Previous Question papers for MID & Comprehensive exam | Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani | Work Integrated Learning Programmes Division 2024
Cloud Computing (S2-23_CSIWZG527)
Q.1.M/s.Dspace technologies Ltd,New York branch office has many libraries, which are
running their institutional repositories at locally managed servers. UAL has been running its
repositories since 2004 as one of the earliest DSpace adapters. One of the DSpace instances
was tested on the cloud in January 2010 after comparing costs and supports. Later the architect
chose to run a production DSpace in AWS starting March 2010. The repository
(http://www.afghandata.org/) currently holds 1,800 titles of digitized unique Afghan materials.
Since then, several content and system updates have been applied. A typical DSpace instance
requires Java and related libraries, J2EE environment, and PostgreSQL as database backend.
Three cloud computing providers have been evaluated: AWS, Linode, and Google AppEngine.
Two instances were successfully installed and configured in AWS and Linode after a few days
of testing. Building a DSpace instance on the cloud is the same process as running it on local
except that it is much quicker to build, restart, rebuild, and backup. For example, an initial OS
installation in a traditional server will take a few hours compared to doing the same task that
takes a few minutes using an IaaS provider. Installation on the AWS EC2 and Linode is almost
the same except creating a login and setting up security policies. To log on to AWS, command
line tools using an X.509 certificate using Public/Private key are by default. A generated
keypair is required to SSH an instance and no password SSH option is provided. In addition,
appropriate “security groups” are required to set up to enable network protocols. In this case,
protocols such as SSH and HTTP along with typical port number 80 and 8080 must be enabled. Activities such as manage instances, creating images, and setup security policies can be set up
through AWS web interface .Steps and commands of running regular operations can be found
in the appendix. In Linode, using “root” to log on is allowed. Users do not need to set network
and security policies, as protocols and ports are already open. In system administration practice,
running applications without enforcing security policies does present security risks to
applications and systems. Linode allows users to set up security policies. The architect decided
not to proceed with installation in Google AppEngine because of its proprietary database GQL.
If implemented in Google AppEngine, the work of modification of SQL-stylecode would have
been significant. The architect has a monthly bill of $40 using an AWS small instance.
Answer the question based on the above scenario-Make your own assumptions if required
a. What is the main reason for running the DSpace repository on the cloud instead of locally managed servers?
b. Which cloud computing providers were evaluated for running the DSpace instance, and
which ones were ultimately chosen for installation?
c. How does building and managing a DSpace instance on the cloud differ from running it on
local servers in terms of speed and ease of tasks such as installation, restart, rebuild, and
backup?
d. What are the key requirements and components needed for setting up a typical DSpace
instance, including the programming language, environment, and database backend?
e. What are the similarities and differences in the installation process and security setup
between AWS EC2 and Linode for running the DSpace instance?
f. What are the necessary steps and protocols that need to be enabled to ensure network
connectivity and access to the DSpace instance in both AWS and Linode?
g. How does Linode handle security policies compared to AWS, and what potential security
risks are associated with not enforcing security policies in system administration practice?
h. Why did the architect decide not to proceed with installing the DSpace instance in Google
AppEngine, and what significant modifications would have been required if implemented?
i. What is the monthly cost incurred by the architect for running the DSpace instance on an
AWS small instance?
j. How has the DSpace repository evolved since its implementation, and what updates have
been applied to the content and system over time? [10 x 1=10 Marks]
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Web Technologies (S2-23_CSIWZG526)
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