National Conference on Architecture, Software systems and Green computing-2012 NCASG2012
Cloud Computing for E-Learning 1
2
Farah Jamal Ansari , Sunil 1,2
Section of Computer Engineering Department of University Polytechnic Faculty of Engineering and Technology Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025, India 1 2
[email protected] [email protected]
Abstract--Cloud computing is a systems architecture model for computing on the internet. With the help of cloud computing a user has access to shared software, information and other devices over the internet. It is just like people consume electricity without knowing from where and how the electricity is being generated and at the end of the stipulated time the user gets bill for the electricity consumed. Similarly in cloud computing the user is utilizing the services available on the cloud at a price without knowing from where and how that service is being offered. Cloud computing not only manages the infrastructure of computer facilitators but also provides capabilities of larger infrastructure to smaller users. It promises to the end user benefits of an economy of scale and, at the same time, reduces the operating costs for many applications [1]. Campus ELearning system has become an effective complement to the modern teaching with its unique advantages, but at the same time educational institutions had to pay a huge price in developing E-Learning system in the traditional network model. E-learning systems usually require many hardware and software resources. E-learning systems usually require many hardware and software resources. There are many educational institutions that cannot afford such investments, and cloud computing is the best solution. This paper presents the impact on using cloud computing for e-learning solutions. Keywords--
Cloud
Computing,
SAAS,
IaaS,
PaaS,
According to Youseff et al. “cloud computing can be considered a new computing paradigm that allows users to temporary utilize computing infrastructure over the network, supplied as a service by the cloud-provider at possibly one or more levels of abstraction” (Youseff et al. 2008). The cloud computing paradigm is focused on decreasing the software and hardware resources costs by shifting the deployment infrastructure on to the internet [4]. Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet) [5]. Cloud computing promises a lot but there are many security issues as well. The biggest security issue is data going in unseen hands. There are numerous other security issues attached with cloud computing as it takes in to its radius many technologies including networks, databases, operating systems, virtualization, resource scheduling, transaction management, load balancing, concurrency control and memory management. Therefore, security issues attached to these systems are also applicable to cloud computing [6].
Elaas,
Architecture
I. INTRODUCTION This kind of a platform allows a user to write an application to be run on the cloud or to use services on the cloud or both. Different names are used for this kind of platform today, like on-demand platform and platform as a service (PaaS) [2]. Whatever be the name, this new way of supporting applications has great potential to become a trendsetter. Cloud computing utilizes the information and communication technology (ICT) in which ICT resources like storage devices and servers available on the internet are used [3]. The user does not need to deploy its own machinery and has access to servers and services available on the internet but at a price. The credit for the increasing demand of cloud computing goes to the increasing performance of ICT, as the cost performance of ICT has improved 20,000 times in the last 15 years. In the near future we see cloud computing as software as a service (SAAS). The leaders of cloud computing include Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, or Sun. Besides this many more keep adding all the time as shown in figure 1.
Fig 1 World Cloud Network
E-learning services have evolved since computers were first used in education. There is a trend to move towards blended learning services, where computer-based activities are integrated with practical or classroom-based situations [7]. E-learning is a new education concept by using the Internet technology, it deliveries the digital content, provides a learner-orient environment for the teachers and students. The e-learning promotes the construction of life-long learning opinions and learning society. Delivery of the digital content is
ISBN NO: 978-93-81208-09-0
National Conference on Architecture, Software systems and Green computing-2012 NCASG2012
the main characters of e-learning. Internet provides a learning environment for the students and teachers. This environment is learner-oriented, so we can throw out the thoughts of traditionally teacher-center's instruction in classroom. As a new concept of education, e-learning gives a condition for us to realize the life-long learning principle and help us to build a more real learning society.
Fig 2 The E-learning System
IaaS are Amazon Web Services Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Secure Storage Service (S3). B. Platform as a Service (PaaS): Here the user utilizes the cloud infrastructure for deploying the applications created by the user. The application might also be created with the help of the software and tools available on the cloud. The user is relieved of the burden of managing or controlling the underlying cloud infrastructure consisting of network, servers, operating systems, or storage devices. Examples include Google App Engine, Force.com, Microsoft Azure, WOLF. C. Software as a Service (SaaS): The user can utilize the applications lying on the cloud. The applications are accessible from both thin and thick clients such as a web browser, laptop, tablets or mobile phones. Software as a service, or 'SaaS', is a software application delivery model by which an enterprise vendor develops a webbased software application, and then hosts and operates that application over the Internet for use by its customers. There is no need for the customer to install and run the software from its own machine. Customers do not need to buy software licenses or additional infrastructure equipment, and typically only pay monthly fees (also referred to as annuity payments) for using the software. This greatly helps in simplifying the maintenance and enhancing support. Examples include Facebook, SalesForce, BaseCamp.
