You may have heard the term “cloud computing” but may not be sure what it means.

Cloud computing is a term used to describe the use of technology to store and access data and applications over the internet. This can include anything from using email to storing files on a remote server, to using software that is hosted in the cloud.

In this guide, we’ll explain what cloud computing is and how it can be used. We’ll also cover some of the benefits of using cloud-based services, and some of the potential risks.

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a way to use technology to make it easier for you to access the internet from anywhere. With this technology, you can store your data online, so you can access it from any device with an internet connection.

Think about it like this: instead of having a bunch of different apps on your phone that all take up space, you can just use one app that stores everything in the cloud. That way, you can access your data from your phone, your laptop, or even your TV. And, if you need more storage space, you can just buy more storage in the cloud.

It’s a really convenient way to use technology, and it’s becoming more and more popular. So, if you’re not already using cloud computing, now is a great time to start!

Benefits of Cloud Computing

✓ Cost Savings

With cloud computing, you only pay for the resources you use. It eliminates the capital expense of purchasing hardware and software as well as establishing and operating on-site datacenters—the racks of servers, round-the-clock electricity for power and cooling, and IT experts to manage the infrastructure. All these add up really fast. So even if you have a sudden spike in traffic, you won’t have to pay for extra servers to accommodate it. This can lead to significant cost savings.

✓ Flexibility

The flexibility of elastic scaling is one of the advantages of cloud computing services. In the context of the cloud, this refers to providing the appropriate level of IT resources at the appropriate time and from the appropriate location, such as more or less computing power, storage, and bandwidth. This means you can scale up or down as needed, and only pay for the resources you use.

✓ Disaster Recovery and Data Security

With cloud computing, your data is stored off-site, so it’s protected in the event of a disaster. In order to improve your overall security posture and safeguard your data, apps, and infrastructure from potential threats, many cloud providers offer a wide range of policies, technologies, and controls.

✓ Better Performance

The largest cloud computing services are powered by a global network of safe datacenters that are routinely updated with the newest models of quick and effective computing gear. In comparison to a single corporate datacenter, this has a number of advantages, including lower network latency for applications and greater economies of scale.

✓ Increased Collaboration

Cloud computing makes it easy for employees to collaborate on projects. They can share files and work on them together in real-time, regardless of location.

✓ Speed

Since the majority of cloud computing services are self-service and on demand, even large quantities of computing resources may be deployed in minutes, usually with just a few mouse clicks. This gives enterprises a great deal of flexibility and relieves the burden of capacity planning.

✓ Productivity

Hardware installation, software patching, and other time-consuming IT management tasks are frequently needed for on-site datacenters. Many of these duties are no longer necessary thanks to cloud computing, freeing up IT employees’ time to focus on more crucial business objectives.

Cloud Deployment Types

Now, you know what cloud computing is and how it works. Let’s dive into the different types of cloud deployment models. This is where things can get a little confusing, but don’t worry, I’ll explain it all in layman’s terms.

There are three main types of cloud deployment models: public, private, and hybrid.

• Public clouds are owned and operated by a third-party cloud service providers, which deliver their computing resources like servers and storage over the Internet. A prime illustration of a public cloud is Microsoft Azure. With a public cloud, the cloud provider owns and manages all of the hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure. Using a web browser, you can get to these services and control your account. Other examples include Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• A private cloud is a set of cloud computing services used solely by one company or organization. An on-site datacenter of the business may serve as the physical home of a private cloud. Additionally, some businesses pay outside service providers to host their private clouds. A private cloud is one where the infrastructure and services are kept up on a private network. Examples of private cloud providers are VMware, IBM, Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE) among others.
• Hybrid clouds are a combination of both public and private clouds. This means that an organization can store some data on a public cloud and some data on a private cloud. A good example of a hybrid cloud providers include Amazon, Google together with Cisco, Microsoft using Azure Stack and so on.

Cloud Computing Models

We’ve answered the question “what is cloud computing?”. Now, it’s time to dive a little deeper and explore the different models of cloud computing.

The three most common models of cloud computing are:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): IaaS is a cloud computing model that provides customers with access to infrastructure resources, such as servers, storage, and networking. With IaaS, businesses can scale their infrastructure up or down as needed, without having to make significant upfront investments.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): PaaS is a cloud computing model that provides customers with access to a platform for developing, testing, and deploying applications. PaaS platforms typically include everything that is needed to build an application, including database, web server, and application server.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): SaaS is a cloud computing model that provides customers with access to software applications. SaaS applications are usually delivered over the internet and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Uses of Cloud Computing

So, what are some specific uses of cloud computing? Well, there are a lot, but here are a few of the most popular:

• Online Data Storage

Data including files, photos, audio files, and movies can be stored and accessed via cloud computing. In the era of big data, it costs more and takes up more space to locally store vast amounts of corporate data. Businesses can store and retrieve data using a variety of devices using cloud storage in this situation.

• Backup and Recovery

Cloud service providers provide secure backup and storage for data and resources. In a conventional computing system, data backup is a challenging issue that frequently results in data loss that cannot be recovered. However, in the event of a disaster, data may be rapidly restored with little damage thanks to cloud computing.

• Developing and Testing

The simplest method for product testing and development is provided by cloud computing applications. Such an environment would be time-consuming, costly to set up in terms of IT resources and infrastructure, and labor-intensive using conventional approaches. But with cloud computing, companies can access scalable and adaptable cloud services that they may utilize for product creation, testing, and deployment.

• Antivirus Software

Cloud antivirus software, which is kept in the cloud and monitors and removes viruses and malware from an organization’s system, is a product of cloud computing. Previously, businesses had to install antivirus software to their systems in order to identify security threats.

• E-commerce Program

Ecommerce customers and e-businesses can react swiftly to possibilities as they arise thanks to cloud-based ecommerce solutions. It provides corporate executives a fresh method for getting things done quickly and efficiently. They manage customer data, product data, and other operational systems in cloud settings.

• Educational Use of Cloud Computing

Some of the most significant developments brought about by cloud computing applications in the education sector include e-learning, online distance learning programs, and student information portals. Students, professors, and researchers are given a welcoming atmosphere for learning, teaching, and experimenting in this new learning environment so they can connect to the cloud of their institution and access data and information.

FAQs About Cloud Computing

Q: What is cloud computing?

A: Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.

Q: What are the characteristics of cloud computing?

A: Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services). It typically involves using the Internet for good old fashioned resource sharing.

Q: What are the benefits of cloud computing?

A: There are many benefits of cloud computing which includes online storage of data including files, photos, videos and documents; secure backup and storage for data and resources, a platform for testing and developing applications; lower cost of running operations, increased productivity and flexibility.

Conclusion

Now that you know what cloud computing is, the next step is to learn about the benefits of cloud computing. After that, you can start exploring the different types of cloud deployments and models. Finally, you can begin thinking about how you can use cloud computing in your business or personal life.

If you have further questions about cloud computing, get in touch with us. Or visit our website for information on other tech solutions.