HTU : Cloud computing

Name: zaid alfazza

1. Examine the model of services in cloud computing (IaaS,

PaaS, SaaS), then determine the suitable model(s) to use

based on the scenario given above.

Cloud Service Models:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

 Description:

Provides virtualized computing resources like VMs, storage, and networking.

Users have control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications.

 Relevance to Scenario:

Suitable for hosting the VMs for employees and the centralized Windows Server with
MS SQL Server.

Offers flexibility to configure the network, allocate storage, and adjust resources as
needed.

Examples: AWS EC2, Microsoft Azure VMs,nutanix .

Platform as a Service (PaaS):

 Description:

Provides a platform for deploying and managing applications without managing the
underlying infrastructure.

Focuses on development and database hosting.

 Relevance to Scenario:
 Suitable for hosting the MS SQL Server and managing the database without worrying
about server maintenance.

Allows seamless database scaling and integration.

 Examples: Microsoft Azure SQL Database, AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL.

Software as a Service (SaaS):

 Description:

Delivers fully managed applications directly to users.

End-users don’t manage infrastructure, platform, or application configurations.

 Relevance to Scenario:

SaaS could be used for collaboration tools like email, CRM, or document management
systems for employee communication and task management.

Not ideal for hosting VMs or database infrastructure, as these require customization.

 Examples: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce.

3. Suitable Model(s) for the Scenario:

IaaS: Primary Model

 Why?

Provides the required flexibility to set up and manage the data center, including:

 Virtual Machines for employees.

 Windows Server hosting MS SQL Server.
 Network configurations for secure data access.

Ideal for companies needing custom configurations for both employee workloads and
central database management.

 Example Service: Microsoft Azure or AWS for creating VMs and hosting the Windows Server.

PaaS: Complementary Model

 Why?

Can simplify the hosting and management of the SQL Server database.

Offloads server maintenance, backups, and scaling, focusing on database operations.

 Example Service: Azure SQL Database or AWS RDS.

SaaS: Optional Supplement

 Why?

Can support the company’s operations through tools like email, file sharing, or CRM for
day-to-day activities.

Not relevant for hosting VMs or the database in this scenario.

 Example Service: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

4. Recommendation:
 Use IaaS for hosting VMs, the Windows Server, and managing the data center infrastructure.
 Use PaaS to simplify SQL Server hosting and database management tasks, reducing overhead
for IT staff.
 Optionally, use SaaS for employee productivity tools, but it is not critical to the data center
operations.

2. Discuss what are data centers, the benifits of data centers

and their Core components

A data center is a facility used to house computing systems and associated

components such as servers, storage devices, and networking equipment. It
serves as the backbone of an organization's IT operations, enabling the storage,
processing, and management of data and applications critical to business
functions. Data centers can range from on-premises facilities to cloud-hosted
infrastructures.

Benefits of Data Centers

Reliability and Uptime

Designed for high availability with redundant systems to ensure minimal downtime.

Ensures business continuity even during hardware failures or disasters.

Scalability

Easy to scale resources like servers, storage, and networking to meet changing business needs.

Centralized Management

Offers a centralized location for IT resources, simplifying management and security.

Performance Optimization

Houses high-performance infrastructure that supports complex workloads and faster processing.

Data Security

Enhanced physical and virtual security measures to protect sensitive data from breaches and attacks.

Cost Efficiency

Centralized infrastructure reduces operational and maintenance costs compared to managing

decentralized resources.

Energy Efficiency

Modern data centers use advanced cooling and power management systems to minimize energy
consumption.

Support for Innovation

Provides a foundation for deploying advanced technologies like AI, big data, and IoT.\

Core components

1. Computing Resources

Servers: Physical or virtual machines that process and execute tasks.

High-Performance Computing (HPC): Systems designed for intensive workloads like simulations
or analytics.

2. Storage Systems

Storage Area Networks (SANs): High-speed networks that connect storage devices to servers.

Network Attached Storage (NAS): Centralized storage accessible over a network.

Cloud Storage: Off-premises storage services for scalability and redundancy.

3. Networking Equipment

Switches: Connect devices within the data center.

Routers: Direct data traffic between the data center and external networks.

Firewalls: Protect the data center from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

4. Power and Cooling

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): Provide backup power during outages.

 Generators: Long-term power solutions in case of prolonged outages.

Cooling Systems: Maintain optimal temperatures to prevent equipment overheating.

5. Physical Infrastructure

Racks and Cabinets: Organize and house servers and networking equipment.

