Unit 1: Cloud services, virtualization and private cloud practice
Cloud Computing Laboratory notes · PTU syllabus (UGCA1942)
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Unit summary
In this lab you work with the cloud directly: you survey cloud companies and classify their services, build a warehouse application with a SaaS tool, create and manage virtual machines, explore the services of a public cloud, and set up a small private cloud with open-source software. Keep a record with screenshots of every step, since the practical file and viva are based on it.
After this unit you can
- Classify cloud providers and their services as SaaS, PaaS or IaaS
- Create a simple warehouse application with a SaaS provider's tools
- Create, clone, migrate and manage virtual machines with VMware Workstation or VirtualBox
- Use public cloud services and set up a private cloud with open-source tools
PTU syllabus topics
- Cloud companies and their SaaS/PaaS/IaaS services
- warehouse application using SaaS tools
- virtualization with VMware Workstation or VirtualBox (creation, migration, cloning and management of VMs)
- exploring public cloud IaaS
- PaaS and SaaS services
- setting up a private cloud using open-source tools (Eucalyptus, OpenStack)
Topic 1
Cloud companies and their services
List the main cloud companies and tag each service under SaaS, PaaS or IaaS.
| Provider | SaaS | PaaS | IaaS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | WorkMail, Chime | Elastic Beanstalk | EC2, S3 |
| Gmail, Google Workspace | App Engine | Compute Engine | |
| Microsoft | Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 | Azure App Service | Azure Virtual Machines |
| Salesforce | Sales Cloud, Service Cloud | Heroku | None |
| IBM | Watson-based applications | Cloud Foundry | IBM Cloud virtual servers |
Exam tip
In the viva, explain the test: if you only log in and use it, it is SaaS; if you upload your code, it is PaaS; if you rent a virtual machine, it is IaaS.
Topic 2
A warehouse application using a SaaS tool
Use a SaaS platform such as Google Sheets with Apps Script or Forms, Zoho Creator or a low-code SaaS tool to build a simple warehouse (stock) application.
- 1Create tables or sheets for Items (code, name, quantity, reorder level), Suppliers and Stock movements (in and out).
- 2Add a form to record stock received and issued.
- 3Use formulas to calculate the current stock: opening quantity plus received minus issued.
- 4Highlight items below the reorder level and share the application with another user with limited access.
Example
Reorder rule: an item has 40 units in stock after receiving 25 and issuing 15 from an opening 30 (30 + 25 − 15 = 40). Its reorder level is 50, so the sheet marks it red and the application shows it in the reorder list.
Topic 3
Virtualization: creating and managing virtual machines
Use VMware Workstation or Oracle VirtualBox with a guest operating system such as Ubuntu.
- 1
Install the virtualization software
VMware Workstation or VirtualBox
- 2
Create a new VM
Choose the OS, CPU cores, RAM and disk size
- 3
Install the guest operating system
Attach the ISO and complete the installation
- 4
Take a snapshot
Save the state so you can roll back
- 5
Clone the VM
Create an exact copy (linked or full clone)
- 6
Migrate or export the VM
Export as OVA or move the files to another host
- Para-virtualization: the guest OS is aware of the hypervisor. Install the guest additions or VMware Tools so that the guest cooperates with the host, improving speed and enabling features such as shared folders and clipboard.
- Management tasks: start, pause, stop, resize memory, add a virtual disk, set the network mode (NAT, bridged, host-only) and delete unused VMs.
Exam tip
A snapshot is a restore point in the same VM; a clone is a separate new VM. Do not mix them up.
Topic 4
Using public cloud services
Create a free-tier account with a provider such as AWS, Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure and set a billing alert first.
- IaaS: launch a virtual machine (for example an EC2 instance), connect to it by SSH, install a web server and open the port in the security group.
- PaaS: deploy a small web application on a platform such as Google App Engine or Azure App Service.
- SaaS: use an office suite or a CRM service and share a document with a team.
- Storage: create a bucket in the storage service, upload a file and set its permissions.
Example
Free-tier discipline: an instance left running for 30 days at 0.50 rupees per hour costs 0.50 × 24 × 30 = 360 rupees. Always stop or delete resources when the experiment is finished.
Topic 5
Setting up a private cloud with open-source tools
Build a small private cloud using OpenStack (or Eucalyptus) on a spare server or in virtual machines.
- 1
Prepare the machines
Linux host with virtualization support and enough RAM
- 2
Install the cloud software
OpenStack through DevStack or packages
- 3
Configure identity, compute, storage and networking
Keystone, Nova, Cinder or Swift, Neutron
- 4
Upload an image
Add an OS image such as Ubuntu
- 5
Launch an instance
Create a flavour, a key pair and start a VM
- 6
Access and manage
Use the dashboard to monitor and stop instances
| OpenStack component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Nova | Compute: creates and runs virtual machines |
| Swift and Cinder | Object storage and block storage |
| Neutron | Networking |
| Keystone | Identity and authentication |
| Glance | Stores virtual machine images |
| Horizon | Web dashboard |
Key terms
- SaaS, PaaS and IaaS
- Software, platform and infrastructure delivered as a service
- Snapshot
- A saved state of a VM used to roll back
- Clone
- An independent copy of a VM
- Guest additions
- Software that lets a guest OS cooperate with the hypervisor
- Private cloud
- A cloud built and used by one organisation
- OpenStack
- An open-source platform for building private and public clouds
- Billing alert
- A warning when cloud spending crosses a limit
Quick revision
- Tag services: use only = SaaS, deploy code = PaaS, rent a VM = IaaS.
- VM workflow: create, install the OS, snapshot, clone, migrate.
- Set billing alerts and delete resources after use.
- OpenStack: Nova compute, Neutron network, Keystone identity, Glance images.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.Give two examples each of SaaS, PaaS and IaaS.
- Q2.What is a snapshot?
- Q3.Difference between a snapshot and a clone.
- Q4.What is OpenStack used for?
- Q5.Why should a billing alert be set on a cloud account?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Describe the steps to create, clone and migrate a virtual machine using VirtualBox or VMware Workstation.
- Q2.Explain how you built a warehouse application using a SaaS tool.
- Q3.Explain the steps to set up a private cloud using OpenStack.
- Q4.Describe the use of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS services on a public cloud.
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