Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Antrobus.

Welcome to computing.

I'm so glad you could join our lesson today.

Today we're going to be learning about cloud computing.

Welcome to today's lesson from IT and the world of work.

Today's lesson is called Cloud computing, and by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to recognise the purpose of cloud computing and how cloud computing may or may not be an advantage to business.

During the lesson, we're going to be using these keywords.

Let's go through them now.

Cloud.

Cloud: a network of remote servers that can be accessed using the internet.

Security.

Security: a collection of measures and tools adopted to control and prevent unauthorised access or use of data.

Infrastructure.

Infrastructure: the underlying structure of a computing system.

Today's lesson will be broken down into two sections.

The first section is Assess features of cloud computing.

The second section is Evaluate the security of using the cloud.

Let's get started.

What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is an internet service that provides storage, software, working platforms for individuals and businesses.

You can store files and work on them at any time and from any location, as long as you have a good internet connection.

Okay, let's just check your understanding.

We're going to fill in the blanks of this paragraph.

What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is an, service that provides storage, and working platforms for individuals and, to store files and work on them, and wherever they have a good internet.

Okay, using the five words at the bottom of the screen, connection, internet, business, whenever, and software, fill in the gaps.

Pause the video.

Okay, how did you get on? Let's have a look.

Cloud Computing is an internet service that provides storage, software, and working platforms for individuals and businesses to store files and work on them whenever and wherever they have a good internet connection.

How did you do? Did you get all of the words right? The cloud offers three main functions.

Software as a service, known as SaaS, S-A-A-S, is the best known and most commonly used function.

These software applications can be used via the internet through a browser.

SaaS examples include Google's G Suite and Microsoft's Office 365.

You've probably used those in school.

Infrastructure as a service, IaaS.

IaaS offers storage, networking, accessing, and monitoring of computers.

This service is pay-as-you-use.

Small businesses or startups may choose IaaS rather than purchasing the hardware to set up an infrastructure in order to reduce costs.

Can you imagine, a small business who's just starting out wouldn't be able to afford all the IT infrastructure that is needed, so this is more of a cost-effective way.

Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure are examples of IaaS.

Platform as a service, PaaS.

PaaS is similar to SaaS, but PASS provides a structure for the development of software that meets the specific needs of a business.

PaaS contains software components for businesses to use in designing and creating the applications they need.

Examples include Google App Engine and Windows Azure.

What does IaaS, infrastructure as a service, provide to users? A, ready-made software like email or word processors; B, a platform to build and run applications; C, virtual hardware like servers, storage, and networks; or D, only internet access and technical support? Pause the video and think about the answer.

How did you get on? Which answer did you select? C is the correct answer.

Virtual hardware like servers storage, and networks.

Remember, infrastructure as a service is to do with storage, networks, and servers.

Cloud computing offers many positive features.

Let's take a closer look at them together.

Accessibility.

Wherever there is a device and an internet connection, a user is able to access their files and work on them at any time.

That's any place all over the world.

Cloud storage.

Files are stored on remote servers.

When you want to access the file or media, it is downloaded or streamed to your device.

Files or media can also be uploaded to the cloud for storage, useful for backups.

Think about the devices that you use and the cloud storage you have available to you.

Files or media can be synchronised on more than one device so that each device has the same content.

The amount of storage can be increased or decreased as needed.

It's scalable.

You might be familiar with some of these features because you might use services for film streaming, video streaming, or music streaming, which again use the same kind of features.

Cost-effectiveness.

Businesses can provide a network for their employees to use without the outlay for hardware, software, and maintenance costs.

This is a more cost-effective way for a business to run.

Security.

The cloud has many security features that means the storage of information and data can be managed effectively.

Scalability.

As the business grows or shrinks, it is able to increase or decrease the capacity of the cloud service it uses without having to increase or decrease its physical infrastructure.

This is another cost-effective feature.

On-demand self-service.

Individuals or businesses are able to access the functions or features they need as and when they need to via the internet.

Despite these advantages, features of cloud computing do have some drawbacks.

Drawbacks of cloud computing.

Device considerations.

There are many different devices that can be used to access cloud services, and the functionality of each device will have an impact on the quality of service.

