services.

Infrastructure As A Service(IAAS)
Infrastructure as a service is recommended for highly automated and scalable resources. It also has the ability of
metered, available on demand service and self -provision. IAAS offers cloud services via Dashboard or API that
allows straight access over storage and servers with a higher level of scalability( Dinh, Niyato & Wang, 2013).

Platform As A Service
Cloud provider will gain full access to customer’s data unless cryptography is used Platform as a Service functionality
is slightly lower than SAAS and offers a platform to develop and deploy software. It also provides clients accessibility
over the server software and underlying server hardware that helps them to focus on more in company’s side of
scalability

Comparing Between IAAS, PAAS and
SAAS
IAAS
PAAS
SAAS
Level of Control
Effort to Manage

Regional garden current system
specifications:
• 2 x Active Directory domain controllers on Windows Server 2008 R2,
(2 x Xeon 3.6GHZ, 8GB RAM, 140GB HDD);
3 x SQL Server 2003 database servers on Windows Server 2003 (2 x
Xeon 2.8GHZ, 4GB RAM, 250GB RAID-5 array); 1
1 x Exchange 2007 email server on Windows Server 2008 R2 (2 x Xeon
3.6GHZ, 8GB RAM, 250GB RAID-1 array);
4 x Windows Server 2003 File and Print servers (2 x Xeon 2.8GHZ, 4GB
RAM, 250GB RAID-1 array);
2 x Red Hat Enterprise 5 Linux servers running Apache and TomCat (2
x Xeon 2.8GHZ, 16GB RAM, 140GB HDD).

Required Infrastructure
• While many of the early movers based their solutions on open source
solutions and commodity like x86 systems running open source Xen
and distributions like CentOS, service providers and enterprises have
necessities around both proprietary systems and commodity when
constructing out their clouds(li et al., 2013).

New Regional Gardens infrastructure requirement

Problems of Traditional IT Infrastructure
• Implementing quality EA requires a deep and broad
understanding of EA and its role in the organization.
• Many EAs are too complex and rigid. This prevents
them from accommodating changes necessitated by
changes in business situations.
• EA is a separate practice and requires a practice-
based management. Yet, organizations put people
in charge of EA who are people-focused and not
practice-focused.
Cloud Solution
• Software applications, which can include
productivity suites such as SQL Server, Office,
Exchange email, SharePoint VMware ESX Server,
finance programs such QuickBooks Server or an
organization search program.
• Service areas, which can include functions such
as monitoring, authentication mechanisms and
task schedulers. For example, you can certainly
consider replacing complex in-house services such
as Windows Azure Active Directory and Active
Directory with online services .

Client Infrastructure
Internet
Application
Security
Management
Service
Cloud Runtime
Storage
Infrastructure
Front End
Back End

HOW COULD CLOUD BE BENEFICIAL TO REGIONAL
GARDEN LTD.
• It is more cost effective comparison to in-housing as no leasing of
resources is required only software platform is essential.
• It provides full control over the software platform.
• Integration of new systems is not an issue when using a cloud
collaboration platform.
• Minimal management is necessary to utilize VM as it is the
responsibility of service provider(Xiao.
• Song & Chen, 2013).
• Clients can fully control and run its own virtual infrastructure without
the maintenance and invest in external hardware.

Suggestions for the Frontend and
controller configurations