Networking In The Cloud: Basics Of Computer Networking
Businesses adopt the cloud to leverage its agility and scalability which allow them to keep their infrastructure lean as well as to accelerate their time-to-market. This cloud-based model has become the bedrock upon which contemporary organizations build and deliver their products and services.
However, a less talked about cloud solution that can play a critical role in addressing the expanding infrastructure needs and redundancy plans of growing businesses is cloud networking. In this blog post, I answer the most frequently asked questions about cloud networking.
This blog post will cover the following topics:
Cloud networking refers to an IT infrastructure in which some or all of the network resources and capabilities are hosted in the cloud managed in-house or by a third-party service provider. Like traditional networks, cloud networks allow users as well as applications to connect to the network to communicate with each other as well as use computing resources.
Cloud networking takes not just physical hardware but also network management software and management functions into the cloud, reducing the number of locally managed devices and systems necessary for network management. Cloud networking resources can include virtual versions of routers, firewalls, bridges, adapters, etc.
In general, cloud networking architecture designed using cloud-based services comes with centralized management. Typically you would use virtual networking resources such as routers, switches, virtual private networks (VPNs), gateways, firewalls, etc. to build your network as well as configure and manage these network resources in the cloud.
How it works will depend on its type and whether it is hosted on a private, public, or hybrid cloud, which will be covered in the next section.
Types of cloud networking based on architecture:
Cloud-Enabled Networking
Cloud-enables networking consists of physical onsite network infrastructure combined with cloud access. In this model, functions such as network management, monitoring, and security are hosted in the cloud while the core network infrastructure components such as packet forwarding, routing, and data are retained on-premises.
Common use cases include the use of SaaS network monitors for network infrastructure management and control or SaaS firewalls for securing on-premises networks.
Cloud-Based Networking
Cloud-based networking refers to the infrastructure where the entire network is hosted in the cloud using network resources and services from third-party providers. In this model, all networking capabilities and resources including routers, bandwidth, firewalls, and network management software are in the cloud.
Types of cloud networking based on ownership of infrastructure:
Public Cloud Network
A public cloud network is a third-party administered network hosted in the cloud. Public cloud networks include servers, databases, applications, and storage that can be simultaneously accessed by numerous virtual machines.
The network resources are entirely in the cloud and accessed via a third-party platform. Since this doesn’t require huge upfront investments in physical infrastructure, it boasts low setup costs and offers better scalability.
Similar to public cloud computing, public cloud networks also use multi-tenancy, i.e. multiple customers of the vendor use the same network resources. And this is the main factor that drives the cost of the cloud down, making it practical.
Private Cloud Network
Similar to a public cloud network, a private cloud network is also hosted entirely in the cloud, but the network resources are dedicated to a single-user organization and not shared among multiple tenants. The private cloud may be hosted either by a third party at a colocation facility or by the organization at its own data center or on-premises servers.
Private cloud networks combine the accessibility of the cloud with customization and control of on-premises infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud Network
A hybrid cloud network uses both public and private cloud resources to build a network infrastructure that suits the organization’s specific needs. A hybrid cloud network gives organizations the flexibility to shift workloads between private and public cloud resources to meet business or performance needs as well as security and compliance requirements.
The basic tenets of cloud computing and cloud networking are the same. Both deal with the utilization of centralized resources accessed over the Internet and often shared by numerous users. Although there is a fair bit of overlap, cloud networking, and cloud computing are different. Cloud networking is concerned with how applications are accessed, while cloud computing is concerned with how applications are run.
Cloud networks are focused on networking infrastructure that provides connectivity between resources, and how they are managed, secured, and controlled. However, cloud computing is much broader in scope, encompassing computing applications and services such as storage, software, and databases and how they are utilized by applications and services hosted in the cloud.
Businesses are increasingly moving their workloads to the cloud with most if not all of their applications, services, and data stored in the cloud. The cloud offers quick and easy access to resources from anywhere and at any time. This seamless connectivity and user experience of the cloud is difficult and expensive to replicate in traditional physical network architectures.
Traditional on-premises networking architectures allow administrators greater customization and tight control of their data and how it’s shared. But this comes with the cumbersome tasks of building, operating, and maintaining the infrastructure. On the other hand, cloud networking requires fewer user-owned hardware and software, reducing the initial capital expenditure as well as associated maintenance tasks.
Moreover, the cloud offers on-demand features and networking resources on a pay-as-you-go basis, giving organizations the flexibility to tailor and scale their networks exactly when required.
So should you take your organization’s entire networking to the cloud? Chances are that you might already be using some SaaS networking applications, making your network cloud-enabled. But there is no one answer that is applicable to every situation. The cloud offers great benefits but these need to be carefully weighed against business needs, security considerations, and compliance requirements.
