Modeling for performance and security balanced trading communication systems in the cloud

Abstract

Moving Trading Communication Systems (TCSs) services to the cloud may seem to be a cost-effective choice. However, operating cloud-based TCSs across the Internet does face a number of challenges including availability, quality of service (QoS), performance and security issues. This research examines the feasibility for creation of a usable model to enable assessment of the design and implementation of TCSs in relation to both time-critical performance and appropriate security levels as TCSs are migrated to a public cloud environment. A real-world case study of a company operating a TCS, which is recently scheduled for movement to a public cloud, is used to enable assessment of a simulation system using OPNET. The simulation results show 1) that the performance of a cloud-based TCS may be inferior to traditional circuit-switched and leased-line-based TCSs, where equivalent services requirements and costs are involved; and 2) a methodology relevant to how to best manage and control a cloud-based TCS to realize true benefit while maintaining required level of QoS, performance and overall security is possible.