Cloud Computing

December 2023 Examination

Q 1. You are invited by the Government of Djibouti to advise on deployment of cloud for their
e-governance services. The Government is very keen to reduce the total cost of ownership and
increase scalability of its e-governance infrastructure. As such, it is evaluating the use of
cloud and the right choice for the deployment model. You have been asked to provide a brief
report explaining pros and cons of each cloud deployment model for e-governance systems in
Djibouti. (10 Marks)

Ans 1.

Introduction

Cloud deployment models can be classified based on their location and the entity managing the
infrastructure. It works as your virtual computing environment with a choice of deployment
models depending on who controls the infrastructure and how much data you want to store. To
fully leverage the capabilities of a cloud deployment model, it is essential to understand and
pinpoint the type that most effectively aligns with your business needs and objectives. E-
governance, the use of digital tools and systems to deliver public services, is important to
increase transparency, efficiency and citizen engagement. As Djibouti seeks to strengthen its e-
governance infrastructure, cloud computing emerges as a viable solution, offering scalability,
flexibility and potential cost savings.

Concept & Application

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a cloud deployment model. That's why you
should choose a model based on your workload. You can start by assessing your business needs
and considering what type of support your application requires.

• Ease of use: How tech-savvy and trained are your resources? Does your company have the time
and resources needed to upskill them?

• Cost: How much are you willing to spend on a deployment model? How much can you pay
upfront for subscription, maintenance, updates, and more?

• Scalability: What is your current activity state? Does your system often run in high demand?
• Compliance: Are there any specific laws or regulations in your country that may affect
implementation? What are the industry standards you should follow?

• Privacy: Have you set strict privacy rules for the data you collect?

Most cloud hubs contain thousands of servers and storage devices to enable fast loading. It is
often possible to choose a geographic area to keep the data "closer" to the users. Thus,
deployment models for cloud computing are classified based on their location. To know which
model would be best for e-Governance systems in Djibouti we provide a brief report outlining the
pros and cons of each cloud deployment model. The government of Djibouti may consider three
primary cloud deployment models: public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud.

1. Public Cloud: Public deployment models in the cloud are perfect for organizations with
growing and fluctuating demands. It is also an excellent choice for companies with fewer
security concerns. With this model, you pay the cloud service provider for networking
services, compute virtualization, and storage availability over the public Internet. It's also
a great delivery model for development and testing teams. Its quick and easy
configuration and deployment makes it an ideal choice for testing environments.

PROS:

• Cost-Efficiency: Public cloud providers typically offer cost-effective pay-as-you-go

pricing, reducing total cost of ownership.
• Scalability: Easy scalability to accommodate variable workloads and sudden traffic spikes
for e-governance services.
• Minimal infrastructure management: The government does not need to manage physical
infrastructure, allowing the focus to be on service delivery.
• Global reach: Public clouds have data centers around the world, ensuring low-latency
access to citizens and potential disaster recovery benefits.

CONS:
• Security concerns: Data security can be a concern as resources are shared with other
organizations. Strong security measures are needed.
• Limited control: The government has limited control over the underlying infrastructure
and policies, which may be a regulatory concern.
• Potential data sovereignty issues: Sensitive government data may need to be stored
within Djibouti for legal or security reasons, which can be challenging with public cloud
providers.
2. Private Cloud: Businesses looking for cost efficiency and greater control over data and
resources will find a private cloud a more suitable option. Your IT team can either integrate it into
your data center or host it externally. When it comes to customization, private cloud offers larger
and more suitable business opportunities to meet custom business needs. It is also a wise choice
for mission-critical processes whose requirements change frequently.

Pros:

• Enhanced security: Provides greater control over security measures and data protection, which
is critical when handling sensitive government information.

• Customization: tailored to the specific requirements and compliance standards of the

Government of Djibouti.

• Data Sovereignty: Addresses potential data sovereignty concerns by ensuring that government
data remains within Djibouti.

• Performance: Predictable and consistent performance because resources are not shared with
other organizations.

Cons:

• High initial cost: Private cloud infrastructure can be expensive to set up due to the need for
dedicated hardware and software.

• Limited scalability: Scaling can be slow and expensive compared to a public cloud, making it less
flexible.