Cabling: Ensures efficient connectivity between components.

3. . Based on your solution in tasks 1 and 2, analyze the

components of data center for the scenario given up, by

explaining the usage of each component

1. Computing Resources
Usage:

Virtual Machines (VMs) are required for the company’s 20 employees across different
departments (Sales, HR, Accounting, and Software Development).

A centralized Windows Server hosts the MS SQL Server to manage the company’s
database.

Purpose:

Provides employees with virtualized environments to perform their tasks securely and
efficiently.

Ensures high availability for database operations critical to the business.

2. Storage Systems
Usage:

A robust(reliable, durable) storage system is necessary to:

Store the company database managed by MS SQL Server.

Maintain employee data, files, and backups for virtual machines.

Purpose

Ensures that all departmental and database files are securely stored and easily
retrievable.
 Enables data integrity and efficient data management, which are critical for accounting
and HR operations.

3. Networking Equipment
Usage:

Switches and routers are required to interconnect VMs, the Windows Server, and
employee systems.

A secure network is needed for employees to access the SQL Server.

Purpose:

Facilitates seamless communication between VMs and the centralized database.

Ensures low-latency, high-speed connections for smooth operations, especially for the
software development team.

4. Power and Cooling

Usage:

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): Provides backup power to ensure uninterrupted

operations.

Cooling systems: Maintains optimal temperatures for servers and networking

equipment.

Purpose:

Prevents downtime due to power outages.

Ensures the hardware functions efficiently without overheating, extending its lifespan.

8. Physical Infrastructure
Usage:

Racks and cabinets to house servers, networking equipment, and storage devices.

Structured cabling to connect all hardware components efficiently.

Purpose:

Organizes hardware to optimize space and airflow.

Ensures secure and manageable hardware deployment.

4. Examine the conditions that must be satisfied when

building data centers.

1. Infrastructure and Design Prerequisites

Racks and Cabinets:

Open Racks provide better visibility and airflow but are less secure.

Cabinets are stable and secure, protecting servers, storage, and networking devices.

Use appropriate containment systems (e.g., ladder racks, basket trays) for optimal cable
management.

Multi-Power Supplies:

Ensure redundant power systems, such as UPS, generators, and dual power paths, for uninterrupted
operations.

Choose the appropriate tier (e.g., Tier III or IV) based on desired uptime:

 Tier III: 99.98% uptime, redundant components, and paths.

 Tier IV: 99.99% uptime, fault-tolerant, ideal for mission-critical operations.

Cooling Systems:

Implement efficient cooling solutions, such as hot aisle containment (HAC) or liquid-cooled racks, to
maintain ideal operating temperatures (18°C to 27°C) and prevent equipment failure.

Fire Suppression Systems:

Use clean agent suppression systems for fire protection at building, room, and rack
levels without damaging sensitive IT equipment.

Cable Management Systems:

Structured cable systems (underfloor or overhead pathways) ensure organized and efficient cabling,
reducing maintenance complexity and improving airflow.

2. Cybersecurity Requirements

Firewalls and Network Security:

Deploy next-generation firewalls (NGFW) and Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to protect network
boundaries and web applications.
Endpoint Protection:

Equip devices with endpoint protection solutions that offer antivirus, encryption, and device control
to secure all access points.

Data Encryption:

Encrypt data at rest and in transit to safeguard sensitive information from breaches.

Access Controls:

Implement layered physical security (perimeter, facility, computer room, and cabinet controls) to
restrict unauthorized access.

3. Core Data Center Components

Servers:

Use rack-mounted servers for scalability and ease of maintenance.

Consider modular or blade servers for higher density and resource efficiency.

Storage Systems:

Deploy SAN (Storage Area Network) or NAS (Network Attached Storage) based on performance needs.

Use RAID configurations for data redundancy and snapshots for fast recovery.

Networking Equipment:

Include switches, routers, and load balancers to handle data traffic efficiently.

Integrate Software-Defined Networking (SDN) for dynamic and programmable control.

4. Scalability and Virtualization

Virtualization:

Use hypervisors (e.g., VMware ESXi, Hyper-V) for server virtualization to maximize hardware
utilization.

Employ containers for lightweight application deployment and portability.

Storage Scalability:

Implement scale-out architectures to maintain performance while increasing capacity.

Use dynamic provisioning methods like thin provisioning for resource optimization.
5. Monitoring and Management
Monitoring Systems:

Use DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) tools to monitor power, temperature, and
system performance.

