Cloud Computing and Scalability Issues

One of the advantages of cloud computing is that both small and medium sized businesses can instantly obtain the benefits of the enormous ...

One of the most pertinent issues facing cloud computing in general is the ability of various apps and web objects to effectively scale up or down in order to match the system that they're running on; the goal being to provide equal (or near equal) access to everyone connected to the cloud. Most individuals seem to be adrift in the belief that all scalability issues are automatically dealt with by the cloud itself; this is certainly not the case at all. Many cloud networks may be set up to grant certain individuals access to greater amounts of system resources than other cloud users. These kinds of setups can cause scalability issues as well. But most of the time scalability issues are just an expression of too many individuals accessing the same data at the same time. This is a signifier that data delivery capabilities might need to be significantly upgraded.

What is Scalability in cloud computing?

To put it succinctly, scalability is the cloud's ability to provide applications, processes and media to ever growing numbers of users. Your cloud's scalability is basically its' performance report card. There are two methods used to increase scalability potential, they are:

Vertical scalability

Can be achieved through the addition of extra hardware such as hard drives, servers, CPU's, etc… While this is not entirely a solution in and of itself, it is necessary if a cloud network is to be able to accommodate ever growing numbers of virtual machines.

Horizontal scalability

Create more access points within the current system; isn't necessarily as effective as vertical scalability however. Horizontal scalability is really just a quick fix for a growing or expanding cloud… But it also serves as a sort of buffer for vertical scalability. Horizontal scalability is intimately associated with the manner with which points of access are distributed across a network.

Multiple load balancers

Integrating multiple load balancers into your system is probably the best solution for dealing with scalability issues. There are many different forms of load balancers to choose from; server farms, software and even hardware that have been designed to handle and distribute increased traffic.

Items that interfere with scalability

1. Too much software clutter (no organization) within the hardware stack(s)
2. Overuse of third-party scaling
3. Reliance on the use of synchronous calls
4. Not enough caching is taking place
5. Databases not being used properly

The Solution

Creating a cloud network that offers the maximum level of scalability potential is entirely possible if we apply a more 'diagonal' solution. By incorporating the best solutions present in both vertical and horizontal scaling, you will reap the benefits of both. Once your servers reach the limit of diminishing returns (no growth), you should simply start cloning them. This will allow you to keep a consistent architecture when adding new components, software, apps and users. For most individuals, problems arise from lack of resources not the inherent architecture of their cloud itself. A more diagonal approach should help you deal with the current and growing demands that you are facing.