Cloud Networking Uses and Challenges

Name: Cloud Networking Uses and Challenges
Author: Bernie Kuan

Learn about the current and potential uses of cloud computing types and services

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Course: On-Demand

The power of cloud networking lies in its scale. Cloud networking enables users to utilize large quantities of shared resources that can be physically anywhere in the world. This capability is enabled by the software defined network that generates an abstraction layer between the user and the physical resources across different data centers. Let's take a deeper look into how this works. Traditional networks typically won't support sharing of infrastructure resources. Hardware is often configured for specific uses to reduce management complexities. This also reduces the likelihood that one service disrupts another. A set of data servers may be allocated to host an organization's website. If the website causes a problem with those servers or requires them to restart, that problem won't affect another service. It'll protect the organization's accounting and billing platform. But allocating resources for specific use has its downside. If an organization's website uses only 50% of the resources from its allocated servers, it continues to pay for unused resources. Or if the website outgrows resources allocated, bill buy or move resources which may interrupt other services. Both options mean effort and expense. Cloud networking technology solves this problem. It separates the physical allocation of resources from the applications and services that require them. Instead, a software defined network or SDN helps with the logical mapping of applications, as well as services to physical resources across a variety of different physical hardware devices. With an SDN, software logic and algorithms replace physical cables and wires. This lets you efficiently allocate resources for different purposes. Virtualized resources are independent of hardware. The SDN optimizes resources. That means applications and services can share resources at a lower cost. A network administrator allocates resources with decreased security burden. With the help of SDN's resource optimization can be done automatically. A network administrator configures the virtual resources as if programming software through an API to directly manipulate hardware behavior. SDN's open up a tremendous amount of flexibility that enables connectivity at scale. Connecting many network devices at scale, organizations want expenses to remain low. That way, they aren't losing value as they expand. Cloud networking helps reduce costs by optimizing infrastructure resources so a provider gets the highest return on investment for their hardware. This efficiency passes to internal and external customers. Connectivity only scales effectively if performance remains stable with increasing traffic and complexity. Network usability involves how long it takes for data to be transmitted through the network. Between a user's client device, the target servers at the data centers, and all servers that need to be communicated with to complete the user's request. There are two main ways to reduce the distance data travels across networks. One is to reduce the number of interactions in data exchange needed between a user client and the servers. There's also the option to reduce the physical distance between the user client device and other servers. There are many different types of data transmission protocols used for networking. A common data transmission protocol, such as TCP or IP, requires a user client to first receive and send a handshake. It gets acknowledged between the client and target server before data is transmitted. On the other hand, a UDP connection doesn't require that exchange, which makes a UDP protocol faster and lower cost for the performance. Over the past decades, the cloud networking industry has continued to find ways to increase the performance efficiency of data traveling through a network. One example of this is shortening the number of required data exchanges for a TCP connection and doing so without compromising security. The reduction of physical distance affects performance. One example is high frequency trading. Services at trade through algorithms often set up their servers close to the stock exchange server. This gives them an advantage in network performance. For average internet users around the world, the networking industry has developed content delivery networks, or CDNs. CDNs reduce the distance between a user's client device and their data. A CDN is a network of servers and data centers distributed to be closer to specific regions. The CDN server nodes replicate and store data for users in the region that it covers. The user can communicate with a closer server device for improved results. For example, the user in Los Angeles may be searching for a webpage that is hosted in New York. Normally, data must be exchanged across the internet from coast to coast. If there's a CDN node in San Francisco with a copy of that webpage, the user's client will interact with that CDN node. It's physically closer and more efficient to connect to. Using a CDN to store content is especially impactful today. The large scale of data means users expect immediate delivery to their screens. By connecting to a geographically closer CDN, the user sees faster latency, which reduces the time needed for connectivity.

Advanced Provider : Bernie Kuan 3 Lessons · 11m in English

Course Description

The technology advancements in cloud networking have allowed both individuals and organizations to take advantage of opportunities that were not possible through traditional networking. Cloud networks have made possible the communication of devices at not only large volumes, but also large physical distances across the globe. These possibilities are supported by software and infrastructure components that enable network connectivity at scale, despite various challenges.

In these lessons, we’ll look at how software-defined networks enable more efficient management of cloud network resources. We’ll look at how cloud networks leverage infrastructure to meet the resource utilization demands of the devices on its network in a sustainable way, such as through the reduction of infrastructure cost and improving data exchange times. We’ll explore opportunities created by cloud networks for end users in terms of data access, compute, storage, and improved user interactions experiences across the network. We’ll also look at the complexities involved within cloud networking technologies and the industry in general.

What You'll Learn

Understand how cloud networks scale and the benefits that come with scalability
Explain how software-defined networks enable more efficient management of cloud network resources
Describe the opportunities cloud networks create in data access, compute, storage, and user interactive experiences
Identify how cloud networks leverage infrastructure to reduce cost and improve data exchange times
Describe the challenges involved in using and scaling cloud networks

Key Takeaways

Cloud networking enables communication of devices at large volumes and across large physical distances, supported by software and infrastructure components that provide connectivity at scale.
Software-defined networks allow more efficient management of cloud network resources.
Cloud networks leverage infrastructure to meet device resource demands sustainably, such as by reducing infrastructure cost and improving data exchange times.
Cloud networks create opportunities for end users in data access, compute, storage, and improved user interaction experiences.
Using and scaling cloud networking technologies involves complexities and challenges across the industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

It covers how cloud networks provide connectivity at scale, the opportunities they create in data access, compute, storage, and user interactions, and the challenges involved in using and scaling them. Lessons include Cloud Networking: Connectivity at Scale, Opportunities Created With Cloud Networking, and Challenges in Cloud Networking.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud-Native Infrastructure, Network Infrastructure, Network Virtualization, Software Defined Networking (SDN), and Software-Defined Data Center.

How is the course structured?

The course is organized into three lessons: Cloud Networking: Connectivity at Scale, Opportunities Created With Cloud Networking, and Challenges in Cloud Networking.

What will I be able to do after completing this course?

You will be able to understand how cloud networks scale and the benefits of scalability, explain the opportunities cloud networks create in data access, compute, storage, and user interactive experiences, and describe the challenges in using and scaling cloud networks.