A. Benefits Of Cloud Computing Reduces Costs: The user pays for the services available on the cloud network. He need not buy the hardware or the software. This saves organization money. Increased Storage: More data can be saved on the cloud rather than on private, self owned machines. TABLE I THREE DISTINCT MODELS OF CLOUD COMPUTING Self automated: Software is automatically updated. The user is not concerned about updating the software. Software as a Service More Flexibility: Allows more flexibility to the user. More Mobility: information can be accessed from Platform as a Service anywhere and is not fixed to the users own desktop. Allows IT to shift focus: No longer organizations have to Infrastructure as a service worry about constant server updates and can now concentrate on other useful tasks. The benefits mentioned here are the basic benefits of D. Deployment Models cloud computing. Cloud computing is still growing and every day more benefits keep adding. As for today there Deployment of the cloud differs according to the user’s are many private and government organizations which requirement. The following four deployment models have been identified depending on the user’s service requirements have switched to cloud computing. and needs. 1) Private Cloud: The cloud network has been laid out specifically for one user or organization pertaining to a II. SERVICE MODELS specific area of interest. The operation may be in house or There are three fundamental models through which cloud from some third party outsider. computing providers offer their services. 2) Community Cloud: This cloud may be shared by one community which may be a group of organizations having A. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): It is the delivery of hardware (server, storage and network), some common interest. This kind of a scenario greatly helps in decreasing the cost as the cost is shared by all the and associated software (operating systems virtualization technology, file system), as a service [7]. It is like outsourcing organizations. The operation may be in house or by some third the deployment infrastructure to an outside industry and party. allowing users to acquire resources on demand. The IaaS 3) Public Cloud: The cloud Infrastructure is available to the provider does very little management and is only responsible general public at a price. In this kind of scenario the user can for keeping the data centre operational and users themselves deploy or use the service form the cloud. The service is made available to the user by some service provider at a price. deploy and manage the software services. Some examples of
ISBN NO: 978-93-81208-09-0
National Conference on Architecture, Software systems and Green computing-2012 NCASG2012
4) Hybrid Cloud: This is a combination of many clouds. Information can move from one cloud to another. A service available on the private cloud can also be available on the public cloud.
Prepare tests Assess tests, homework, projects taken by students Send feedback Communicate with students (forums)
Usually, e-learning systems are developed as distributed applications, but this is not necessary so. The architecture of a distributed e-learning system includes software components, like the client application, an application server and a database server and the necessary hardware components (client computer, communication infrastructure and servers). The client hardware can be a user mobile device or any other front end. Finally, most universities and K-12 educational systems are adopting cloud-based record-keeping, including enrolment rosters with biographical information, grading and records, and employee and student services. The University of Fig 3 Deployment Model Colorado has a service called ‘myCUInfo’ that incorporates all course rosters for teaching in progress, final grade upload, email, and alternate contact information, so that instructors have one place to go to manage a course. Clearly, security for III. CLOUD COMPUTING BENEFITS FOR Ethis type of information is critical and often used as a private LEARNING SOLUTIONS or virtual private cloud service. Data security is a very big With the progress and application of technology, the concern because both the software and the data are located on emergence of cloud computing offers e-learning good remote servers that can crash or disappear without any opportunity to develop. School or the enterprise neither needs additional warnings. to worry about the construction of the environment of elearning software and hardware nor invest enormous capital IV. CONCLUSION and human and material resources to construct the system. All those issues can be handed over to service providers of e- Through e-learning application model based on cloud learning cloud, who can customize for users. In e-learning computing we can have cloud computing’s mass data storage, cloud model, data storage is highly distributed, data high speed computing capabilities, as well as its ideal management is highly centralized and data service is highly allocation and the sharing mode of resources. Some problems virtualization, all of which offer a much safer data service. such as platform security, technical standards, regulatory and Intelligent business policy-making. E-leaning cloud other services are not well resolved yet in practice, pending environment provides large data centre with mass data storage further research and exploration. Either way, e-learning and high-speed computation. The architecture for the cloud application model based on cloud computing is here to stay platform provides a variety of user interface forms, such as and will stop just like that. Cloud computing is an emerging WebService interfaces, Java interfaces, C interfaces, Shell field of this generation. As more work and research is done on interface etc. Cloud computing platform provide resources it, it will emerge as a more sophisticated and widespread services to teachers and students on rental basis. Many technology of this era. Along with e-learning will also benefit education institutions do not have the resources and from cloud computing and will be landmark in changing the infrastructure needed to run top e-learning solution. This is future education system. why Blackboard and Moodle, the biggest players in the field of REFERENCES e-learning software, have now versions of the base [1] Rajan Jain1, Ashish Vashisht2, Kamaljeet Kaur3 and Mahak4,” Cloud applications that are cloud oriented. E-learning is widely used Computing and its Aspects: All About Cloud”, indiacom-2012; ISSN today on different educational levels: continuous education, 0973-7529; ISBN 978-93-80544-03-8 company trainings, academic courses, etc. There are various e[2] David Chappell And Associates“A Short Introduction To Cloud Platforms , An Enterprise-Oriented View” , Sponsored By Microsoft learning solutions from open source to commercial. There are Corporation, August 2008 at least two entities involved in an e-learning system: the [3] Chiseki Sagawa, Hiroshi Yoshoda,”Cloud Computing Based on students and the trainers [8]. The students: Service Oriented Platform” ,FUJITSU Sci.Tech. J., Vol. 45, No. 3,(July 2009)
Take online course Take exams Send feedback Send homework, projects The trainers: Deal with content management
[4] Luis M. Vaquero, Luis Rodero-Merino , Juan Caceres, Maik Lindner ,
“A Break in the Clouds: Towards a Cloud Definition”, ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, Volume 39, Number 1, January 2009 [5] Peter Mell and Tim Grance, “The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing”, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Vol. 53, Issue 6, Publisher NIST pp 50 ISSN 10476210.
ISBN NO: 978-93-81208-09-0
National Conference on Architecture, Software systems and Green computing2012 NCASG2012
[6] Kevin Hamlen, Murat Kantarcioglu, Latifur Khan, Bhavani Thuraisingham, “Security Issues for cloud computing”, International Journal of Information Security and Privacy, 4(2), 39-51, April-June 2010 [7] Deepanshu Madan,
Ashish Pant, Suneet Kumar, Arjun Arora,
“International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering “,Volume 2, issue 2, February 2012 [8] Paul Pocatilu, Felician Alecu, Marius Vetrici, “Using Cloud Computing for E-learning Systems” , Recent Advances On Data Networks, Communications, Computers, ISSN: 1790-5109, ISBN: 978-960-474-134-2
ISBN NO: 978-93-81208-09-0
