Question # 11

Cloud computing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the winner of the 2017 Preakness Stakes, see Cloud Computing (horse).

Cloud computing metaphor: For a user, the network elements

representing the provider-rendered services are invisible, as if
obscured by a cloud.
Cloud computing is an information technology (IT) paradigm, a
model for enabling ubiquitous access to shared pools of
configurable resources (such as computer networks, servers,
storage, applications and services),[1][2] which can be rapidly
provisioned with minimal management effort, often over the
Internet. Cloud computing allows users and enterprises with various
computing capabilities to store and process data either in a
privately-owned cloud, or on a third-party server located in a data
center - thus making data-accessing mechanisms more efficient and
reliable.[3][need quotation to verify] Cloud computing relies on sharing of
resources to achieve coherence and economy of scale, similar to a
utility.
 General Cloud Resources
CloudClimate
This cloud monitoring website, courtesy of network tracking
software vendor Paessler, keeps track of live performance data
on several large cloud computing providers, including
Amazon, GoGrid and NewServers.

Cloud Provider Scorecard

Another monitoring service from Apparent Networks, the
Cloud Provider Scorecard issues alerts when cloud
services suffer degradation and tracks outages in real
time.
Top 10 cloud computing providers
This is a list of the top 10 cloud computing providers, from NewServers to Amazon and many in between. Customer
traction, innovation and track record are key factors in its rankings. The provider space is changing very fast, and
many telecoms, hosting companies and others are launching cloud services. This list is a point-in-time snapshot of the
market as we see it and not a comprehensive list of vendors.

Cloud computing players on MindMeister

Maintained by Quebecois technologist Jean-Lou Dupont, an interactive and comprehensive list of cloud computing
vendors and organizations. Always worth a read to gauge the weather in the cloud computing world.

Amazon Web Services product directory

This ever-expanding list of products available for use in Amazon's cloud covers options from CA, IBM, Oracle and
Red Hat among others. Let us know if we are missing any important ones.

Cloud computing development for beginners

Any newcomers looking to develop applications in the cloud will find this guide extremely useful, especially the tips
on developing in Microsoft Azure and running a Web service on Google App Engine.

Cloud Developer Tips: Practical tips for developers of cloud computing applications
Shlomo Swidler's blog provides insight and ideas on developing projects and applications for the cloud, along with
cloud computing news and notes in general.
 Additional cloud computing resources
Jack of all Clouds
Cloud entrepreneur Guy Rosen offers, amongst other things, a monthly State of the Cloud
address with in-depth stats on the top cloud computing providers.
Cloud management tools for beginners
Get an overview of the big names in cloud computing management tools, including
RightScale, Kaavo and Scalr, in this special report designed to educate on the core features
of cloud management vendors and products.
Rational Survivability: Cloud and virtualization security blog
An entertaining take on virtualization and cloud computing security from information
security expert Christofer Hoff. Hoff is now director of cloud computing with Cisco and
maintains the blog irregularly.
Lori MacVittie's cloud blog for F5 networks
All-around geek extraordinaire Lori MacVittie writes regularly on cloud theory and
application. Come here to get your app/dev and network jargon properly applied to cloud
computing.
 Cloud computing for business

Cloud computing provides a way for your business to manage your computing
resources online. The term has evolved over recent years, and can be used to
describe the use of a third party for your storage and computing needs.

The 'cloud' refers to the internet, and operating 'in the cloud' describes the way
you store and access your data through an internet connection.

Cloud computing allows businesses to access their information virtually, creating

a flexible and global way of accessing your data any place, any time.

This guide will help you to understand cloud computing, and the different ways
you could use cloud computing in your business.
• https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/it/cloud-
computing
Question # 7
 Ports and Slots in Laptops

