In this blog post, we’ll break down the principles and background behind why cloud computing has become so deeply embedded in our daily routines.
‘Google Drive’, ‘Dropbox’—we now live in a world where we can freely download and read files we don’t even own. The days of only being able to pull out assignments from our bags are over. Even people killing time on the subway mostly use their smartphones to watch videos or view documents stored on internet servers. This was unimaginable in the past. Just a few years ago, we had to use external hard drives or USB drives to store and retrieve data. But now, as long as we have an internet connection, we can access necessary files anywhere. How is it possible to access data I don’t even possess and view it on my phone? This is all thanks to the advancement of a computer network management technique called ‘cloud computing’.
Cloud computing refers to a computing system where complex tasks like information analysis, processing, and distribution are handled in a third-party space called the ‘cloud’. Individual terminals primarily handle input/output operations and temporarily store data. The name ‘cloud’ itself was chosen to reflect this aspect. Computer networks are shrouded in a cloud, their inner workings invisible. Ordinary users need not understand this complex interior; they can simply reach into the cloud from anywhere and retrieve the tasks they desire. Cloud computing appears deceptively simple yet feels like a dream-like technology. How is it possible to access data that isn’t even physically present here? To understand the principles of cloud computing, one must grasp the foundational core technology: virtualization.
Virtualization, an IT technology as promising as cloud computing, is a broad concept referring to the abstraction of computer resources. To simplify its explanation, virtualization is broadly categorized into three types.
1. Dividing a single physical resource into multiple logical resources for presentation.
2. Bundling multiple physical resources into a single logical resource for presentation.
3. Transforming existing physical resources into entirely different logical resources for presentation.
Taking server virtualization as an example: a single physical server remains unchanged, while multiple logical servers are virtualized. This process divides each part of the server resources—such as network, CPU, memory, and hard drive capacity—allowing unused CPU capacity to be utilized as close to 100% utilization as possible.
This technology, which virtualizes and presents resources that don’t actually exist, is now adopted in most IT environments due to its high resource utilization efficiency. Such virtualization technology is essential for both society and individuals. In today’s IT landscape, where hardware performance has increased exponentially but resource utilization rates are declining, virtualization technology with these characteristics was desperately needed. Furthermore, from an individual perspective, the advancement of the internet led users to desire immediate access to necessary data on their portable devices whenever needed. To satisfy this demand, the adoption of virtualization technology was urgent, making it an indispensable technology for cloud computing. Building cloud computing based on this virtualization technology involves three stages.
The first step is ‘simplifying the data center’. Since data centers require the most management and incur the highest costs within IT organizations, they must be virtualized and simplified for efficient and rapid data management. The subsequent step is ‘desktop virtualization’. To provide the necessary IT resources to each individual, desktops must be virtualized. The virtualization targets include running applications, various devices and environments for access, and security considerations. The final step is ‘transition to services through automation’. While the first two steps virtualize IT resources, reducing costs and simplifying management, users expect immediate access to the resources they need. To achieve this, user requests submitted through a service portal are processed immediately via established procedures. By rapidly building an automated environment with the requested resources for the user, these demands can be met. Completing this process establishes private cloud computing.
The concept of cloud computing, thus completed, has rapidly emerged as a promising issue in the IT industry, largely due to its significant advantages. As we know from daily use, it offers high portability, low initial purchase and usage costs, and ease of use without requiring specialized knowledge. However, this convenient cloud computing also has a critical drawback: if the server is attacked, personal information can be leaked. For instance, in the Japan FirstServer incident, the company lost data from thousands of businesses during a large-scale software patch. Although data recovery was eventually successful, the inability to restrict access rights per customer allowed clients to access other companies’ data, causing a major crisis. This incident highlighted the critical importance of maintaining at least a basic backup system even when using cloud services.
Despite these drawbacks, a report by Symantec, a global solutions provider, indicates that over 90% of global enterprises will adopt cloud computing services this year. Furthermore, hybrid cloud computing technology—combining private clouds with resources from external public cloud service providers—is emerging, enabling more efficient resource utilization. This shift could represent a crucial turning point for businesses. However, despite its reputation as an IT powerhouse, South Korea’s cloud service adoption rate reportedly remains around 32%. Korea must also actively adopt cloud computing technology to advance its IT industry.
