Cloud Computing, Web 2.0, and Inter-Process Communication

Posted on Feb 1, 2026 in Technology

Cloud Computing Fundamentals

Cloud computing is a technology that allows users to store, manage, and process data over the internet instead of using local computers or physical servers.

Key Features of Cloud Computing

  • Provides on-demand access to computing resources.
  • Reduces the need for expensive hardware.
  • Users pay only for what they use (pay-as-you-go).
  • Data can be accessed from anywhere with internet connectivity.

Types of Cloud Services

  • IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Virtual machines, storage.
  • PaaS (Platform as a Service): Development platforms.
  • SaaS (Software as a Service): Online software like Gmail, Google Drive.

Advantages

  • Cost-effective.
  • Highly scalable.
  • Reliable and secure.
  • Easy data backup and recovery.

Examples of Cloud Providers

  • Google Cloud
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure

Understanding Web 2.0

Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of the World Wide Web where websites became interactive, user-centered, and collaborative, instead of being static.

Role of Web 2.0

1. User Interaction

  • Users can create, share, and modify content.
  • Examples: comments, likes, reviews.

2. Content Creation & Sharing

  • Ordinary users can publish content easily.
  • Examples: blogs, videos, posts on social media.

3. Social Networking

  • Enables online communities and collaboration.
  • Examples: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

4. Collaboration & Communication

  • Supports real-time collaboration.
  • Examples: Google Docs, wikis.

5. Rich User Experience

  • Dynamic and responsive web pages.
  • Uses technologies like JavaScript, AJAX, APIs.

6. Data Sharing & Integration

  • Websites can share data using APIs.
  • Example: Google Maps integrated into other websites.

Examples of Web 2.0 Applications

  • Social media platforms
  • Blogs and wikis
  • Online forums
  • Video sharing sites (YouTube)

System Communication Mechanisms

1. IPC (Inter-Process Communication)

IPC is a mechanism that allows different processes running on the same computer to communicate and share data.

Purpose of IPC

  • Coordinate processes.
  • Share information.
  • Improve efficiency.

Common IPC Methods

  • Pipes
  • Message queues
  • Shared memory
  • Semaphores
  • Signals

Example: A text editor process sending data to a printer process on the same system.

2. RPC (Remote Procedure Call)

RPC is a communication technique that allows a program to call a procedure (function) on another computer over a network as if it were a local function.

Purpose of RPC

  • Enable communication in distributed systems.
  • Hide network complexity from programmers.

Key Features

  • Client–server model.
  • Network-based communication.
  • Location transparency.

Example: A client application requesting data from a remote server (e.g., calling a function on a web server).

Web Services Explained

A web service is a software system that allows different applications to communicate with each other over the internet, regardless of the programming language or platform they use. It enables machine-to-machine communication using standard web protocols.

Types of Web Services

1. SOAP Web Service (Simple Object Access Protocol)

  • Uses XML for message format.
  • Follows strict standards.
  • More secure and reliable.
  • Used in banking and enterprise systems.

Example: Online banking transactions.

2. REST Web Service (Representational State Transfer)

  • Uses HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
  • Lightweight and fast.
  • Uses formats like JSON or XML.
  • Most commonly used today.

Example: Weather API, Google Maps API.

Key Components of a Web Service

  • Service Provider: Provides the service.
  • Service Requester (Client): Uses the service.
  • Service Description: Explains how to use the service (WSDL in SOAP).