Regular Maintenance:

Schedule firmware updates, hardware inspections, and battery replacements for power systems.

5. Determine and justify the services that data center should

provide based on the scenario above.

1. Virtualization Services

Service: Host and manage Virtual Machines (VMs) for all employees.

Justification:

VMs allow employees to have isolated, customizable environments for their tasks.

Virtualization maximizes resource utilization, reducing hardware costs and providing flexibility to
adjust resource allocations (e.g., CPU, RAM, storage) per department's needs.

2. Database Management Services

Service: Host and maintain the SQL Server database.

Justification:

Centralized management of company data is essential for storing HR records, sales data, accounting
transactions, and software development information.

Ensures data integrity, consistency, and security while providing reliable access for all departments.

3.Domain Controller and Active Directory Services

Centralized User Management: Active Directory allows centralized management of user accounts,
groups, and permissions. This is crucial for controlling access to resources like databases, file shares,
and internal applications.

Security: With AD, you can implement strong security policies, such as password complexity
requirements, account lockout policies, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Group Policies: AD allows you to deploy and manage security settings and configurations across all
employees’ devices and VMs using Group Policy Objects (GPOs).

6. Based on the given scenario suggest a design for data

center using Nutanix nodes that includes

1. Determine the core and supporting components of

data centers (including the number of elements for
each components).

2. Suggest a structure of components including the

connection establishment (provide a sketch for your
design)
3. Provide a screenshot for foundation process and
provide the IP addresses configuration.
Here it is supposed to sho2 us the nodes but there is none so iam going to fill one manually
4. Suggest the data center room components and design
including power, cooling and safety Parameters.

Power:

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): Provide backup power to the critical equipment like Nutanix
nodes, switches, and storage.

Redundant Power Supplies: Ensure no single point of failure.

Generators: If the data center is large, provide backup generators for long-term power outages.

Cooling:

Rack-mounted Air Conditioning: Ensure cooling for the Nutanix nodes and other critical hardware.

Hot and Cold Aisle Containment: Design the room so that hot air from the racks doesn’t mix with cold
air, ensuring efficiency.

Safety

Fire Suppression System: Install systems or clean agent fire suppression to avoid damaging sensitive
equipment.
Physical Security: Ensure restricted access using biometric authentication or card access systems.

Environmental Monitoring: Sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, and airflow.

7. Explain the concept of virtualization by answering the

following questions:

1. define what is virtualization.

Virtualization is the process of creating a virtual version of something, such as a

server, storage device, network resource, or operating system (OS), rather than a
physical one. This is done using a software layer known as a hypervisor, which
enables multiple virtual instances (called virtual machines or VMs) to run on a single
physical hardware resource.

In a data center, virtualization allows the efficient use of hardware by abstracting the
underlying physical resources and allocating them to virtual environments. This
increases resource utilization, flexibility, and scalability while also simplifying
management.

2. what are the types of virtualizations.

Server Virtualization:

This is the most common form of virtualization, where multiple virtual machines (VMs) run on a single
physical server. Each VM has its own OS and applications, isolated from others.

Example: Hosting multiple web servers, database servers, and application servers on the same
physical hardware.

Storage Virtualization:

Involves pooling together physical storage from different devices so that it appears as a single storage
resource. It simplifies management and improves storage utilization.

Example: Creating a virtual storage pool that combines storage from different disks or storage arrays.

Network Virtualization:

This combines multiple physical network devices into a single, virtual network. It abstracts the
underlying network infrastructure to provide virtual networks to different VMs or applications.

Example: Virtual LANs (VLANs) or software-defined networking (SDN), where the network is
decoupled from physical hardware.

Desktop Virtualization:
Provides virtual desktops to end users, allowing them to access their desktop environments remotely.
This is useful for organizations that want to centralize desktop management.

Example: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), where users' desktops are hosted in the data center
and accessed via thin clients or remote desktop software.

Application Virtualization:

Enables applications to run without being installed on the physical machine. Instead, the application
runs in an isolated virtual environment that can be accessed remotely.

Example: A virtualized application running on a user's computer without being installed directly on
the local machine.

Hardware Virtualization:

The creation of virtual machines that run full operating systems on virtualized hardware. This is
the foundation of virtualization, where the hypervisor creates and manages VMs on the
hardware.

Example: Using a hypervisor (like VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Nutanix AHV) to create
virtual machines on a physical server.

3. what is the deference between virtualization and

containerization.