A number of people overlook the importance of connectivity ports on the laptops

while they are out to get a laptop for themselves. The reason is quite obvious; they
just don’t understand how necessary these interfaces/ports are. And when they are
done with the process of buying the laptop, the lack of relevant ports haunt them
like ghosts.
In this article our aim is to give away some valuable information to the readers
that will help them fathom the importance and relevance of the different ports that
are found on the laptop bodies.
Expansion ports are different types of connection ports on a laptop that allow
various kinds of external devices to be connected to the machine. There are
numerous types of connectivity ports from the most basic USB till the latest
Express card slot. So, let’s begin to explore all of them without further ado.
USB Port : Among all the connectivity
ports the USB port is the most widely
used interface. The USB lets you connect
several types of devices to your laptop
such as external hard drives, pen drives,
cameras, keyboard, mice etc. It also
helps in charging mobile phones and
such small devices as it supplies small
amount of power the connected devices.
When the standard USB version 2.0
offers a transfer speed of 480 Mbps, the
latest version 3.0 offers higher speed of
5Gbps.
ExpressCard Slot: ExpressCard
slot is the largest Expansion slot
on the body of your laptop.
Devices might be plugged into
the body of laptops via this slot. It
allows devices like cellular
broadband cards, memory cards,
adapters, and network cards.
Thunderbolt Port: Thunderbolt
port is a connectivity medium,
which uses expansion bus to let
the laptop be connected to the
peripheral devices. It has been
developed by the tech giant Intel
and brought into the market by
the Apple Inc. Now other
companies also sport this
interface on their respective
devices.
HDMI Port: HDMI or high definition
multimedia interface is relatively a new
induction to the new age gadgets. The HDMI
port is a compact audio/video connector that
helps us to connect the laptops, tablets, or
mobiles to the newer and popular
entertainment things like HD LCD or
plasma TV or HD DVD or BlueRay players.
And it will not be wrong to say that with the
help of HDMI on our machines we can
connect to any high end electronic
entertainment gadget.
Firewire/ IEEE 1394 port: Firewire is
quite similar to the USB interface on all
the fronts barring the technological one.
It was first brought to light by Apple
computers as the USB ports were
lethargically slow at that time. Though,
the USB 2.0 has, with its fast speed, has
overwhelmed the Firewire a little bit but if
it is inbuilt on your system it will only
benefit you.
Memory Card Reader: Memory card
reader is a slot, which is pretty common
on modern day laptops as it allows you
to insert any kind of memory card
ranging from SD to XD to any other card
like Sony Memory Stick into your
system, hence better connectivity. Isn’t it
a hassle-free method to transfer the pics
from your camera by simply inserting
the memory card in the card reader?
This way you can avoid connecting USB
cables to transfer the files. Some card
readers even read 8 types of cards. It is
a must on your system, readers.
VGA Connector: This is used to
connect your system to any
analog monitor or LCD TV. As we
know that VGA is not a digital
thing; it has been used to video
connect devices for ages. It still
remains relevant to the modern
day laptops and is almost
ubiquitous phenomenon.
External SATA or External Serial
Advanced Technology Attachment:
It is a means of faster data transfer. It
is a bus interface which is used to
connect host BUS adapters to the
mass storage devices such as hard
disks. It holds many advantages over
the old interfaces like more efficient
and fast data transfer and reduced
cable size because it uses only 7
conductors instead of 40. A must port
for every laptop.
RJ 45/Ethernet Port: RJ 45 is a jack
standard registered for a modular
connector that uses 8 conductors and is
used to connect computers to a local
area network (LAN) especially Ethernet.
RJ 45 was previously a telephone thing
standard. There was a time when it was
considered indispensable but due to
technological advances it has grown
somewhat obsolete.
Modem Port: At the first glance
one might take the modem port
for standard telephone jack, but
it is not the same. It connects
an internal modem of a
computer to a telephone
line. And the modem of the
system connects the computer
to the internet by making a data
call to a distant Internet Service
Provider.
https://techexplainer.wordp
ress.com/2012/03/21/ports
-and-slots-in-laptops/
Question # 27
 Backward compatible (or sometimes backward-
compatible or backwards compatible) refers to a
hardware or software system that can successfully use
interfaces and data from earlier versions of the system
or with other systems. For example, Perl, the scripting
language, was designed to be backward cmpatible with
awk, an earlier language that Perl was designed to
replace.

Backward compatibility is more easily accomplished if the previous

versions have been designed to be forward compatible, or
extensible, with built-in features such as Hooks, plug-in, or an
application program interface (API) that allows the addition of new
features.
The term backward compatible (notice the "b") is
sometimes used to describe hardware or software that is
designed without regard for compatibility with earlier
versions, causing the two versions to fight (or combat)
each other. In this case, the two versions cannot share
data easily and may have features that cause errors or
crashes when they are installed on the same computer,
often because the computer does not understand which
version is being referred to. Even if the earlier version is
removed, remaining vestiges of it may cause problems in
running the newer version.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/defini
tion/backward-compatible-
backward-compatibility