• Maintenance overhead: Requires more resources and expertise to manage, which can increase
the total cost of ownership.

3. Hybrid Cloud: Hybrid cloud is a type of cloud computing that combines different cloud
models. Each model has its own features and benefits, but they work together as a system. A
hybrid cloud can help businesses meet their specific needs and goals. Additionally, internal or
external providers may offer resources as part of this cloud computing deployment model.

Pros:
• Flexibility: Allows the government to take advantage of the cost-efficiency and scalability of the
public cloud while keeping sensitive data in the private cloud.

• Disaster recovery: Provides built-in redundancy and disaster recovery capabilities.

• Compliance: Enables compliance with regulations that require some data to be stored locally
when using public cloud resources.

Cons:

• Complex management: Requires management of two different environments (public and

private), which can be more complex.

• Potential integration challenges: Integration between public and private cloud components can
be challenging and may require additional effort.

• Cost: Costs may be higher than a pure public cloud model due to maintaining private
infrastructure.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice of cloud deployment model for e-Government services in Djibouti should
be based on a thorough assessment of their specific needs, budget and regulatory constraints. In
many cases, a hybrid cloud model can strike the right balance between cost-efficiency and
security, giving government the benefits of both public and private cloud environments.

Q 2. EZLearn Technologies is a startup being incubated at IIT Powai. It offers K12 e- Tutoring via
cloud. Being a startup, it is unable to afford its own data center. Rather it is evaluating
commercially available technology platforms for cloud computing. Specifically, it is evaluating
(a) whether to opt for IaaS or PaaS, and (b) AWS, GCP or Azure. You are invited to provide a
comparison of these choices and recommend the most suitable combination for them. You may
get more details by visiting the web site of these firms or you can make your own
assumptions. (10 Marks)

Ans 2. Introduction
Cloud computing has revolutionized the way businesses operate, offering scalable, flexible and
cost-effective solutions to meet ever-increasing technological demands. Startups, in particular,
have greatly benefited from this paradigm shift, as it allows them to access high-end computing
resources without the huge upfront costs of setting up their own data centers. EZLearn
Technologies, an emerging startup based at IIT Powai, is at the crossroads of making a crucial
decision regarding its technology infrastructure. As they move into the realm of K12 e-tutoring via
the cloud, the choice between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS),
as well as selecting a cloud provider

Concept & Application

Certainly, I can provide a comparison of the options for EZLearn Technologies whether to choose
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS), and among AWS, GCP and Azure.
Which cloud platform will be best suited for this. His K12 e-tutoring startup is being launched at
IIT Powai.

1. IaaS vs. PaaS:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service):

• With IaaS, EZLearn Technologies will have more control over the infrastructure, including virtual
machines, storage, and networking.

• They will be responsible for managing the operating system, runtime, middleware, and
applications, giving them greater flexibility and customization options.

• This option requires more management and maintenance effort, but it provides more control to
tailor the environment to specific needs.

PaaS (Platform as a Service):

• PaaS abstracts the underlying infrastructure, allowing EZLearn Technologies to focus solely on
developing and deploying its e-tutoring applications.

• It simplifies application management, reduces maintenance overhead, and speeds development

because the underlying infrastructure is managed by the cloud provider.
• PaaS is a more streamlined and developer-friendly option, but it can limit customization
compared to IaaS.

IaaS Pros

IaaS cloud infrastructure provides companies and administrators the highest level of control and
power over software and hardware. Other benefits include:

• Its pay-as-you-go model allows businesses to pay only for the resources they use.

• Organizations have complete control over their infrastructure.

• It can be increased or decreased as per requirement.

• No need to purchase or maintain a physical server.

IaaS Cons

The main drawback of IaaS tools is that you are still "technically" responsible for being secure.
Other than this:

• You need to ensure that your apps and operating system are working properly and providing
utmost security.

• You are in charge of the data – if any of it is lost, it is up to you to recover it.

• Because it offers the greatest amount of control, IaaS tools are also the most useful. IaaS
companies only provide the server and its API, and everything else must be configured on your
side.