Feature Virtualization Containerization

Isolation VMs are fully isolated with their VMs are fully isolated with their
own OS. Each VM runs its own own OS. Each VM runs its own
complete OS and application complete OS and application
stack. stack.
Overhead VMs have higher overhead VMs are fully isolated with their
because they require a full OS own OS. Each VM runs its own
instance for each virtual complete OS and application
machine. stack.
Resources utilaztion Virtual machines are more Containers are more
resource-intensive, as each VM lightweight and efficient in
runs a complete operating terms of resource usage, as
system. they share the same OS kernel.
Boot Time VMs take longer to boot since Containers start much faster
the entire operating system because they only need to
needs to be started. launch the application and
dependencies, not an entire OS.
Portability VMs are less portable, as they Containers are highly portable
depend on the underlying and can run consistently across
hypervisor and virtualized different environments (dev,
hardware. test, prod) without
modification.
Management VMs require more complex Containers are easier to
management and resource manage in terms of scaling and
allocation because each VM is deployment, often using tools
like a separate server. like Kubernetes for
orchestration.
Use case VMs are ideal for running full- Containers are best suited for
 fledged operating systems and microservices, lightweight
applications that require applications, or environments
complete isolation. where fast scaling and
portability are needed.

8. Storage Models Used in Traditional Data Centers:

1. Investigate the storage model used in traditional datacenters

listing advantages and disadvantages of each model.

Direct Attached Storage (DAS)

Description: DAS refers to storage that is directly connected to a server or computer,

without the use of a network. Common examples of DAS include internal hard drives
or external drives connected through USB, SATA, or other direct interfaces.

Advantages:

Cost-effective: DAS tends to be cheaper since it doesn’t require complex infrastructure or network
connectivity.

High performance: Since the storage is directly attached to the host system, the access speed is
typically faster.

Simplicity: Easy to deploy, requiring no networking expertise or complex configurations.

Disadvantages:

Limited scalability: Expanding DAS storage can be difficult, especially if the hardware doesn’t support
the required additional storage devices.

Limited access: Only the directly attached server can access the storage, making it difficult to share
data across multiple servers or systems.

Redundancy and backup challenges: Creating redundant storage or backups requires additional
hardware and management, which can be inefficient and costly.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Description: NAS is a storage model that connects storage devices to a network,

allowing multiple users or devices to access the data over the network. NAS devices
typically use standard file-sharing protocols like NFS (Network File System) or SMB
(Server Message Block).

Advantages:

Centralized storage: Allows multiple users or servers to share a single storage resource, which
simplifies data management and backup.
Easy access: Data can be accessed from anywhere on the network, making it convenient for teams to
share files and collaborate.

Scalable: NAS systems can easily be expanded by adding more storage devices.

Disadvantages:

Performance: Network latency can impact performance, especially for high-demand applications.

Single point of failure: If the NAS device fails, it can affect access to all shared data unless redundancy
and failover mechanisms are implemented.

Cost: While cheaper than SAN, NAS devices can still be expensive, especially when factoring in high-
performance systems.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

Description: SAN is a high-performance, dedicated network that provides block-level

storage access to servers. SAN typically uses Fibre Channel or iSCSI protocols and
provides centralized, scalable storage.

Advantages:

High performance: SAN provides block-level access to storage, meaning it can offer high performance
suitable for demanding applications like databases and virtualization.

Scalable: SANs can be scaled easily to accommodate growing storage needs, often with little impact
on performance.

Centralized management: SANs allow for centralized management of storage, which simplifies
administrative tasks and backups.

Disadvantages:

Complexity: SANs require specialized knowledge to deploy and maintain, making them more complex
and expensive than other storage solutions.

Cost: The infrastructure required for SAN (including switches, cables, and storage devices) can be very
expensive.

Dependency on high-speed network: Performance is heavily reliant on the underlying network, and
the network infrastructure must support high throughput (e.g., Fibre Channel).

2. Investigate the RAID technology with examples of most common

techeniques used.

RAID is a technology that combines multiple physical disks into one or more logical
units for data redundancy, performance improvements, or both. Different RAID levels
provide varying balances of redundancy, performance, and storage efficiency.

RAID 0 – Striping
Description: RAID 0 splits data into blocks and spreads them across two or more
disks. There is no redundancy in RAID 0, meaning if one disk fails, all data is lost.

Advantages:

High performance: Because data is split across multiple disks, read and write speeds are enhanced,
providing better performance for I/O-heavy applications.

