Cloud computing is a common term nowadays. You must have heard terms like, ‘data is stored in the cloud’, ‘access the data from the cloud’, etc. But what is this cloud?
Well, in simple terms, the cloud is a virtual space where it’s easy to store or access apps and services.
But why is it necessary?
It is essential because of various reasons. As evident, the world is turning digital, therefore, there is a shift from physical space to virtual space. Gone are the days when there were massive data storage devices. Now is the time for the cloud!
How does the cloud make your life easier?
- Cloud is infinite in size and there is no need to worry about storage.
- To access or store anything in the cloud, all you need is a good internet connection. Hence, you can use the cloud anywhere, anytime.
- There is no hassle to maintain it.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is simply the delivery of various computing services that include databases, software, networking, storage, analytics, servers, etc.
Users only have to pay for the cloud services they use. It reduces the overall operating costs and helps to run the business efficiently.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
There are several reasons for companies turning to cloud computing services. We are enlisting those points below:
- Cost
- Speed
- Performance
- Storage
- Scalability
- Security
- Reliability
1. Cost
One of the most incredible benefits of cloud computing is the elimination of capital expenses. There is no need to buy hardware and software setups for running data centres. Cloud provides infinite storage virtually.
2. Speed
It is possible to access huge amounts of data and computing resources in just a few clicks. This way the user can retrieve data very quickly. It provides flexibility to businesses and speeds up the entire process.
3. Performance
Cloud computing services run on a vast network of secure data centres. All such data centres are updated regularly as per the new innovations released frequently. In addition, this provides a single data centre that results in reducing the network latency for apps.
4. Storage
Cloud provides infinite storage capacity. It is a great deal of comfort and puts pressure off the user to worry about needing extra space.
5. Scalability
Cloud services provide excellent scalability. Moreover, it delivers the desired bandwidth, storage, and computing power, as per the requirements of the user from any location.
6. Security
Cloud providers offer a great set of security services, technologies, and policies that will secure and protect your apps.
7. Reliability
Cloud computing provides users with data backup and data recovery. This is highly convenient in case the data goes corrupt. Therefore, users can rely on the cloud for their data.
Types of Cloud Computing
There are different types of cloud computing so different features or services can cater to different individual needs.
There are 3 types of cloud services:
- Public
- Private
- Hybrid
1. Public cloud
Third-party cloud service providers own public clouds. The primary objective is to deliver computing resources online.
For instance, Microsoft Azure is a public cloud where the cloud provider manages the entire infrastructure i.e., software and hardware. These can be accessed through your system via a web browser and good internet connectivity.
2. Private Cloud
A private cloud is owned by an organisation or a business. Sometimes, the companies also contact third parties to manage the cloud services for them. This is a very common approach and various firms do this.
In addition, a private cloud can also be located at the company’s physical data centre.
3. Hybrid cloud
The combination of public and private clouds refers to a hybrid cloud.
It helps the data to shift between the private and public cloud. Furthermore, it provides better flexibility and deployment methods. You can also expect great security options and compliance.
Types of Cloud Services
There are 4 major categories of cloud services:
- IaaS
- SaaS
- PaaS
- Serverless
1. IaaS
IaaS or Infrastructure as a service, it offers cloud computing services that offer computing resources as per your demand on a pay-as-you-go basis. It is possible to get storage, servers, networks, virtual machines, etc. from the cloud provider.
If you choose to keep your organisation’s infrastructure to an IaaS solution, you save a lot of money, get away from maintaining the data centres, and get flexibility.
IaaS providers offer services to the companies such as:
- Log access
- Detailed billing
- Monitoring
- Clustering
- Security
Advantages of IaaS
- It is easier for organisations to operate without the infrastructure where you have to buy, manage, and support everything.
- With IaaS, a company can rent the infrastructure from another company or business at their convenience.
- It is best for business models that are temporary or in the experimental stage.
2. SaaS
Software as a service or SaaS is also called on-demand software. In this model, a cloud service provider hosts the services for the company. The users can avail the facilities by accessing the internet. There is no need to install any software on the devices.
Here is a list of a few services provided by SaaS providers:
- Business services
- Social networks
- Mail services
- Document management
Advantages of SaaS
- SaaS is simple to purchase.
- No need for client-side installation.
- API integration.
- Support on multiple devices such as tablets, laptops, phones, etc.
- Less hardware requirement.
- Less maintenance
3. PaaS
PaaS or platform as a service helps programmers to create, run, or test web applications by purchasing these apps from a cloud service provider.
The infrastructure is inclusive of servers, networking platforms, database management systems, etc. in addition, the most famous examples of this kind of cloud service model are Azure, Google App Engine, Joyent, etc.
The major provisions bye PaaS are listed below:
- Programming languages.
- Application frameworks.
- Databases.
- Other tools are required for deploying applications.
Advantages of PaaS
- No need for software or hardware infrastructure. A user only requires a good internet connection to operate.
- The scalability of applications is excellent.
- The online communities help the PaaS vendors in case of queries.
- Provision of some predefined business functionality.
4. Serverless
Serverless computing provides backend services. These providers help the users to write and deploy code without the worry of proper infrastructure.
However, the name serverless does not mean that there are no physical servers. It just means that there is no requirement for much physical presence and assistance.
Moreover, a cloud provider assists in scaling the server infrastructure as well as maintaining it. After the successful deployment of applications, they run as per demand and scale up and down accordingly.
There are two categories of serverless computing:
- Backend-as-a-Service: BaaS provides access to third-party services and applications.
- Function-as-a-Service: In FaaS, The developers create logic to be deployed in containers that are managed by a platform. It can be further used for execution by companies.
The best case for serverless applications for the use cases involves scheduled tasks, chatbots, data streams, etc.
Conclusion
Cloud computing is running strong and is here to rule. It is the best business solution for upcoming innovative technologies. Due to the elimination of physical data centres, virtual storage is the need of the hour and comes up with abundant benefits that can result in scalability and exponential growth of a business.
In this article, we discussed the ins and outs of cloud computing, its advantages and its different types.
We hope that you found this article helpful and informative. In case of any queries, do let us know in the comment section below.
Adios!