What Is Cloud Computing Architecture: Front End vs. Back End? 

Clouds are everywhere, and it influences everyday life! Whether you’re reading emails, using social media, shopping apps, or doing banking transactions, the cloud is playing its part in all of these, in some form or another, in the cloud architecture. Approximately one-half of the US Govt. agencies are using cloud, and 60% of American IT decision-makers trust that the cloud is safe. So what is cloud computing and how does cloud computing architecture work? To learn all about the architecture of cloud computing, check out this blog.

Cloud Computing: What is it?

Cloud Computing is on-demand access to computer resources. In simpler terms, cloud computing refers to the idea of using a network of remote servers on the Internet to accumulate, manage, and route data. Any service that uses computing is cloud computing. In the modern cloud architecture, these cloud computing services may include storage, server, database, software, networking, intelligence, and analytics. When we say on-demand accessibility, it nurtures the idea of only paying for the services you are using.

The many advantages of cloud computing—from reduced capital costs to on-demand self-service and global scalability to optimized performance, security, productivity, and reliability—are proving to be attractive to businesses. Let’s get to know the fundamental aspects of cloud computing using a diagram.

Cloud computing offers three tiers of connectivity that connect the cloud, network devices such as routers and switches, and end–users– all under a single cloud umbrella. 

The cloud is a collection of resources such as virtual desktops, software platforms, servers, applications, and storage. They operate data using routers and switches.

And the end-user can access the information from any device.

What Are the Broad Divisions of Cloud Computing Architecture? 

Cloud computing architecture has 2 basic components, namely, frontend and backend. In such architecture, the backend acts as a server and interacts with the front end through a network or via the Internet. In a cloud computing architecture, the client-side or frontend is easily seen by the end-user. The queries are sent from the frontend to the backend through the middleware. 

The backend safeguards the data and reacts to the queries presented by the frontend. The rest of the cloud computing architecture is the backend, as depicted below.

In a business setting, finding suitable software & hardware components that create the whole cloud environment is important. The hardware can be bought as standard hardware & software can be selected according to the requirements/budget of the business. Cloud development services are specialized services that provide to the leading cloud service providers, the complete package of paired hardware & software.

Choosing a cloud software architecture for your company is one of the most crucial business decisions to make if you’re planning to migrate to the Cloud. The wrong way to build your cloud computing architecture – in front of the cloud, back of the cloud, or anywhere in between – can take you down the cost-effective zero-scalability rabbit hole. A suitable cloud computing architecture allows you to take care of all the software & hardware components.

What Are the Components of Cloud Computing Architecture? 

The basic elements of the architecture of cloud computing are:

• Front-end platform
• Back-end platform
• Cloud-based delivery

Besides the front-end and back-end platforms, cloud-based delivery allows transmitting information via various cloud infrastructures such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

What Does Front End Cloud Architecture Mean?

The front end infrastructure includes everything that the end-user interacts with. It’s the overall integration of a number of sub-components that provide the user interface. It is also a key element in the end-user’s interaction with the cloud computing infrastructure. Front-end cloud infrastructure consists of local networks, web browsers, and Web applications.

Below are the key cloud components of the front end:

• User Interface: This is everything that the end user has access to in order to send requests or do anything on the Cloud. Google Doc, Gmail are some of the popular user interfaces that are available in the cloud.

• Software: Software Architecture of the front end is the software which runs on the user’s end within the cloud architecture. Front-end software architecture consists mainly of client (browser) based applications.

• Client Device or Network: A key component of the front-end architecture, Client Device or Network is the user’s hardware. Any input device / PC. In cloud computing, the client-side device doesn’t need to be particularly able to process the heavy load. The cloud can take the entire heavy load and processes the same.

Back End Cloud Architecture – What is it?

The cloud backend architecture supports the frontend architecture. It comprises hardware & storage, and they are located on a remote server. This is a backend cloud architecture that’s managed and controlled by the cloud service provider.

Always, no matter what, the ideal backend cloud architecture should be robust as it carries the entire infrastructure on its cloud. The ultimate back-end cloud architecture components are:

• Application: The Application is the significant portion of the back-end design. The front side of the application that the backend provides to the end-user to send queries to. This part of the backend handles the client’s requests and needs, albeit with the help of a cloud application development services company. 