PaaS Pros

 Developers use PaaS because it is cost-effective and allows easy collaboration for the entire
team. Consider building an app on your local drive, then trying to deploy it online - this is
difficult or may take too many steps.
 With PaaS, developers build their app directly on the platform, then deploy it immediately.
 Other than this:
 PaaS tools are very easy to use and sign up for.
 Developers can collaborate with other developers on the same app.
 Developers can easily customize and update apps without having to think about software
maintenance on the backend. Just code and go.
 PaaS platforms offer great flexibility and scalability if app adoption and usage increases.

PaaS Cons

The most significant disadvantage of PaaS is that you can only control what is built on the
platform. If there is a fault or problem with the hardware or operating system, the software will
go along with it.

Other shortcomings include:

• You only have control over the code of the app, not the infrastructure behind it. Only small to
medium sized firms should use it.

• PaaS organizations store your data, which can pose a security risk to your app's users.

• PaaS terms of service may limit the customizations you can make

Recommendation: For startups like EZLearn Technologies, a PaaS solution may be a more suitable
option, as it allows them to focus on their core e-tutoring application development without the
burden of managing the underlying infrastructure.

2. AWS, GCP, or Azure:

AWS (Amazon Web Services):

• AWS is known for its extensive global network of data centers and a wide range of services,
including AI and machine learning tools.

• It provides flexibility and scalability to meet growing demands.

• AWS has a strong developer community and extensive documentation.

GCP (Google Cloud Platform):

• GCP is recognized for its data analytics and machine learning capabilities, making it suitable for
e-learning applications.

• It has strong offerings in the areas of AI and data processing.

• GCP is known for its expertise in containerization and Kubernetes.

Azure (Microsoft Azure):

• Azure is suitable for organizations that are already using Microsoft technologies, such as
Windows Server and .NET.

• It offers hybrid cloud solutions, which can be useful for businesses with on-premises systems.

• Azure provides strong support for Windows workloads and a range of integrated Microsoft
services.

Conclusion

Recommendation: Given that EZLearn Technologies is an e-tutoring startup, GCP may be the most
suitable option. Google Cloud Platform's strengths in data analytics, machine learning and its
global reach can support advanced features like personalized learning experiences and predictive
analytics. Additionally, GCP's focus on containers aligns well with modern development practices.

However, EZLearn Technologies needs to consider their specific needs, including technical
expertise, budget, and long-term growth plans, before making a final decision. They should also
explore the resources and support available from each cloud provider and take advantage of any
startup-focused programs or credits to reduce initial costs.

Q 3. The Top Management of Dream Home Estates is meeting to discuss their plan for a New
CRM Solution. Both the CIO, Mr. Unni and the CFO, Mr. Mishra are of the strong opinion that
the company should implement a Custom On-Premise CRM solution to be developed by the
company’s regular IT Partner. On the other hand, both, Mr Das, Head of Sales and Ms Dutt, CFO
are keen to move to a cloud Cloud-based SaaS CRM solution. The debate is getting heated as Ms
Dutt also recalled past IT system implementation failures.
1. What arguments can Mr. Unni make in favor of in-house CRM implementation? (5
Marks)

Ans 3a.

Introduction

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems play a vital role in modern businesses,
streamlining sales, marketing and customer service operations. The decision between an on-
premises CRM solution and a cloud-based SaaS CRM is important, with both options offering
different benefits.

Concept & Application

Mr. Unni, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Dream Home Estates, can present several arguments
in favor of implementing a custom on-premise CRM solution developed by the company's regular
IT partner. Here are some of the key points he could make during the debate:

1. Complete Control and Customization: An in-house CRM solution allows Dream Home Estates to
have complete control over the design, development, and maintenance of the system. This means
that the CRM can be tailored precisely to a company's specific needs, processes and workflow. It
can be tailored to the specific needs of the organization, which may not be completely achievable
with a SaaS solution.

2. Data Security and Compliance: In some industries like real estate, data security and
compliance with regulatory requirements is of utmost importance. By keeping the CRM in-house,
the company can ensure that sensitive customer data is stored securely and that it complies with
industry-specific regulations. This control over data can help build trust with customers and
regulatory bodies.

3. Long-term cost control: While the initial cost of developing a custom CRM may be higher, the
long-term costs to the company may be more predictable. There are no ongoing subscription fees,
and the organization is not dependent on the SaaS vendor's pricing changes. CRM expenses can
be managed as part of a company's IT budget, and the investment can be amortized over time.

