Learning cloud computing and security through CloudSim simulation

Abstract

Cloud computing is an emerging parallel and distributed service-oriented computing paradigm that provides platform service, software service, and infrastructure service through computing resource virtualization. Cloud computing is fast evolving and growing and is rapidly transforming the IT service industry. Many universities are offering or planning to offer cloud computing courses to meet the growing demand for cloud computing professionals. Some of them focus on big data processing programming using MapReduce with service charges from public cloud service, while many others teach cloud computing as a seminar type class without any hands-on lab exercises. A hands-on labware will be a big plus for teaching and learning cloud computing. This paper proposes a cloud computing labware with the open source CloudSim (Cloud modeling and simulation toolkit) and its extension projects to enhance computer science and information technology student learning. The proposed labware will support learning not only on MapReduce programming model but also on important topics including cloud principles, concepts, architecture, loadbalancing, and task scheduling. The proposed labware has been implemented in a cross-listed course (as both an undergraduate course and a graduate course) in two sections (hybrid section and fully-online section). Survey results show that participating students highly appreciate the proposed labware in promoting their interest and academic progress in studying Cloud computing/security.