Efficient storage usage: All disk space is usable because there is no mirroring or parity.

Disadvantages:

No redundancy: RAID 0 offers no fault tolerance, so a single disk failure results in total data loss.

RAID 1 – Mirroring

Description: RAID 1 mirrors data across two or more disks, meaning identical copies
of the data are stored on each disk. If one disk fails, the data is still available on the
other disk(s).

Advantages:

Data redundancy: Provides excellent data protection because each disk contains an identical copy of
the data.

Read performance improvement: Data can be read from multiple disks simultaneously, improving
read performance.

Disadvantages:

Storage inefficiency: RAID 1 requires twice the amount of storage because each piece of data is
duplicated on another disk.

Write performance: Write performance can be slightly reduced due to the need to write data to all
disks in the array.

RAID 5 – Striping with Parity

Description: RAID 5 combines data striping (like RAID 0) and parity, providing data
redundancy. Parity data is distributed across the drives in the array, and if one disk
fails, the data can be rebuilt using the parity information from the remaining disks.

Advantages:

Fault tolerance: RAID 5 can tolerate the failure of one disk without data loss.

Efficient storage usage: Unlike RAID 1, RAID 5 only requires the equivalent of one disk for parity,
making it more space-efficient.

Good performance: Offers a good balance between read/write performance and redundancy.

Disadvantages:
Write performance: Writing data can be slower than RAID 0 or RAID 1 because parity information
must be calculated and written to the disks.

Rebuild time: Rebuilding a RAID 5 array after a disk failure can be time-consuming, and performance
can be degraded during the rebuild process.

RAID 6 – Striping with Double Parity

Description: RAID 6 is similar to RAID 5 but provides an extra layer of protection

with double parity. This means that data can be rebuilt even if two disks fail
simultaneously.

Advantages:

High redundancy: RAID 6 can tolerate the failure of two disks without data loss, providing a higher
level of protection than RAID 5.

Good for large arrays: RAID 6 is ideal for large data sets where the likelihood of multiple disk failures
is higher.

Disadvantages:

Lower write performance: The extra parity calculation and writing process impact write performance.

Storage overhead: Requires two disks for parity, so storage capacity is less efficient than RAID 5.

9. for the given scenario what are the performance

parameters that should be considered.

For the given scenario, where a company is setting up a data center to host virtual
machines (VMs) for employees across various departments (Sales, HR, Accounting,
Software Development), running a SQL Server database, the following performance
parameters should be considered to ensure that the data center runs efficiently and
meets the operational needs of the business:

1. CPU Performance
Processing Power: The performance of virtual machines largely depends on the CPU's speed and
capacity. Since employees across departments (especially Software Development) will be running
resource-intensive applications, ensuring adequate processing power is crucial.

Multi-Core Support: For VM workloads, having a multi-core processor can enhance performance,
especially for parallel processing and concurrent user workloads.

CPU Overcommitment: While virtualization platforms allow overcommitting CPU resources (allocating
more vCPUs than available physical CPUs), this can impact performance, so careful planning is needed
to avoid resource bottlenecks.
2. Memory (RAM)
Memory Size and Allocation: Sufficient memory is critical for the smooth operation of VMs, especially
when dealing with multiple applications and a centralized database like SQL Server. The allocation of
memory should be optimized to prevent swapping and ensure that each VM gets adequate resources.

Memory Overcommitment: Similar to CPU overcommitment, allocating more virtual memory than
physical RAM can degrade performance. Monitoring and adjusting based on usage is essential to
avoid excessive paging or swapping.

Memory Performance (Latency and Bandwidth): Low latency and high memory bandwidth are
important for applications that require fast access to memory. SQL Server, in particular, benefits from
quick data access from memory.

3. Storage Performance
IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second): For SQL Server databases and VMs, high IOPS is
essential for handling frequent read/write operations. VMs, especially those used for development,
can generate substantial disk I/O, which can impact performance if the storage system isn't fast
enough.

Throughput: The bandwidth of storage, often measured in MB/s, is important for data-heavy
applications like databases and file storage. Ensuring high throughput for tasks like backups, data
replication, and database writes is essential.

Storage Latency: The time it takes for data to travel between the storage system and the server can
affect performance, particularly for database operations. Low-latency storage is required for quick
read and write operations.

Redundancy and Reliability: RAID configurations (such as RAID 5 or 10) should be considered for data
redundancy to avoid data loss in case of disk failure, ensuring consistent access to data without
compromising performance.