Decisions need to be made about screen size, how portable the device is, what processing power is needed, the amount of data a device can hold, connectivity speed, and what operating system the device uses.

As well as decisions around device considerations, there are further drawbacks of cloud computing.

You need to have an internet connection to be able to access any cloud service.

Software features may not be compatible.

For example, a document created using Microsoft Word may lose some features when it's uploaded into Google Drive and opened with Google Docs.

Features available on a laptop may not work as well on a mobile device, making the user experience a negative one.

A mobile device may have less processing power and RAM, which creates difficulty when moving between devices to work on a task.

Okay, let's have a look at Task A.

Look at the following statements and assess whether they are advantages or disadvantages of cloud computing.

Internet cannot be accessed if a steady internet connection is not available.

You don't have control of where or how your data is stored.

With a good internet connection, files can be accessed anytime, anyplace.

Additional storage can be expensive.

The cloud provider manages the data and its security.

Okay, pause the video and think about the statements and decide whether they are an advantage or a disadvantage.

How did you get on with that task? Let's look at the answers together.

Data cannot be accessed if a steady internet connection is not available.

That's a disadvantage.

You can all probably think of a time when you've been unable to access the internet and understand how frustrating that is.

You don't have control of where or how your data is stored.

That is also a disadvantage, because you give that control to your provider once you upload your data.

Number three, with a good internet connection, files can be accessed anytime, anyplace.

Of course, that's an advantage, and one of the main advantages of cloud computing.

Four.

Additional storage can be expensive.

Again, that is a disadvantage.

Businesses and individuals have to pay for the cloud computing and the cloud storage that they use.

The cloud provider manages the data and its security.

That's an advantage.

It gives the provider the responsibility of securing your data and gives the user and the business peace of mind.

Okay, the next part of Task A.

Explain four key features of cloud computing and give one real-world example of how each feature can benefit an organisation.

Pause the video and have a go at completing the task.

Okay, how did you get on? Let's have a look at some examples.

Scalability.

Cloud computing allows an organisation to scale their resources up or down based on demand.

For example, an online retailer can automatically handle increased website traffic during holiday sales without needing to invest in more servers.

Cost-effectiveness.

Organisations only pay for what they use, which reduces the need for expensive upfront hardware.

For example, a new company can use cloud storage without buying its own servers, saving money for other priorities.

How did you get on? Did you choose similar features and similar world examples? Let's have a look at two more examples.

Accessibility.

Cloud services can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

Remote workers can access company files using cloud storage, enabling flexible working arrangements.

Security.

Cloud providers often have advanced security systems in place to protect data.

For example, a healthcare company can store patient records in the cloud with an encryption and access control, helping to meet data protection regulations.

Okay, you're doing really great so far in this lesson, and it's now time to move on to the second section of the lesson, Evaluate the security of using the cloud.

Security and cloud computing.

Cloud computing is thought to be more secure than if a company hosts their own data on the premises.

This is because cloud computing companies offer services such as automatic updates, encryption, and disaster recovery.

Let's just check your understanding.

Cloud computing is generally thought to be more secure than storing data on site.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and think about the question.

Okay, what did you put? If you put true, that would be correct.

And why is this? Cloud computing companies offer services such as automatic updates, encryption, and backup and disaster recovery, which ensures data is secure at all times.

Automatic updates.

Let's find out what they are.

Cloud-based services often have automatic software updates so individual companies don't need to complete time-consuming, inconvenient software updates manually.

These updates will ensure that security features are up to date, which means their data is protected.

Let's look at encrypting data.

You've probably heard of the word encryption before.

Cloud computing providers encrypt data so it is transferred and stored in an unreadable format.

If data gets into the wrong hands, for example, through a cybersecurity incident, like being hacked, the data cannot be read without a key.

Backup and disaster recovery.

Cloud computing companies offer backup and disaster recovery services.

If a company had a fire and data was stored on the premises, this may not be recoverable.

If the company used cloud computing, the data would be backed up and able to be restored.

Misconfigurations.

If a computer system isn't set up correctly, it may mean that the system is vulnerable to attacks.

Unauthorised access.

Access to the system, servers, or data from unauthorised sources could be catastrophic for an organisation.

Access could be gained in many ways, including hacking, phishing, or even somebody using someone else's login credentials.