Here are the top benefits of using cloud networking:
Lower Initial Cost
The pay-as-you-go model and on-demand features offered by cloud networking mean that there is no need to purchase expensive network hardware and servers. This gives you greater flexibility with budget allocation and planning.
Network Resilience
Cloud networking has proven resilience which is ideal for businesses that rely on uninterrupted services. The maintenance of the infrastructure and system updates are handled by the cloud vendor and this ensures consistent performance and uptime, usually, upwards of 99.9%.
Downtime, if any, is communicated in advance allowing you to set expectations and put contingencies in place.
Rapid Scalability
Another advantage of the on-demand resources offered by the cloud is scalability. Cloud resources are readily available as and when the need arises. There is no long lead time for procurement and shipping.
Increased Productivity
When an organization uses cloud networking, repetitive and administrative tasks such as updates, maintenance, procurement, and logistics are taken off the plate of in-house teams. This gives them time to focus on more important technical tasks, improve operational efficiency, innovate, and drive digital transformation.
Here are three common use cases for cloud networking
1. Scalability
As we mentioned earlier, scalability is a major advantage of the cloud. But what does it look like in the real world?
Imagine that there is a pay-per-view sport event or a new web series that goes viral leading to a sudden increase in traffic and subscriptions to a streaming platform. How does the streaming service keep up with the sudden surge in network traffic? It can use cloud networking to quickly scale its infrastructure to handle the increased workload.
The users can continue experiencing high-quality streaming without interruptions or a drop in quality. At the same time, all this is achieved efficiently without the need for additional hardware or software purchases.
2. Disaster Recovery
The cloud is already utilized by many businesses that employ the 3-2-1 backup strategy which requires having 3 copies of your data, 2 local copies but on different media, and at least 1 copy off-site. Using the cloud can virtually eliminate the need for manually backing up your systems, site, and software.
3. Remote Work
Businesses are increasingly leveraging mobility and remote work for accessing talents in far-off locations. This global footprint means that organizations need to provide seamless connectivity to their employees and contractors located in multiple regions.
Using cloud resources enables organizations to efficiently connect multiple virtual private clouds (VPC), providing seamless access to their internal as well as external users no matter where they are located. Cloud networking resources not only ensure optimal performance but also secure connectivity.
There are several security considerations that need to be considered before deploying a cloud-based network, here are the key considerations:
1. Data Privacy
Data privacy is a major concern when using cloud networking. Ensuring the security of sensitive data, both in transit and at rest, is the responsibility of the user organization. Before using cloud resources, the organization needs to understand its privacy obligations and have policies in place to meet those obligations. Additionally, it needs to ensure that the cloud services it utilizes also meet the organization’s data storage and privacy requirements.
2. Network Security
When it comes to security, cloud service providers usually operate under a shared responsibility model. While the cloud vendor is responsible for the security of the infrastructure and applications, the user organization is responsible for the security of its cloud environment.
Therefore, the user organization needs to ensure that its cloud environment is configured correctly, the right security tools are implemented, and that it has adequate internal security, compliance, and governance policies in place.
3. Authentication And Access Control
While the cloud is great for facilitating easy and seamless access to corporate resources, this can be a double-edged sword leading to data breaches. Organizations need to implement adequate authentication and access control to ensure that only authorized users can access necessary resources.
Security solutions such as identity and access management (IAM) and security principles such as the Principle Of Least Privilege (PoLP) and Zero Trust Security help organizations achieve necessary authentication and access control.
4. Compliance
Compliance is arguably the most important factor that is driving improvements in cloud security and data privacy. Regulations such as HIPAA, CCPA, and PCI-DSS play a key role in deciding policies, governance, and security requirements. Therefore, organizations need to be aware of their compliance requirements and monitor regulations closely to anticipate the impact of changes and updates.
5. Disaster Recovery
Migrating your systems and data to the cloud does not free you from events such as natural disasters and cyberattacks that can disrupt the normal functioning of your business. To mitigate the potential damages of such disruptive events, every organization needs a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan.
A hybrid strategy comprising private in-house backups and virtualized backups in the cloud offers an ideal backup solution balancing the cost-effectiveness of the public cloud and the accessibility of physical servers.
Conclusion
Cloud networking has the potential to play a vital role in the changing network demands brought about by increased mobility and global workforce expansion. The flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of the cloud are already well established and all of these are also applicable to cloud networking. Despite all the benefits of cloud networking needs, complete migration plans should be tempered with business needs, security requirements, and compliance obligations.
Cloud networking resources also provide some functions that traditional network equipment cannot. They can collect huge amounts of data and create databases in the cloud that can be analyzed to reveal trends, intrusions, data exfiltrations, etc. With the growing capabilities and popularity of artificial intelligence and machine learning, more granular data analysis in real time may soon become a common feature of cloud networking.
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