Cloud computing for education: A new dawn?

Cloud computing for education: A new dawn?

What is Cloud Computing?

Clusters of distributed computers which provide on-demand resources and services over a networked medium.

Why needed?

• Continuous upgrades of software and hardware.

• Current difficult economic conditions.

• Budget cut of educational institutions.

• High rate at which IT technology changes.

Cloud Services

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

• Platform as a Service (PaaS)

• Software as a Service (SaaS)

Cloud Services


Remote delivery of a full computer infrastructure. e.g., virtual computers, servers.



Cloud Services



Services are provided remotely. e.g., operating system, database, Web servers.


Cloud Services




Applications are delivered through the Internet as a service.

Cloud Model for Educational Institution

IT service users of a university:


Cloud model for users:


• Provide students and staff with software and hardware.

• Provide researchers and postgraduate studentswith the required specialsoftware and hardwareto run experiments.


• Provide Web developerswith the developmenttools needed to writeand host Webapplications.

Advantages of Cloud

• Decreased Costs.

• Flexibility.

• Location Independence.

• Scalability and Speed.

• Optimal Resource Utilization.

• Reduce Carbon Footprint.

• Minimize licensing new software.

Cloud Storage Providers

Most of the biggest IT companies.

• Amazon

• Google

• IBM

• Microsoft.

• And many others.

The University of Westminster: case study

A case study by the author states that almost £1,000,000 was saved and university’s email system was more reliable by using Google Cloud Storage.

Cloud Concerns

• Security and privacy.

• Vendor lock and failures.

• Reliability.

Thank you.