Credentials is just another word for password and username.

Data breaches.

A data breach occurs when somebody who shouldn't have access to a company's data is given or gains access.

This could be a result of an external threat such as a cyber attack, or an insider threat carried out by someone in the organisation.

Insider threats.

Insider threats are carried out by people who are given access to a computer system, either in error or as part of their role.

It could be accidental.

For example, someone could make a mistake and accidentally delete data.

It could be intentional.

For example, someone could have a grievance with the organisation and sabotage the system.

Okay, let's check your understanding.

Insider threats are always intentional.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and consider that point for a moment.

Okay, what do you think, true or false? The answer is actually false.

Why is that? Insider threats can be intentional.

However, they can also be accidental, for example, an employee deleting data by mistake.

Okay, let's consider the next point, educating employees.

Educating employees can reduce mistakes and ensure that people are aware of the security measures that can be taken to keep the organisation and its data safe.

Also, setting privilege levels.

Privilege levels determine what specific groups of people within an organisation can or cannot access.

Restricting what people can access limits the potential damage that can be caused at each level.

For example, a network manager might need to access all files, all accounts on all computers, whereas somebody who's working in the accounts team only needs to access accounts details, doesn't need to have access to the whole system.

Okay, you're doing really well so far.

Let's have a look at Task B, evaluating cloud computing.

Firstly, you're going to read the two scenarios.

Then we're going to evaluate which business is using cloud computing most securely, and finally, you're going to explain your answer.

Okay, let's have a look at the scenarios together.

Scenario 1.

A small home-based business collects items to be ironed and then returns their ironed articles to the clients.

The business has a small home office with one desktop computer that's connected to the internet.

Cloud computing is used to store the details of current and new clients, which includes name, address, and collection and drop-off days and times.

Scenario 1 continued.

There are three drivers who carry out the collection and delivery service.

They each have a small tablet to track when and where their collections and deliveries take place, and they use a shared calendar that links to the clients' details.

They also use personal mobile devices to contact clients if they are not at home to take in a delivery.

Although all employees have been trained in the use of secure passwords to protect the data held by the organisation, one of the drivers has trouble remembering hers and frequently leaves herself logged into the business account.

The organisation is situated in a rural community that has infrequent internet access and slow broadband speeds.

Okay, so there was quite a lot to take in there, so if you need to, go back on the video and read through the scenario again.

Let's now move on to Scenario 2.

Scenario 2.

This company is a growing web solutions organisation that provides services such as web design and cloud-based solutions, payment solutions, graphic design, and printing.

They have a number of office-based staff that arrange the management of the organisation, some in-house employees who deal with clients directly, some who work flexible hours and have been provided with laptops, and some freelance workers who mainly do graphic design work.

Scenario 2 continued.

The organisation uses cloud computing as a means of communication and collaboration between staff and clients, while sensitive data, for example, personal data and banking details, is stored locally on well-secured servers.

Access to this data is limited to those who need to use it, and there are different levels of access.

Collaboration channels also have restrictions on those who are allowed to edit or view solutions to client requests.

Okay.

Again, if you need to read over Scenario 2, go back on the video, but pause the video now and have a go at the task.

Okay, how did you get on? Let's review the solution together.

So, the evaluation that Lucas provided was: "Scenario 2 makes the best use of cloud computing because security has been put in place to ensure that the clients' data is kept safe.

It also allows stakeholders to collaborate, which facilitates flexible working, and security levels have been applied so that only the people who are meant to be working on a document can edit it." Okay, so you can see how Lucas there has evaluated cloud computing security, he's talked about stakeholders and their ability to collaborate, and he also talks about flexible working and security levels that have been applied.

So how does Lucas' evaluation compare to your own? Do you feel like you've included enough information and enough detail? I'm sure you have.

Well done for having a go.

We have come to the end of today's lesson, and you have done a fantastic job, so well done.

Let's summarise what we've learned.

Cloud computing offers data storage, the ability to collaborate, and backup and disaster recovery.

SaaS, software as a service, allows users to access applications via the web.

Cloud computing offers accessibility, as it allows users to access services from anywhere with an internet connection on a range of devices.

Well done for completing today's lesson, and I look forward to seeing you next time.