The Differences Between SLA-Based and Consumer-Centric Dynamic Provisioning for Cloud Infrastructure

Cloud provisioning refers to the processes through which a cloud provider allocates resources and services to the customer. In general, this includes setting up resources for:

• Servers
• Users
• Networking
• Database and storage
• Services
• Others, upon need

There have been several approaches to this requirement, but Dynamic provisioning involves the flexible deployment of resources to match the customer’s fluctuating demands. In today’s data centers, virtualization and containers are the tendencies, leading to an elastic resource allocation. In essence, the cloud provider will increase and decrease the number of servers assigned to individual applications depending on workload changes. Concepts like Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or even Infrastructure as Code (IaC) are common in data center technology today.

This new environment raises serious concerns among customers on what to expect from their Cloud providers regarding service availability and performance, as standard Terms and Conditions were not designed for this new paradigm.

As stated by Anna Liu and Sherif Sakr in their paper “SLA-Based and Consumer-Centric Dynamic Provisioning for Cloud Databases,” allocation of cloud resources can now be seen into account Service Level Agreements (SLA) or a customer-centric approach.

Here is what to know about these two concepts. Which one is best for you will depend on your specific business environment. We just present a brief introduction to each one:

SLA-Based provisioning in cloud computing

SLA is simply an agreement that is negotiated and signed between a cloud service provider and the client. Today, these contracts are standardized and will specify what is expected of both parties, contain clear deliverables, and outline a plan to overcome challenges. The agreement aims to ensure service quality, effectively promote customer satisfaction, and increase profit for the service provider. Generally, the standardized agreement will be in place until the client becomes a large consumer of cloud services.

There are several parameters that Service Level Agreements specify. When the cloud service provider fails to meet the set targets, they will be required to pay the client the penalty specified in the contract.

Below are the metrics to monitor:

• Availability of the service: Depending on your needs and the service you choose, you will want to track the amount of time the service is available for use.
• Performance: It would be essential to focus on latency, maximum response times, defect rates, and overall technical quality.
• Data security: Considering how costly application and network security breaches can be, you will want to make sure there are adequate preventive measures to minimize the risk of such incidences.
• Accountability of the parties: Both the cloud service provider and end-user have to play their part to ensure the defined deliverables are met in a good time.
• Business results: Considering the critical role that IT plays in business operations, you should use your key performance indicators to establish the vendor’s contribution to helping you achieve the desired business results.

Customer-centric cloud provisioning

Today, more and more businesses depend on IT. However, many of these businesses cannot articulate the business value they derive from the cloud. Just as the name suggests, customer-centric cloud provisioning is concerned with what the cloud means to customers. The approach focuses on understanding customers and their expectations to contribute to their end goals.

There are several metrics for success you should pay attention to when it comes to customer-centric cloud provisioning. Here are a few.

• Agility: As a business, you should go for scalable and agile cloud provisioning services that will support your growth and changing needs over time.
• Efficiency: Here, you may want to focus on whether the solution enhances efficiency and the overall customer experience. Customer experience is closely linked to the number of assigned leases and those associated with automatic fulfillment.
• Flexibility: Flexibility refers to how long it takes from when a request is received to the reconfiguration of a virtual resource.
• Reliability: A reliable solution will ensure the successful submission of requests for fulfillment without incident or human intervention.
• Economic feasibility: You will also want to check whether this approach helps your profit business’s profit strategy. All the advantages associated with customer-centric dynamic provisioning should translate to tangible results.

Dynamic provisioning of cloud resources allows for the adjustment of deployments based on demand. Similarly, customers are billed on a pay-per-use basis.

To enjoy the associated benefits, you should select the right cloud service provider.

At Intraway, we provide agile, standards-based solutions to help businesses grow. Contact us today to learn more.