Cloud computing  is practice of using computing resources hosted on the Internet. These services are offered from variousdata centers all over the world, which are referred to as the “cloud.”The word “cloud” represents the intangible, yet universal nature of the Internet. Just to give you an example you might have some media content on facebook like pictures and some of these media contents might be stored in different locations by Facebook but you can still access them over the internet without knowing the location where that media content is stored. Cloud service model is composed of five essential characteristics three service models and four deployment methods

Essential Characteristics

On-demand self-service.

This cloud service allows users to obtain, configure and deploy cloud services automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.

Broad network access

Broad network access refers to cloud resources hosted in a private cloud network (securely protected resource) that are available for access from a wide range of devices, such as smartphones, PCs, Macs and tablets. These resources are also accessible from a wide range of locations that offer online access.

Resource pooling

The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple users using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned according to consumer demand.C loud computing promotes location independence, the customers generally have no control or know over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or data center). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory, and network bandwidth.

Rapid elasticity

The capabilities of this cloud service can be elastically provisioned and released automatically, this cloud feature can scale up rapidly outward and inward commensurate with Business demand. To the users, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.

Measured service

Cloud services automatically control and optimize resource use by implementing a metering capability appropriate to type of service that it is used for. Resource usage can controlled, monitored and reported.

Cloud service models

Software as a Service (SaaS)

This means the service provided to the user is to use cloud service provider’s application running on cloud infrastructure. The applications can be accessed from various client devices such as web browser or computer application interface. the users do not have to manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including servers,networks, storage and operating system.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

The functionality provided to users is to implement user created application using a programming language, libraries, services and tools provided by cloud service provider. The users don’t need to worry about managing  the
cloud infrastructure but they have control deployed software application and its configuration.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

The cloud service functionality given to the user is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where users are able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications.
the users have no control over the management and maintenance of cloud infrastructure but users have control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications.

Deployment Models

Private cloud

The deployment of this cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by single organization including multiple users. this service can be privately owned and managed by an organization, a third party or combination of the two.

Community cloud.

The cloud infrastructure is deployed for exclusive use by a specific community of consumers from various organizations that have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations).
This cloud service deployment can be managed internally or by a third-party and hosted internally or externally. The service costs are spread over fewer users than a public cloud (but more than a private cloud), so only some of the cost savings potential of cloud computing are realized

Public cloud

The cloud infrastructure is deployed for open use by the general public. It may be owned, managed, and operated by a business, academic, or government organization, or some combination of them. It is implemented on the premises of the cloud provider.

Hybrid cloud

The deployment of hybrid cloud service is the composition of at least one private cloud and at least one public cloud. A hybrid cloud is typically offered in one of two ways, a vendor has a private cloud and forms a partnership with a public cloud provider, or a public cloud provider forms a partnership with a vendor that provides private cloud platforms.

Most of internet traffic between African countries goes through Europe and The US, this means if user in one African country calls internet data in another African country, the request first goes to Europe or the US and the requested data is then routed back to the user in the first country who made the request. This make the communication very expensive.

With the implementation of EASSY African countries including Somalia will have fast network that will facilitate transmission of voice, data of various bandwidths, Internet and television signals. The fiber optic network extends from Mtunzini (South Africa) northward through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea to Port Sudan. So advantage of having this fast network means a lot to the people of east Africa including Somalia, it reduces internet service cost and creates job opportunities for local people in the countries involved including Somalia.

Who are the major players for this project?

The EASSY project is funded by World Bank and twenty eight well established regional telecommunication companies, among those is Dalkom,an Integrated telecommunication Solutions provider based in Mogadishu and Nairobi.