Cloud Architecture Selection

This particular report emphasizes over a specific organization “SoftArc Engineering” that operates between countries such as Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea. This particular organization aimed about closing their data centers located at Brisbane for moving them to Sydney; instead of replacing their previously developed infrastructure (Assunçao et al., 2015). The organization planned about moving Web services to cloud for increasing data availability and flexibility. This paper demonstrates employable cloud architecture for SoftArc Engineering for identifying risks in hybrid cloud implementation (Botta et al., 2014). The recommendations are provided to assess adoption of hybrid cloud along with determining requirements for resource, SLA management, and server administration.

As per provided case study of SoftArc Engineering, SaaS (Software as a service) cloud architecture is chosen as applicable that should be employed to meet board strategy.

SaaS is a particular model that is defined to be incorporation of software licensing and delivery model for central hosting. Primary reason for selecting SaaS in SoftArc Engineering is that this model requires less time to deploy (Avram, 2014). SaaS model can manage several software interfaces as per organization requirements. Moreover, the software upgrade can incorporate appropriate customization so that software can be easily maintained. SaaS model is more scalable and flexible than other models in practice.   

SaaS deployment benefits are determined along with issues so that proper discussion can be portrayed for SoftArc Engineering organization (Almorsy, Grundy & Muller, 2016). Benefits are mentioned as underneath:

1. SaaS model is scalable and flexible as it can scale up and down the architecture as per customer requirements.
2. SaaS cloud model can incorporate software upgrade along with appropriate customization so that software can be easily maintained.
3. SaaS model provide easier access for users with proper connection between all departments.   

However, along with these benefits, SaaS architecture includes some issues such as following:

1. SoftArc Engineering can face some security issues as in information privacy issues.
2. SaaS architecture is accessed through browser and from connected network; that is why, this model’s performance is dependent over application performance. SaaS model has limited performance coefficient that cloud model that runs on local machine.   

For Hybrid Cloud strategy, several risks and controlling measures are identified that can provide significant challenge for SoftArc Engineering organization. Following risks and controlling measures are identified;

Risks	Controlling Measures
In Hybrid Cloud architecture, applications running in specific data center can face lack of redundant data for operations requirements.	Implementation of redundant data storage and backup inventory for information can resolve this particular issue.
Private and public cloud both at the same time requires data authentication, authorization, and identity management.	Hybrid cloud implementation requires two separate options providing synchronized data, helping to provide single secure system for the model.
Hybrid cloud architecture suffers from poor quality compliance. Major analysts had provided their view that compliance demonstration is more difficult for Hybrid cloud model.	Hybrid cloud model should meet proper organizational, business, and industry standards to provide protection to sensitive data and security to private information.

Table 1: Risks and Solutions for Hybrid Cloud Architecture

(Source: Botta et al., 2016, pp. 696)

Generic security steps are considered as following in aspects of recommending concerned board in SoftArc Engineering (Kern, 2014). Steps are included as following:

1. Effective Security Risk Assessment is required to resolve most of the security issues in Hybrid cloud model. Proper risk assessment can lead to mitigate the risks with maintaining risk logs, register, and response planning. Prevention of risk impacts is essential so that Hybrid cloud model should not be able to hamper SoftArc Engineering organizations’ data availability and flexibility.
2. Security management is necessary for replication of control for private and public cloud access (Dinh et al., 2013). Both for in-house and cloud data storage, appropriate security management activities are required to conduct security risk issues’ mitigation.
3. Data redundancy should be maintained with several data centers, data warehouses for resolving issues due to lack of redundant data centers. This risk mitigation step can mitigate significant challenges of Hybrid cloud model.

For adopting Hybrid cloud approach, some recommendations are provided in this particular section. Moreover, the recommendations will be helpful for certain aspects such as resilience application, backup, and disaster recovery.

Disaster Recovery: In this Hybrid cloud architecture implementation, disaster recovery is major recommendations to be addressed. In this case, disaster recovery can easily and quickly recover sensitive, private, and in-house data and information without loss. With help of Web services infrastructure in SoftArc Engineering, the organization will face it impossible to recover data that is lost due to disasters. Furthermore, the hybrid data application can easily recover individual information regardless of disaster or certain issues.     

Application of Resilience: Application of resilience can resume normal activities in Hybrid cloud architecture after certain occurrence of errors. In Web service, this feature is not included; and SoftArc Engineering organization should incorporate resilience application to perform to the fullest.

Backup: For Hybrid cloud architecture, data backup is determined as major advantage for any organization. Moreover, data backup can be prepared regardless of deletion, modification, and update of data instantaneously. Therefore, Hybrid cloud can provide advantageous option of data backup maintenance.    

