Cloud Computing and Software Engineering Thesis

Verification of graduation certificates using traditional methods fails to give the capacity to have the documents verified in time. The traditional paper-based document verification gives difficulty to recruiters to know the validity of the documents since no instant authentication means is present. Studies reveal according to Association of Certified Fraud Examiners some approximately 41% of applicants falsify of their education. Following an estimate, it has resumed on fraud costs to employers costing them annually $600 billion. Cloud computing a modern technology solves the issue of verification of graduation certificates by creating convenience, accuracy, and speed in verification. For this study, the proposed new model for graduation certificates verification would be the reference model in cloud computing that focuses on hybrid techniques. The model would have a combination of more computational techniques to make provision of greater advantages and enhancement in data analysis. Apart from that, the proposed model reference would operate on the basis of cloud computing. In this case, the model will be installed and have cloud host it. Cloud hosts it because it gives users access to their verified documents through the use of devices like desktops or laptops through the web. For Cloud computing, it instantly verifies the documents upon an assurance of data integrity and its security. For this case, the computational technique will involve methods like checksumming, use of third-party auditors or mirroring. The involvement of these methods will serve to ensure data in this case the graduation certificates are not compromised whatsoever by users who probably may desire to falsify the documents. Furthermore for this cloud computing that focuses on hybrid techniques will also involve capability of users to track their certificates in instances of data integrity violation.

Today graduation certificates verification has become a significant task to certify the genuineness of the holder. The methods in use happen to be manual to involve human interaction although it is time-consuming and tedious, thus the evolvement of currently the cloud-based certificate verification. It serves as one of the current best practice since it gives a highly scalable IT infrastructure as well as a platform. The cloud service comes in three models the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) and IaaS (Infrastructures-as-Service).All these models make provision of different capabilities to consumers.For instance, for the SaaS, it gives the user capability in managing or somewhat controlling other cloud infrastructure like servers, operating prototypes, network or storage. It does so with the possible exception of configuration settings of the limited user-specific application. As for PaaS on the other hand controls deployed applications for the application hosting environment that happens to be cloud-based. As for IaaS, it gives the consumer ability to run and deploy arbitrary soft wares like on applications like the graduation certificates verification or operating prototypes. From these service models, therefore, cloud computing services evolve like the emergence of private cloud. Other existing techniques include cryptography techniques incorporated with cloud services. From such a model it improves on the certificate validation following it checks on security, confidentiality, and validity. From the cryptography techniques, it addresses the objectives of security like data integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation of the graduation document. The cryptography technique comes in two basic techniques of having a secret key and public key. Although from the technique since still documents can get forged then application of generating an authorization code is key. The transaction authorization code is used in validating and verifying graduation certificates. However upon review of best practices currently in use in cloud computing to certificate verification there still exists research gaps. The study will give solutions on the various models fit for graduation certificate verification as well as identify on methods or technologies to be deployed on the cloud for graduation certificate verification.

Upon review of the study in Cloud computing, it has no exception on security issues which is within the context of the study of document verification. Cloud computing has long been in existence in the early sixties and comprises of various technologies inclusive of grid computing, parallel computing, utility computing and service-oriented architecture. According to studies by Luis et al cloud computing comprises of many other technologies that see off the document verification task. It also includes the authorization methods to have cloud customers or users have control over data deployed in the cloud. Various studies have proven the essence of this method upon its provision of the pluggable interface that serves as customer module of security. Whereby when a user deploys the application of document verification the cloud administrator makes its allocation to a processors or memory that sees off the customers' data application for verification. Most scholars have defined cloud as being all about SaaS, web services, PaaS, and internet integration. While for Wang and Laszewski cloud computing involves the provision of scalable, normally personalized computing platforms that own a set of network-enabled services and its accessibility is pervasively and simply. That gave room to other studies to identifying the cloud computing characteristics that ensure the task of document verification is a success. According to Grance et al, the characteristics included on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service. More so cloud computing technologies have advanced and regarding studies by Luis et al cloud computing involves many technologies. It makes the access of cloud easy for users and makes it also efficient.

On evaluation by experimentation of the reference model for document verification in cloud computing the process involves three parties one the owner of the document, the issuer of the document it could be the university and lastly the verifier probably a company employer. The cloud-based on hybrid technique combats any forgery from the certificates and confidentiality of the information preserved. The cloud-based method generates for the university a secret key to be used by each graduate needing certification. The graduate later generates the TAC and submits to the verifier to verify the document. The graduate will use a means of providing the cloud system with two primary inputs that are the serial number of the certificate and the secret key. The TAC is mainly for reasons of security and ensuring its validity. It is the main verifier concern to certify the certificate if it comes from the real ownership. To hindering potential inaccuracy, therefore, all certification of documents would instead go with the online based system of cloud computing. As it is a system that cuts on instances of forgeries on graduation certificates improving overall on the quality of services offered for example from educational institutions like universities because it ensures documents security, confidentiality as well as validity.