Cloud infrastructure planning considering the impact of maintenance and self-healing routines over cost and dependability attributes

Cloud computing has become the leading paradigm for internet service provisioning, attracting more adopters daily. Service providers face high costs related to acquisition and implementation, making outsourced maintenance a cost-effective alternative, especially for small infrastructures. This paper evaluates infrastructure reliability and the impact of outsourced maintenance on private cloud availability, with a focus on blockchain as a service. By modelling service and maintenance routines, the findings are applicable to various cloud services. The study assesses maintenance strategies - reactive, preventive, and self-healing - within Service Level Agreements. Results indicate that preventive and self-healing maintenance offer a better cost-benefit balance compared to traditional reactive methods. However, the optimal approach depends on the provider's available resources. This research helps small-scale service providers choose cost-efficient maintenance strategies while ensuring high availability.