1. To provide students with the opportunity to investigate cloud architectures and foundations so that they obtain a comprehensive understanding of the process of building cloud based infrastructure services and applications.

2.To provide a comprehensive and systematic understanding of cloud architecture models.

3. A critical and wide ranging understanding of cloud industry standardisation, middleware platforms and cloud provider platforms.

(M1) A comprehensive ability to explain key concepts and major application areas in the context of cloud computing.

(M2) An ability to analyse and critically compare cloud computing solutions.

(M3) A deep and systematic understanding of the mechanisms that can be used to realise cloud computing solutions to IT problems

(S1) Communication skills in electronic as well as written form.

(S2) Self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.

(S3) An ability to act autonomously and professionally when planning and implementing solutions to computer science problems.

(S4) Experience of working in development teams, respecting others, co-operating, negotiating/persuading, awareness of interdependence with others.

Week 1: Cloud Computing Foundation .
Cloud Computing definition, reference architecture, general use case analysis, cloud scaling. Cloud properties, cloud benefits and cloud challenges. Cloud stakeholders and roles.

Week 2: Cloud Architectures and Cloud Platforms.
Cloud computing enabling technologies. Virtualisation platforms. Cloud related standards. Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud (TOSCA); Open Cloud Computing Interface (OCCI); Lower layer standards.

Week 3: Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS architectures and models, cloud management functions and API, security groups and virtual machine images. Storage file system types: persistent object storage and block storage; storage virtualisation. Custom and large scale deployment, deployment management tools. Re-factoring applications for clouds and cloud aware design; example IaaS service design.

Week 4: Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS architectur e components: code containers, queues, data structures, databases, load balancers. PaaS services composition and management. Example Cloud PaaS design, service patterns and custom service composition, service deployment, service monitoring, and adaptive load balancing and elasticity.

Week 5: Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) and application clouds.
Overview of SaaS and application clouds: components, services and usage models. Overview and analysis of example SaaS applications.

Week 6: Cloud Security, data protection and privacy, access control and identity management. Cloud security and privacy challenges; existing architectures, solutions and methods, access control and security policies. Identity management in clouds. Secure platforms and secure virtualised environment. Overview security models by major cloud providers.

Week 7: Cloud construction, cloud interoperability, migration enterprise infrastructure to clouds. Cloud management software overview covering functionality, components, tools, configuration examples and design patterns.

Week 8: Cloud infrastructure management, system/service compliance and assurance. IT management issues for clouds, cloud economics, cloud compliance, existing standards and industry practices, cloud dependability. Example compliance for clouds.

The mode of delivery is by online learning, facilitated by a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This mode of study enables students to pursue modules via home study while continuing in employment. Module delivery involves the establishment of a virtual classroom in which a relatively small group of students (usually 10-25) work under the direction of a faculty member. Module delivery proceeds via a series of eight one-week online sessions, each of which comprises an online lecture, supported by other eLearning activities, posted electronically to a public folder in the virtual classroom. The mode of learning includes a range of required and optional eLearning activities, including but not limited to: lecture casts, live seminars, self-assessment opportunities, and required and suggested further reading and try-for-yourself activities. Communication within the virtual classroom is asynchronous, preserving the requirement that students are able to pursue the module in their own time, within the weekly time-frame of each online session. An important element of the module provision is active learning through collaborative, cohort-based, learning using discussion fora where the students engage in assessed discussions facilitated by the faculty member responsible for the module. This in turn encourages both confidence and global citizenship (given the international nature of the online student body).