The word ‘abstraction’ is derived from the Latin words ‘abs’ meaning ‘away from ‘meaning ‘to draw’. Abstraction takes away or hides the characteristics to reduce something into an essential utility. In computing, a layer of abstraction is a way of hiding the implementation details of a particular set of functionality. In the cloud computing model, the level of service abstraction rises while moving from IaaS towards SaaS. At the IaaS level, consumers have the freedom to build computing infrastructure (essentially in virtual mode) from a set of available options. They can configure machines, set up networks, and select storage. All of the devices are available in virtual mode and consumers should know about building the required infrastructure from scratch. At the PaaS level, the abstraction intensifies. The underlying virtual infrastructure of the IaaS level remains hidden from the consumers. They can simply work with a chosen platform environment
FIG 5.7:The levels of service abstraction
without knowing how the underlying system has been configured. At this level, consumers have full control over the PaaS environment and they can configure and manage the utilities like web servers, database servers, and different application development environments. This abstraction intensifies further at the SaaS level where consumers remain unaware even about the technology of an application. They simply use applications without knowing anything about their implementation.
Cloud computing abstracts the underlying computing system from the users. The degree of abstraction increases with the layers of services and abstraction is maximum at the SaaS level.
The word ‘abstraction’ is derived from the Latin words ‘abs’ meaning ‘away from ‘meaning ‘to draw’. Abstraction takes away or hides the characteristics to reduce something into an essential utility. In computing, a layer of abstraction is a way of hiding the implementation details of a particular set of functionality. In the cloud computing model, the level of service abstraction rises while moving from IaaS towards SaaS. At the IaaS level, consumers have the freedom to build computing infrastructure (essentially in virtual mode) from a set of available options. They can configure machines, set up networks, and select storage. All of the devices are available in virtual mode and consumers should know about building the required infrastructure from scratch. At the PaaS level, the abstraction intensifies. The underlying virtual infrastructure of the IaaS level remains hidden from the consumers. They can simply work with a chosen platform environment
FIG 5.7:The levels of service abstraction
without knowing how the underlying system has been configured. At this level, consumers have full control over the PaaS environment and they can configure and manage the utilities like web servers, database servers, and different application development environments. This abstraction intensifies further at the SaaS level where consumers remain unaware even about the technology of an application. They simply use applications without knowing anything about their implementation.
Cloud computing abstracts the underlying computing system from the users. The degree of abstraction increases with the layers of services and abstraction is maximum at the SaaS level.