Architecture Description

Requirements of SoftArc Engineering are identified in terms of PaaS and IaaS model instances; that included following requirements.

 Remote Server administration: Requirements that are needed to conduct remote server administration, so that analysis of system can per performed. Understanding system and appropriate administration is required for setting up remote server and with easier maintenance schedule (Ercolani, 2013). Moreover, the tools of remote server administration can be assisted for feature and roles management.

Resource management: Requirement of organization need are considered for managing several resources and in terms of PaaS and IaaS architecture. Proper data availability, optimization of time, effort, money, and changes of project should be considered in resource management activities (Sanaei et al., 2014). Moreover, the PaaS and IaaS use faster access to information, simpler usage of experience and current information to SoftArc Engineering organization.

SLA Management: Organization requires to consider conducting service level agreement with conducting identification of responsibilities of customer, service providers, and other policies. The SLA is managed for customer reporting, service description with QoS commitments. The SLA is generally analyzed for conducting management with organization providing alignment (Oliveira et al., 2014). IT investments are required for business goals so that improvement is required for revenues and profits as well.  

For properly migrate to new system with new operational process, steps are discussed along with critical points consideration in step occurrence.  

Steps that are effective for migrating to SharePoint services and SQL server to AWS cloud includes following:

Appropriate planning: Appropriate planning is necessary for migration of SharePoint and SQL server to the AWS cloud. The migration defines scope for the project along with stipulated timeline consideration (Lian et al., 2014). Moreover, the resources should be considered along with timeline against each activity.

Creation of architecture plan: The information architecture plan is required for creation of certain appropriate features such as customization, making proper permission. The architecture plan should include hierarchical LOB applications along with stakeholders.

Customization understanding and integration: Integration along with other system along with customization plan is essential for playing role of plan migration (Sultan, 2014). These two are major applicable approaches for requiring time and budget in the project.

Creation of migration testing plan: Testing plan for migratory aspects are required to consider variables such as custom mode, customized list templates, site templates, and web layouts for feature mapping (Tao et al., 2014). The migration plan template includes testing cases so that migration activity can be easily evaluated.

Content migration: Content should be migrated along with SharePoint and targeting the source in this migration context. Moreover, the migration is analyzed for putting outcomes, inputs, analysis, and planning activities so that migration phase can be executed.

Microsoft database update approach: Microsoft databases should be allowed for taking updates in the new SharePoint to support new environment for operations and controls.

Migration along with third-party products: Migration can be performed with third party products for considering the migrating content at basic level (Toosi et al., 2014). Migration approaches can investigate the possibility of utilizing third-party products to SQL server and SharePoint migration.

Deployment Benefits and Issues

Verification of migration: Verification of migration activity is required for new environment content identification and clarifications.          

Critical points are included for explanation of the step occurrence in the project, the points are considered as following:

Migration planning: Appropriate plan is essential for movement of SharePoint and SQL server to the AWS cloud. The relocation characterizes scope for the venture alongside stipulated timetable thought. In addition, the assets ought to be considered alongside course of events against every movement.

Making of design plan: The data engineering arrangement is required for production of certain fitting components, for example, customization, making appropriate consent. The engineering arrangement ought to incorporate various leveled LOB applications alongside partners.

Customization comprehension and incorporation: Integration alongside other framework alongside customization plan is fundamental for assuming part of plan relocation. These two are major material methodologies for requiring time and spending plan in the venture.

Making of relocation testing arrangement: Testing arrangement for transitory viewpoints are required to consider factors, for example, custom mode, altered rundown formats, webpage layouts, and web designs for highlight mapping. The movement arrange layout incorporates testing cases so that relocation action can be effectively assessed.

Content movement: Content ought to be relocated alongside SharePoint and focusing on the source in this movement setting. Additionally, the movement is dissected for putting results, data sources, investigation, and arranging exercises with the goal that relocation stage can be executed.

Database update approach: Microsoft databases ought to be took into account taking updates in the new SharePoint to bolster new condition for operations and controls.

Conclusion 

After all discussion about cloud system implementation and model incorporation, the points can conclude that implementation of SaaS model in SoftArc Engineering. Because of the appropriation of cloud architecture, the organization can close the server datacenter of Brisbane rather supplanting the older framework. It helps in improving both adaptability and also accessibility of information inside the organization. It is dissected that cloud architecture likewise has a few difficulties which must be settled legitimately so that the organization can be effectively accomplish its objectives and goals.

References  

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