Cloud Cost Optimization

While working on Cloud, an important step that consideration that needs to be taken care is Cloud Cost Optimization. This requires an approach, strategy and tools to optimize cloud consumption cost. When customer starts the cloud adoption journey there will be strategic drivers and one of the driver is to reduce infrastructure / Operational cost and to increase scalability, performance & agility. Its only possible by adopting right architecture patterns, enabling cloud governance and time to time upgrading/downgrading to right services.  Cost is one of the key pillar in 5 pillars of cloud well-architecture framework and now a days most of the customers are focusing on how to reduce cloud bills and increase application performance without compromising performance of the overall setup. Few points to consider when planning for Cloud cost optimization - 

• How Cloud Pricing Works
• Cloud Cost Optimization Pillars
• Frameworks for Cloud Cost Optimization
• Cost Optimization Strategy, Governance and Best Practices
• Cost Optimization Tools (Cloud-native and 3rd Party Tools) 

Internet of Things (IOT)

With rapid digital transformation and higher connectivity, the Internet of Things is all set to deepen its roots in our industries as well as our lives.  The internet of things (IoT) is a term used to describe the growing network of appliances, homes, and various “smart objects" that communicate with each other to automate and optimize performance. 

The IOT stream involves network specialists who manage connectivity, data analysts who gather data from the devices and interpret it as well as engineers who create the platforms, software, hardware, and systems that allow these devices to function.  

IOT developers focus primarily on the last category which mostly involves  programming software that allows the device at hand to both connect with other systems and function properly on its own. IOT developers are also expected to interface with other devices, create embedded software that’s cloud-compatible and so on.

Simplity

API framework called Simplity can be used for accelerating the web application development for typical transaction processing systems. We would like to introduce the framework to the team.

What is Simplity?

• Rapid Service Development Framework with industry standards supported out of box.
• Infosys supported Open Source project which can help to accelerate the time to market.
• Reusable component Architecture
• Stateless Services
• Reduces development, testing and maintenance effort
• Easy to understand XML based service configuration(No Java code necessary).
• Requires less skill to create and maintain the service.

Best Use cases:

• Service development for Web Client based projects
• Microservice architecture based application
• Data Service development. CRUD Services can be created and reused across multiple services
• API Development. Out of Support of XML and REST support.

Repository: https://github.com/simplity/simplity

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)

Recently I came across an interesting architecture pattern called as  Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA).

In traditional ‘perimeter’ based  approach, security models of identity, authentication, and authorization have challenges meeting needs of a IT landscape. There is a need to shift security model to asset-centric or data centric. IT landscape can be expanded using asset & data centric policies and not defining any network boundaries. In the classical approach, we restrict everything to a secure network behind a network firewall/boundary or perimeter whatever you would like to call it. In the zero trust approach, we protect digital assets located/deployed anywhere using a central policy.

Zero Trust - It is an information security approach that focuses on data/information security, including life cycle on any platform or network

Zero Trust Architecture - The implementation of Zero trust security strategy that follows well-defined and assured standards, technical patterns and guidance for organizations

Advantages of ZTA - 

• Enables mobility allowing users to work anywhere using any device
• Improved business confidence, with new security mechanisms to protect data and applications
• Reduced scope of threats to support agility and support complexity

More details on this topic are available on the Open Group website. A whitepaper explaining the concept is available for free download at following URL - https://publications.opengroup.org/w210