Cloud computing is among the most talked-about buzzwords in the IT world right now. It has transformed our online experience as users and the way companies run their businesses. Cloud-based technologies are utilized to provide services like emails (e.g., Gmail), social networks, file storage (e.g., Dropbox), big data analytics, development and testing of software CRM (e.g., Salesforce), and more.
Whatever your experience (whether it’s an IT professional or financial analyst), being able to have a basic knowledge about cloud computing can be a significant skill.
The term “cloud computing” simply refers to the provisioning of computing systems resources (like storage servers, software, or databases) online (i.e., cloud) with no requirement for an internal infrastructure or any end-user management. The most common way to visualize it is as the fluffy blue (or white) cloud image.
Cloud computing’s advantages include scalability, reliability, flexibility, geographic independence, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, it allows users to use the most recent technology and ensures data security.
Types of Cloud Services
- Software as a Service (SaaS): It is the most notable out of three types of cloud computing since it involves the provision of apps or software over the internet. It uses a subscription model (either annually or monthly), which requires internet connectivity for users to connect to its services. The areas that are covered by software as a service are monitoring content for applications and finance, tools for communication collaborative technology, as well as services.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): is a cloud service that, in addition to providing the basic platform of virtual server drives for data storage and network, this kind of cloud service can also provide operating software and systems to the array of services offered to customers. It also offers a run- time environment that includes all the features required to allow an application or program to run. PaaS allows developers to concentrate on their applications and not worry about the tasks of acquisition and resource planning.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) IaaS: This type of cloud computing allows the possibility of providing a virtual infrastructure that replaces physical hardware for businesses looking for efficient IT solutions that are cost-effective. This type of cloud service offers the resources needed to provide high-performance computing. Additionally, it also provides backing up, data storage, and recovery for users. Infrastructure as a service offers the following services such as compute (i.e. resources such as virtual servers that are available on demand) as well as block storage (like drives for data storage that can be used to store data) as well as networks, which provide all the resources needed to provide users with the ability to network.
Cloud Deployment Models
There are many different cloud computing models based on the location where the infrastructure is and who controls it. Here are four major models that are associated with cloud computing:
- Public cloud: is the most widely used cloud deployment model, operated by third-party organizations that are also referred to as cloud service providers (such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud) and made accessible to the public or to a large industrial group through a pay-as-you-use model. Through public clouds, customers have access to computing resources such as hardware (operating system storage) or software (application server and database) at an affordable cost since there is no capital investment necessary. The most common uses for cloud computing include testing and development of applications as well as file sharing and storage as well as email service.
- Private cloud: is a cloud-based environment that is where the entire computing infrastructure is controlled and managed solely for one single entity, either by the company itself or a third-party provider. Private clouds are usually situated within a business’s data center; however they could also be created using existing infrastructure from an outside cloud service provider or on the infrastructure of a rented provider in the offsite facility. They tend to be more costly than public clouds because of the massive capital expenditures involved with their upkeep, maintenance and acquisition. Private clouds, however, provide businesses with greater security and privacy, as well as additional benefits like the ability to scale, flexibility, and complete control over both hardware and software options.
- Hybrid cloud: combines the best characteristics of both cloud services that are both private and public. Both kinds of cloud infrastructure are merged to create one. Businesses can protect sensitive data in their on-premises infrastructure and use their cloud-based public data center to access any additional storage, platform, or computing resources they require. This type of model is usually used for companies that need to rapidly increase the size of their IT infrastructure because it offers businesses greater flexibility as well as more deployment options.
It is important to note that hybrid clouds should not be confused with multi-cloud cloud infrastructure, which is a cloud-based service environment made up of more than one private and public cloud. Multi-cloud, which seeks to remove the dependence on a single cloud provider, is different from hybrid cloud in the sense that it is a reference to various cloud services instead of various deployment models. - Community cloud: is beneficial for organizations with the same goals and purposes, for example, schools and companies that merge. It’s a method of deployment where cloud infrastructure, managed internally or through an external third entity and hosted externally or internally and shared by various organizations belonging to a particular community sharing common interests. Community cloud refers to a central cloud infrastructure that allows businesses to collaborate on apps as well as projects within the community. The advantages of this model of deployment include sharing and security as well as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.
Specific characteristics of Cloud Computing
- Resource pooling: implies that the cloud service cloud provider’s infrastructure for computing is pooled to provide services to multiple companies. Cloud computing is a type of computing where resource consumption can rise or decrease as the customer’s demands change. Therefore cloud providers offer customers flexible and modular services that meet their requirements.
- Speed and Scalability: Scalability is the capacity to shrink or expand the computing infrastructure in the client’s changes in their needs, while rapid elasticity refers to the quick distribution of resources to meet the requirements of users. It is vital to ensure that providers of cloud services efficiently allocate resources and do so quickly, as their resources are viewed as an entire pool that can be split between clients according to needs.
- On-demand Self-Service: implies that users can automatize their requests according to their needs in computing without having to contact their cloud service providers. Cloud computing lets users use additional computing resources at any moment without needing to call cloud service suppliers.
- Broad Network Access: This means that computing resources will be accessible from any place (such as an office or at home) and can be accessed using a variety of Operating Systems (like Windows, mobile, or Lotus). Broad network access is among the most fundamental characteristics of cloud computing.
Conclusion
After we’ve presented the basic principles that cloud computing provides, we’ll look into cloud storage and cloud networking in a different article. For more information on cloud computing, check out these resources:
Microsoft Azure – A Beginner’s Guide
What is Cloud Computing? – Amazon AWS