Cloud Computing Reference Architecture (CCRA)

The IBM cloud computing reference architecture (CCRA) (figure below), introduces the fundamental component of cloud environment. The structure of this architecture is modular. It defines the fundamental architectural components which underpin and provide guidelines for creating a cloud environment.

In this architecture there are three main roles, each of which present a single person or organizations and sub-roles which may be defined, based on project scenarios.

• A cloud service consumer role consumes cloud service instances.
• Cloud service provider has responsible to supply and/or provide cloud services. This role and its sub-roles are defined by ownership of a common cloud management platform (CCMP).
• The cloud service creator is responsible for creating services in cloud environments.

The core components of this architecture are mainly cloud services, common cloud management platform and infrastructure. Cloud services may represent any type of IT capability which is provided for cloud consumers. The management functions for cloud services are defined as part of CCMP. As can be seen in the figure, the internal components of CCMP are categorized in operational support services (OSS) and business support services (BSS) and this component include processes and services which are required for cloud management.

The purpose of the IBM CCRA is to provide a design blueprint for:

• Cloud services, offered to customers
• Private, public or hybrid cloud projects
• Workload-optimized systems
• Enabling the management of multiple cloud services (across all the as-a-service processes including infrastructure, platform, software, and business) based on the same, common management platform for enabling economies of scale.

The IBM Cloud Computing Reference Architecture (CCRA) is an endeavor wherein IBM has distilled experiences from cloud engagements and experts across the globe into best practices, formalized through a common services method framework. Initially, the CCRA focused on the infrastructure as a service (IaaS) layer and the decomposition of its cloud management layer into the Business Support Services (BSS) and Operations Support Services (OSS) components. This was done to be able to scope client solutions properly. Subsequently, with each version the CCRA was extended both in terms of depth and breadth. It has been drilled down to the physical level with concrete product recommendations and includes layers beyond IaaS.