Cloud Computing Evolution

The cloud has become more popular as companies continue to innovate and adapt to changes in today's technology. But what exactly is the cloud? For those who are still not familiar with the cloud, it's basically just a metaphor for the internet. It goes way back to how the internet was often represented in flowcharts. When the big infrastructure of the internet was often seen as just a cloud floating in the air.

The process of storing and accessing data over the internet instead of a physical data server is called cloud computing. Now organizations of different sizes and industries are moving to the cloud. Using it to deliver different types of services over the internet. From data storage to analytics. Even when you are using your mobile app or watching your favorite Netflix shows. Almost everything can be delivered through the cloud.

Benefits of the cloud

More and more organizations are now moving to the cloud because of the many benefits of using it.

1. Stable and secure - Data security and compliance can be such a headache for most companies. These problems can now be passed to the cloud as cloud providers offer a stable and secure environment for your business needs.

2. Adaptable - Being agile is important in running a business. Cloud providers allow companies to quickly experiment with new markets and experience which development path is best for the company.

3. Fast and scalable - Cloud providers allow even small retailers to cope with a sudden peak in demand without having to pay for higher services. Having a high scalability means faster progress.

Cloud service models

Here are the four different kinds of service models the cloud has to offer:

SaaS

SaaS is an acronym for Software as a service. It is a cloud-based service where you access an application over the internet instead of downloading and installing the software on your computer. Think of all the complicated and time-consuming installation process. Or the strict contracts you need to follow to use certain software on your computer. All that can now be a thing in the past, as SaaS takes over and provide you with a more flexible and budget-friendly system.

Advantages of SaaS

• Accessibility - One of the main advantages of SaaS is that it can run through an internet browser without worrying about compatibility issues with your Operating System. You can easily access a SaaS application no matter what type of machine you are using. It even works on smartphones with iOS or Android. You can have access to the application anytime and anywhere as long as you have a connection to the internet.
• Automatic Updates - Unlike any software that is installed in a computer, updates for a SaaS application are handled by the cloud supplier admin. You can focus on your work rather than worrying about running updates to support the software.
• Cost-effective - Pay-on-demand, this is one of the beauties of cloud computing. You only need to pay for the part of the service that you need. And maybe upgrade or add additional features in the future, when it is necessary.
• Storage - With SaaS, you don't have to worry about backups and setting up a recovery plan for your data in cases where there is a hardware failure. Everything is saved in the cloud. You also don't have to worry about transferring and losing any data when switching between devices.
• Data and analytics - Having everything in a centralized platform means that it will be easy to get any data and use it to provide analytics for your business needs.

IaaS

IaaS is an acronym for Infrastructure as a Service. It is a cloud computing service where infrastructures are hosted in the cloud. Enterprises rent these servers which are delivered on-demand and are managed by the service provider. It allows customers to access servers in any part of the world. Which eliminates the need to manage and maintain a physical server in a data center.

Advantages of IaaS

• Cost-saving - With the use of IaaS, organizations don't have to worry about managing and maintaining any hardware. Making this service ideal for small businesses or start-ups that are still testing the waters to find what is best for their company. Organizations will greatly benefit and save a lot of money if they have a third-party service to manage their company's infrastructure needs.
• Core focus - IaaS allows companies to focus more on growing their business instead of worrying about IT infrastructure resources.
• On-demand scalability - Quickly scale up and down resources according to the company's application demand. IaaS providers have the most powerful networking technology, storage, and servers to accommodate the needs of their clients.
• Continuity and disaster recovery — In cases where a particular hardware component fails or the internet connection goes offline, the organization's infrastructure will not be affected.

PaaS

PaaS is an acronym for Platform as a Service. Also known as cloud platform services. It delivers a framework where users can build, test, and create various customized applications. The enterprise or a third-party provider can manage all the servers, storage, and networking while the users can still manage the applications. Basically, users rent everything that they need to build an application from a cloud provider. This type of model comes with less overhead but also means that the user has less control over the dev environment.

Advantages of PaaS

• Faster time to market - PaaS allows users to decrease the development time which allows applications to be released faster. Because users don't have to worry about building, configuring, and provisioning any platform with PaaS, users can concentrate on developing applications with top speed and quality.
• Easy coordination within groups - PaaS allows users to build, test, debug, deploy, host, and even upgrade in the same environment. This means that even when you are working with several groups in different areas, you will all be coordinated and aware of everything that is happening with the application development process.
• High-level support - Users can do various tasks with PaaS because it offers support for different programming languages.
• High improvement and scalability - PaaS delivers an environment with high scalability of tools and resources. The PaaS structure is resilient which allows businesses to improve and grow even without getting extra staff to do the work.

FaaS

FaaS is an acronym for Function as a Service. It is a new cloud model that provides a platform for users to develop, run, and manage applications without dealing with complex infrastructure maintenance. FaaS is driven by the idea of serverless processing and engineering. This type of model falls somewhere between SaaS and PaaS. It requires less work to implement than a full PaaS system, but it is not a finished product like SaaS.

Advantages of FaaS

• Built-in scalability - FaaS has horizontal auto-scaling which effortlessly handles sudden and unexpected high traffic or heavy usage. This serverless provider handles all your scaling concerns.
• Improved velocity - Using FaaS will let you focus and spend more time developing your application rather than think about servers and deployment concerns. This will allow you to have faster application development.
• Cost-efficient - Serverless FaaS does not charge clients for idle computation time. This means that you will not waste your money over-provisioning cloud resources because you will only be paying for the service that you are using.

In summary, SaaS is a cloud model that provides access to databases or any software without having to worry about any operating system maintenance. Users of SaaS can focus on the actual usage of the software itself promoting high business productivity. IaaS is a cloud model that provides a complete infrastructure for users like a virtual machine without having to worry about maintaining a physical data server. PaaS is another cloud model that provides a software development environment for its users. It gives users everything needed for software development, virtually. And lastly, FaaS is a new cloud model that provides a platform for users to build and manage applications without having to worry about maintaining any infrastructure to develop and release an application. Although there are similarities in these cloud models, some offer features that the other models don't have. choosing the right cloud computing service would greatly depend on the needs and specifications of your organization.