| dc.description.abstract | This study investigates different cloud service providers (CSPs) and their deployment platforms in terms of user friendliness and experience. With the help of Docker virtualization, allowing to create an isolated environment, the application deployment process can be replicated on different platforms and prevent technical issues linked to the underlying technical configurations of a CSP. It further allows for non-technical users to choose their CSP based on requirements other than the necessary technical aspects and deploy their applications. To ensure a higher level of user experience (UX) and accessibility for application deployment, we investigate ways of optimizing cloud operations. Docker is used to create a container image along with Docker Compose to define multi-container applications. The Docker Compose files are created as base files for further development with a production and development environment. Using these files, an evaluation is conducted on the features, services, and deployment processes of different CSPs. We conducted a deployment test using both a web-based GUI and a terminal for the CSP, which resulted in a consistent and comparable deployment. As discovered through testing, using the developed Dockerfiles prevent certain issues of the technical infrastructures of CSPs. As part of the thesis, a subjective user study is conducted consisting of a pre-questionnaire, a deployment guide and a post-questionnaire involving System Usability Scale (SUS). This user study uses the Huldra application for deployment on a CSP named Render. The pre-questionnaire responses regarding familiarity with computer science, application deployment, and Docker did not appear to significantly impact the deployment time. We also analyzed the relationship between the variables in terms of time and difficulty level of each deployment step were we found few significant trends. We also found low ratings of difficulty throughout the user study and a high mean score in participants responses with respect to user experience. | en_US |
