Cloud Computing

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing refers to the use of hosted services, such as data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software over the internet. The data is stored on physical servers, which are maintained by a cloud service provider. Computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, are available on-demand, without direct management by the user in cloud computing.

Types of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing can either be classified based on the deployment model or the type of service. Based on the specific deployment model, we can classify cloud as public, private, and hybrid cloud. At the same time, it can be classified as infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and software-as-a-service (SaaS) based on the service the cloud model offers.

Private cloud

In a private cloud, the computing services are offered over a private IT network for the dedicated use of a single organization. Also termed internal, enterprise, or corporate cloud, a private cloud is usually managed via internal resources and is not accessible to anyone outside the organization. Private cloud computing provides all the benefits of a public cloud, such as self-service, scalability, and elasticity, along with additional control, security, and customization.

Private clouds provide a higher level of security through company firewalls and internal hosting to ensure that an organization’s sensitive data is not accessible to third-party providers. The drawback of private cloud, however, is that the organization becomes responsible for all the management and maintenance of the data centers, which can prove to be quite resource-intensive.

Public cloud

Public cloud refers to computing services offered by third-party providers over the internet. Unlike private cloud, the services on public cloud are available to anyone who wants to use or purchase them. These services could be free or sold on-demand, where users only have to pay per usage for the CPU cycles, storage, or bandwidth they consume.

Public clouds can help businesses save on purchasing, managing, and maintaining on-premises infrastructure since the cloud service provider is responsible for managing the system. They also offer scalable RAM and flexible bandwidth, making it easier for businesses to scale their storage needs.

Hybrid cloud

Hybrid cloud uses a combination of public and private cloud features. The “best of both worlds” cloud model allows a shift of workloads between private and public clouds as the computing and cost requirements change. When the demand for computing and processing fluctuates, hybrid cloudOpens a new window allows businesses to scale their on-premises infrastructure up to the public cloud to handle the overflow while ensuring that no third-party data centers have access to their data.

In a hybrid cloud model, companies only pay for the resources they use temporarily instead of purchasing and maintaining resources that may not be used for an extended period. In short, a hybrid cloud offers the benefits of a public cloud without its security risks.

sed on the service model, cloud can be categorized into IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). Let’s take a look at each one.

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a service or IaaS is a type of cloud computing in which a service provider is responsible for providing servers, storage, and networking over a virtual interface. In this service, the user doesn’t need to manage the cloud infrastructure but has control over the storage, operating systems, and deployed applications.

Instead of the user, a third-party vendor hosts the hardware, software, servers, storage, and other infrastructure components. The vendor also hosts the user’s applications and maintains a backup.?

Platform as a service (PaaS)

Platform as a service or PaaS is a type of cloud computing that provides a development and deployment environment in cloud that allows users to develop and run applications without the complexity of building or maintaining the infrastructure. It provides users with resources to develop cloud-based applications. In this type of service, a user purchases the resources from a vendor on a pay-as-you-go basis and can access them over a secure connection.

PaaS doesn’t require users to manage the underlying infrastructure, i.e., the network, servers, operating systems, or storage, but gives them control over the deployed applications. This allows organizations to focus on the deployment and management of their applications by freeing them of the responsibility of software maintenance, planning, and resource procurement.?

Software as a service (SaaS)

SaaS or software as a service allows users to access a vendor’s software on cloud on a subscription basis. In this type of cloud computing, users don’t need to install or download applications on their local devices. Instead, the applications are located on a remote cloud network that can be directly accessed through the web or an API.

In the SaaS model, the service provider manages all the hardware, middleware, application software, and security. Also referred to as ‘hosted software’ or ‘on-demand software’, SaaS makes it easy for enterprises to streamline their maintenance and support.?

Benefits of cloud computing

The benefits of cloud computing are changing the landscape of business. In a world where customers demand personalized marketing and instant and impeccable service, it’s fast becoming not just the best way to drive successful and innovative businesses, but the only way.

Here are cloud computing’s key benefits:

1. Save time

With cloud computing, time investments for getting the system up and running are minimal. There is no equipment to set up and there’s no equipment to maintain. Cloud providers handle the maintenance of physical components, as well as security and software updates.

2. Instant access to critical data

One of the most time-consuming bottlenecks in business today is getting data into the hands of team members who need it right now. With cloud computing, every person in your company has access from devices they already use, anywhere they need it. Your team is up to speed at all times, which ensures faster collaboration.

3. Little to no upfront investment

There’s no hardware or equipment to buy, no software to install, and no licensing fees.

4. Faster recovery

Cloud computing providers offer redundant storage (generally in multiple data centers), bolstered security, and faster recovery.

5. Simplified scalability

You only pay for what you need. Add tools and resources for a growing team or scale back when you need to.

6. Improve internal communication

Align company objectives using messaging resources across your various business platforms.

7. Improve your bottom line

While time savings boost productivity, and by extension your bottom line, cloud computing has financial benefits that are more direct.

8. Data security

With cloud computing, security is handled by your provider both online and physically at their data centres. At Salesforce, customer security is the foundation of customer success, so the company continues to implement the best possible practices and technologies in this area. Salesforce partners with our customers to provide safety recommendations on the best approaches to deal with security issues and to collaborate in combating these challenges.

9. Redundant storage

Cloud computing providers offer redundant storage options that greatly reduce your risk of loss. All data and services are stored on multiple servers. If one server has an issue, a redundant server immediately takes over so your website or IT infrastructure sees no downtime.

In conclusion…

Cloud computing provides advanced computing resources available on-demand, that scale as needed, with regular updates and without the need to buy and maintain an on-premise infrastructure. With cloud computing, teams become more efficient and reduce time to market as they can rapidly acquire, scale services, without the considerable effort that requires managing a traditional on-premise infrastructure. See Atlassian’s cloud offerings.on location. Additionally, cloud providers offer global content delivery networks that cache user requests and content by location.