What is Cloud Computing?
Anwar Winter, CSPO, CSM
Funding Catalyst | Venture Capital Specialist | Investor | Ex- Full Stack Software Engineer
Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of computer resources, such as data storage and computer power, over the Internet. These resources do not require direct active management by the user, and it generally offers faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.
In this article, we’ll review the types, benefits, and uses of cloud computing for your company why you should incorporate it as soon as possible.
What are the three different types of cloud computing models?
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1.???Public cloud: These clouds are operated by third-party providers and delivered by various computing resources such as servers and storage over the web. Two examples of public clouds include AWS and Microsoft Azure.
2.???Private cloud: This type of cloud computing resource is owned and used exclusively by a single organization or business. It can be physically located within the organization’s data center, or some companies will pay third-party service providers to host private clouds on their servers.
3.???Hybrid cloud: This type of cloud system combines both public and private clouds. They’re bound together by technology, which allows applications and data to be conveniently shared between them. Hybrid clouds give businesses more deployment options and greater flexibility.
What are the benefits of cloud computing?
If you’re considering cloud computing for your organization, you may wonder what benefits they offer. Here are seven advantages of cloud computing services.
·?????Cloud computing is reasonably priced
When you implement cloud computing at your business, you eliminate the need for hardware and software as well as certain on-site data center instruments and personnel (racks of servers, round-the-clock electricity, IT experts). This minimizes your bottom line, which is easy to love!
·?????Cloud computing is on-demand
Because they’re often self-service and on-demand, cloud computing resources are often faster. This helps to give businesses immense flexibility.
·?????Cloud computing is scalable
A huge benefit of cloud computing services is their global scale. This IT resource can have more or less computing power, storage, and bandwidth when they’re needed, where they’re needed.
·?????Cloud computing maximizes productivity
Without cloud computing, IT management can be time-consuming. For example, IT staff will spend time “racking and stacking,” setting up hardware, patching software, and more. When you implement cloud computing, you can maximize productivity and redirect your attention toward more important business goals.
·?????Cloud computing is reliable
?When you have cloud computing, data can be mirrored on multiple redundant sites on the cloud provider’s network. This ultimately makes data backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity both easier and less expensive.
·?????Cloud computing is secure
Cloud providers often offer a broad set of policies, technologies, and controls that help to strengthen your security posture overall. Cloud computing protects your data, apps, and infrastructure from any potential threats.?
·?????Cloud computing improves performance
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Before you implement cloud computing, your company may be using a single corporate data center. Upgrading to a larger cloud computing service — which runs on a worldwide network of secure data centers — can help improve your performance. These secure data centers are regularly upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient computing hardware, and you can feel confident in their performance.
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What are the uses of cloud computing?
If you haven’t adopted cloud computing for your business, read through the following ways that it can help your business. ?
1.???File storage
While there are numerous ways to store and access your data, cloud storage is appealing because files can be accessed and edited easily. As long as you have an internet connection, you can access your files from anywhere.
2.???Big data analytics
Collecting big data about your customers, market trends, sales performance, etc. can provide a big advantage to your customers, and cloud computing can help with this!
3.???Data backups and archiving
Cybercrime is typical today, and while traditional methods of backup exist, none are quite as effective as cloud-based backup options.
4.???Disaster recovery
Research has shown that more than 75 percent of businesses that experience a disaster do not have a disaster recovery plan in place. Fortunately, cloud computing can help you build a disaster recovery solution in the cloud.
5.???Software testing and development
Cloud computing providers offer tools for continuous integration and delivery that help to make in-house software development and testing faster.
6.???Communication
Cloud computing improves access to tools like emails, calendars, Skype, WhatsApp, etc. You’ll not only have access to your messages and files on your device, but they’ll also be stored in the cloud.?
7.???Social networking
Did you know that platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are examples of the Software as a Service (SaaS) clouding computing model? Well, now you do.
8.???Business process
If you’ve already incorporated business management applications like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) into your business, then you’re already using cloud computing. Might as well take the leap!
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Final thoughts
Cloud computing is growing, and it’s becoming the ideal medium for testing, developing, communicating, storing, and deploying software. You now have the basics to see if it’s a good fit for your company and possibly move forward with incorporating it into your organization.