Cloud Services an’ Virtualization

Virtualization lets several machines or bounded environments share physical hardware. Cloud services offer resources as services over a network, usually with self-service an’ the ability to scale ye can virtualize hardware ye own yerself, an’ a virtualization environment ain’t automatically a cloud.

Here be explainin’ what a VM an’ a container shares with the host, an’ distinguishin’ IaaS, PaaS, an’ SaaS with yer own examples. Ye need not buy a cloud service. Use a VM ye already have access t’, or the given examples in the text.

Place in the knowledge base: This level explains virtualization within a production architecture. [[Operating System Level 3 - The Operating System Kernel|The Operating System Kernel]] explains what a guest operating system has its own version of. [[Production Architecture Level 0 - OS, VM and Containers|The Overview Map]] shows part-whole relationships, technical connections, an’ paths t’ practical tasks.

What Be Virtualization?

Virtualization mean to run several “virtual” ships on same physical vessel. Instead o’ havin’ a separate physical server fer da web server, one fer da database an’ another fer da file server, ye can sail all three as virtual machines upon one an’ same hull.

Da software that makes this possible be called a hypervisor:

What be a virtual machine (VM)?

A VM be a virtual vessel with its own virtual CPU, memory, an’ disk. It runs a guest operating system with its own kernel, while the hypervisor grants access to the physical hardware. Proxmox VE uses Linux an’ KVM to sail these VMs; “direct on the server” does not mean the platform lacks an OS core.

Advantages o’ VMs:

• Isolation - A mishap in one guest OS usually need not sink the other vessels. Yet they share the host, storage, an’ other resources, so shared faults or resource shortages may still affect ‘em all.
• Flexibility - Ye can run different operating systems on the same ship (e.g., Ubuntu an’ Windows Server).
• Snapshot/backup - Ye can take a snapshot of a VM an’ roll back if things go wrong.
• Resource utilization - One physical ship with plenty o’ RAM an’ CPU can carry many VMs.

Whar be containers?

A Linux container run yer application in a isolated environment an share de core o’ da Linux system it runs pon. A virtual machine got its own guest operatin’ system wid its ain kern.

Containers an Virtual Machines owns dat illustrated comparison an shows how several containers can sail inside one single VM. Use it ter explain wha shares da kern, an wha happens if ye shut down da VM. Docker Level 0 then introduces a specific tool fer app containers.

In practice we often use both: VMs as hosts fer Docker containers.

Cloud Services

In a public cloud, a provider owns an’ runs the infrastructure, while ye order resources o’er the network. A private cloud belongs to one ship alone an’ can be run by the crew itself or by a provider. Self-service, shared resource stores, scaling, an’ usin’ measurements are key marks of the cloud.

Service Models

There be three main models fer cloud services:

Delivery Models

Cloud services can be delivered in various ways:

VPS: A Common Cloud Solution

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is one of the most common IaaS solutions. Ye charter a virtual machine from a cloud provider an’ have full command o’er it, just as if ye had yer own server aboard.

Pirate uses fer this bein’:

• Runnin’ a web server
• Settlin’ up a VPN service
• Hostin’ an application (like Flask + database)
• Testin’ things without riskin’ yer own hardware

Examples o’ providers offerin’ virtual servers:

• Akamai (Linode)
• DigitalOcean
• Hetzner
• Microsoft Azure

Local vs. the Heavens

Many a crew uses a mix o’ local servers and cloud services. Here be some factors to weigh anchor on:

Task 1 - Investigate a Virtual Shipmate

Ye shall use a virtual shipmate ye already have access to. If ye be holdin’ the Proxmox treasure chest, follow Naviger i Proxmox VE where ye can spy on the CPU, RAM, an’ disk stores. Should ye wish to forge a new virtual vessel, heed the installation guide. Ye need not burden yer own galley with an extra hypervisor fer this quest.

• How much o’ CPU, RAM, an’ storage be assigned t’ the virtual shipmate?
• What treasures be shared wi’ other virtual vessels upon that physical host deck?
• What calamity might strike if several virtual vessels together demand more memory than the host holds in her holds? Explain without alterin’ the resources.

If no virtual shipmate be at hand, plunder the resource suggestions from the installation guide as a hypothetical tale. Mark yer answer as an explanation of said example, nay as a completed voyage.

Task 2 - Fire up a Container with Docker

Use the Nginx vessel from Run and inspect a container if ye’ve already completed that exercise. If ye be scuttled it, reforge it anew as shown in the container drills. Lacks the power of Docker? Then commence with the installation. Explain which core the vessel sails upon, an’ compare its launchin’ to that o’ a virtual ship. Should ye lack access to Docker, use [[Containerisering Level 1 - Containere og virtueller maskiner|the containerization figures]] to explain the difference without pretendin’ ye have conducted a practical trial.

Task 3 - Which cloud services be usin’ already?

Give a thought to which services ye use in yer day-to-day:

• Microsoft 365 (Word, Teams, OneDrive) is SaaS
• GitHub Pages fer hostin’ a website is PaaS
• A VM on Proxmox shows off virtualization. It ain’t automatically IaaS; it depends on how the resources be offered and managed as a service.

Can ye categorize other services that ye use?

Task 4 - Where be yer data hid, matey?

Head to the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard and spy what Microsoft be keepin’ on ye. Also, check the terms o’ a cloud service ye be usin’:

• Where in the world be the data stored, aye?
• What happens to the data if ye be sendin’ yer account to Davy Jones’ locker?
• Do ye own yer data, or does the provider, savvy?

These questions be especially important considerin’ GDPR and privacy, arr!

Check ye explanation

Explain verbally or in writin’ why a Virtual Machine in ProxMox ain’t automatically a cloud service. Then choose one example each of IaaS, PaaS, an’ SaaS, an’ describe what the customer an’ provider manage in each case. If ye’re just listin’ names, use the service model table to explain how responsibilities are divided among us pirates!

Summary

• Virtualization lets ye run multiple services on the same hardware, be they VMs or containers
• Cloud services offer resources o’er the network with self-service an’ scaling among ‘em
• IaaS, PaaS and SaaS describe how much responsibility ye bear yerself
• In practice many use a hybrid solution with both local an’ cloud-based services
• The choice between local an’ cloud depends upon control, cost, scalability, an’ privacy

Sources: NIST: definition of cloud services an’ Proxmox VE: KVM an’ virtual machines.