4. Integration with existing systems: Dream Home Estates may have existing IT systems and
databases that need to integrate seamlessly with the CRM. Developing a custom on-premises
solution allows for deeper integration and ensures that all systems work together harmoniously.
This can improve integration efficiency and data accuracy.
5. Performance and Scalability: With in-house CRM, the company can customize performance as
per its specific needs. It can invest in hardware and infrastructure upgrades as needed in line with
business growth. This scalability is under the direct control of the company, ensuring that the
CRM can handle increasing data and user load.

6. Less dependency on third party providers: By developing the CRM in-house, Dream Home
Estates reduces its dependency on external vendors. This can reduce the risk associated with
vendor-specific issues, such as downtime or disruptions caused by the cloud service provider.

7. SaaS Implementation Challenges: Mr. Unni could highlight that the previous IT system
implementation failures mentioned by Ms. Dutt may have occurred with SaaS solutions, not
necessarily on-premise. In-house implementation provides greater control, reducing the risk of
issues arising from external factors in the past.

Conclusion

It is important for Mr. Unni to emphasize that the decision should be based on the specific needs
of the organization, budget constraints and long-term goals. While custom on-premises CRM
solutions have their advantages, it is essential to carefully evaluate both options and consider the
potential risks and benefits before making a final decision.

b. What arguments can Mr Das make in favor of a Cloud-based SaaS CRM solution? (5 Marks)

Ans 3b.

Introduction

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are constantly looking for solutions that
provide agility, scalability, and efficiency. Cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) CRM systems
have emerged as a popular option for many organizations, offering many benefits that traditional
on-premises solutions cannot provide.

Concept & Application

Data Security and Disaster Recovery Reputable SaaS providers invest heavily in data security and
have strong disaster recovery measures. This can provide a level of data security and business
continuity that may be challenging to replicate with in-house solutions. Mr Das can highlight the
benefits of handing over data security to experts.

Mr. Das, Head of Sales, Dream Home Estates, can present many compelling arguments in favor of
implementing a cloud-based SaaS CRM solution. Here are some of the key points he may raise
during the debate:

1. Rapid deployment and time-to-market: Cloud-based SaaS CRM solutions can be implemented
much faster than custom on-premises solutions. This means that sales teams can start using the
CRM and benefit from its features immediately, resulting in less time to market and the potential
for immediate improvements in sales processes.

2. Low initial costs: The upfront costs of SaaS CRM solutions are generally low as there is no need
for significant investment in infrastructure, hardware, or software development. This can be
especially beneficial for companies that want to control costs and allocate their budget more
efficiently.

3. Scalability: Cloud-based SaaS solutions are designed to scale easily. As the Dream Home estate
grows or experiences fluctuations in user or data needs, the CRM can adapt to those changes
without requiring significant capital expenditure. This flexibility is important in a dynamic
business environment.

4. Reduction in IT overhead: SaaS CRM solutions are managed and maintained by the service provider,
which means the burden of infrastructure management, software updates, and security patches falls on
them. This allows the IT team to focus on strategic tasks rather than routine maintenance.

5. Enhanced mobility: Sales teams are often on the go, and cloud-based CRM can be accessed from
anywhere with an Internet connection. This mobility empowers sales representatives to access critical
customer information, update records, and collaborate effectively while in the field.

6. Vendor expertise: SaaS CRM providers are experts in their solutions. They constantly innovate, keeping
their software updated with the latest features and best practices. By leveraging their expertise, Dream
Home Estates can benefit from state-of-the-art CRM capabilities without investing in ongoing development.

7. Lower risk of implementation failure: Mr. Das may argue that past IT system implementation failures
should not be attributed solely to cloud or SaaS models. Failures can occur even with on-premise solutions.
SaaS providers often have established processes and support that can help reduce the risk of
implementation issues.

Conclusion

It is important for Mr. Das to emphasize that the decision should be in line with the objectives of the
organization, such as the need for rapid deployment, cost control and scalability. He or she may also suggest
a thorough evaluation of potential SaaS CRM providers to ensure that they meet Dream Home Estates'
specific needs and address past failures by focusing on strong implementation planning and support from
the chosen vendor. Address any concerns.