• Service: magic space of the backend cloud architecture. It provides utility for the whole cloud back-end architecture. The service performs all the tasks of the cloud computing system. Cloud services are available, such as application development environments, storage services, and web application development services. Moreover, the service can run all kinds of operations on the cloud runtime.

• Cloud Runtime: The term ‘Cloud Runtime’ is the concept where the services run. It’s similar to a cloud operating system in which technologies such as virtualization are applied. Virtualization is one of the important technologies that makes the cloud possible, enabling multiple runtimes to run on a single server. For instance, virtualization is a way through which we can create a base of software. In simple words, it’s the virtual representation of apps, servers, storage, as well as networks inside cloud architecture. When we create runtimes with the support of virtualization software, they are called hypervisors. Oracle VirtualBox, Oracle VM for x86, VMware Fusion, etc. are some of the top hypervisors.

• Storage: Storage in the cloud is where the data of a cloud application resides in cloud computing architecture. However, all of them have a common dedicated segment for cloud storage. Solid-state drives, hard drives, Intel Optane DC Persistent storage, etc., are some examples of storage. Storage is provided by hard drives in the server bays in the cloud back-end architecture. And especially in a cloud computing system, the software partitions the drives as per the needs of the OS in the cloud to run myriad services.

• Infrastructure: All of the cloud software services operate on an underlying infrastructure. These may consist of CPU, Motherboard, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), network cards, accelerator cards, etc. Infrastructure models are always dependent on the workload of the client.

• Management: Management software deploys resources to tasks and ensures proper operation of any cloud environment. Technically speaking, management is the ‘middleware, ‘ and it is the one that connects the front and back-end architecture in a cloud computing system.

• Security: Security is an integral and critical part of any cloud computing infrastructure. We create security infrastructure by keeping the debugging process in mind. In case of any issue, debugging should be easy. To ensure security in a cloud computing system, the first step is to have a regular storage backup. Virtual firewalls are other crucial elements of the cloud security infrastructure.

Cloud-based Delivery

Cloud-based delivery, in layman’s terms, is anything we’re delivering to end-users from the cloud through some software, infrastructure, and platforms. We can deliver cloud computing services via the below-mentioned models:

• Software as a Service (SaaS): Providing cloud computing services through licensed software or a subscription. The end-users do not have to purchase and install any hardware at their premises in this delivery model.

• Platform as a Service (PaaS): It provides a platform to build, run, and manage applications in the cloud, as part of a cloud computing architecture, on behalf of the end-users. PaaS is a third-party service provider that provides the hardware & software tools.

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This allows users to use any computer infrastructure as a service, including networking technology, servers, storage, and data center space. This also covers the rollout of virtualization technology and operating systems.

What Is a Cloud Service Network? 

You can avail cloud computing services and cloud development services through private and public networks. Besides, we can also use the end user’s network and offer the services via the intranet. Otherwise, a public and private network can be used together for the provision of services.

A cloud computing service network will allow the end user to own a data center, or alternatively, to use the service provider’s data center to provide on-demand access to different resources, such as servers, storage, network, applications, and services, in the cloud computing architecture.

Cloud Service in Clarion

We help SMEs develop cloud applications at Clarion. Our cloud professionals are experts when it comes to changing the cloud configuration and shifting applications to the cloud with cloud development services. Our best-in-class cloud service offerings comprise:

• Cloud migration of applications
• DevOps
• Content Management System (CMS)
• Cloud Migration
• Application development on the cloud

To optimize the IT infrastructure of your business, you must understand how the front-end and back-end components operate together and what cloud architecture is. Desired to observe the effect that this investment will have on your business? Use our ROI Calculator to determine what the return-on-investment might be for implementing cloud computing solutions.

Conclusion

If we are discussing the cloud computing architecture, then security is an indisputable aspect that plays a key role. European Union Data Protection Law (EUDPL), viz. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became mandatory from May 2018, which allows users the right to request data from any organization storing information about them. And most importantly, the data can be forgotten if the users wish for it. The GDPR redefines the data management roles of the key leaders from CIOs to CMOs.

FAQ: What Is Cloud Computing Architecture: Front End vs. Back End?