Question:

Please write a short paper on ONE of the investigation topics listed below. Your paper should be between one and two pages in length (single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font) not counting the references. Please list all sources used for your investigation, using APA formatting for your in-text Citations and the References at the end of your paper. Please be careful to cite all your sources so as not to unintentionally plagiarize.

(1) Research How Media Providers Use Cloud Services

Abstract: Entertainment Media has been adopting Internet based delivery since the turn of the millennium. Netflix was one of the first major movie services to move from CD/DVD based media to an Internet model. As the bandwidth multiplied at the user's end, the acceptability of this option all but obliterated services such as Blockbuster and the thousands of small town video stores. Even the remaining services like RedBox are using alternative options allowing customers to reserve movies at the local grocery store/gas station by renting them online and then picking them up.

Your challenge in this research is to identify exactly how Netflix and Amazon compete with each other to deliver movies from the 'Cloud'.

Who owns the hardware that they contract for?

How do they pay for bandwidth?

What happens when someone purchases a movie vs renting one?

How might YouTube become a disruptor for these providers with its ad-based model? How does YouTube host its movies and who owns YouTube?

How are these services different from iTunes?

If you worked for one of these media providers, what could you see as some concerns for these cloud based models?

(2) SaaS for Various Industries

1. Search the web and list a SaaS provider for each of the following industries. Make sure you describe their services offered.
   1. Sales and customer relationship management
   2. Accounting
   3. Income tax filing
   4. Web-based meetings
   5. Human resources
   6. Payroll processing
   7. Backup automations
   8. Office document creation
   9. Social networking
2. Define and describe the mashup concept in cloud computing.
3. List and describe the advantages and disadvantages of using SaaS solutions.

(3) PaaS Solutions

1. Describe the advantages and the disadvantages of PaaS solutions.
2. Assume your company must deploy a PHP or Java or .NET solution to the cloud. Discuss the options available to developers. Research on the web and estimate the costs associated with deploying a PaaS solution.

(4) IaaS Implementations

1. Describe the advantages and the disadvantages of IaaS solutions.
2. Define and describe load balancing. Discuss how you might use IaaS to implement load balancing.
3. Define and describe system redundancy. Discuss how you might use IaaS to implement system redundancy.
4. Compare and contrast physical, dedicated virtual vs. shared virtual servers. Search the web for companies that provide each. About what cost should a customer expect to pay for each?