Ever heard of cloud computing? These techy terms are quite deep for non-IT people like yourself. But digital service companies such as NCS are certain about the importance of cloud computing. It was practised decades ago, as far back as the 1960s approximately.
The popularity of this service platform started when technological advancement continues to rise. It may not be well-understood yet for its technicality, but many enterprises, small or large, already benefit from it.
Anyway, we’ll go into details about computing in the simplest ways.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is an on-demand service platform. It is a computer solution conceptualised through these three primary service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). It won’t require the users to establish data centres. Instead, they’ll just be paying for the services they use.
Technically, computing services like servers, storage, database, software, analytics, intelligence, networking, and others are rendered to the users like businesses, organisations, or individuals through the cloud, a technical term for the Internet. The goal is aimed at delivering rapid innovations and flexibilities.
How does cloud computing work?
A third-party called service provider offers all computing resources. But you don’t need to interact with it since this is an on-demand modelled platform. Your job is to subscribe to its offered services and pay flat fees or by subscription plan. Everything is by the touch of the button using your gadget.
To increase your awareness, below are the common characteristics of cloud computing:
- Users have broad access to the services either by subscription or per usage.
- A pool of resources is assigned to consumers, and everything is ensured to have zero interruption.
- Services are metered for easy consumption tracking and cost computation.
Iaas
This service model provides the users extensive control over storage, networking, servers, and other significant resources through the cloud. This service is usually used during hefty workloads or busy seasons.
PaaS
Developers and operation professionals are mostly the user group of this service. The framework is left to their expert management, whether for customisation or launching applications that suit the company’s goals well.
SaaS
This is the most popular service delivered via the Internet. The software is hosted, packaged, and accessible through a browser-based interface.
Three Types
Private
This type is offered to one user only. Data is well-protected by a firewall. Businesses that are unto agility and security will benefit most.
Public
All users have individual accounts, but they share the same service. One good example is Netflix, where everyone else is a subscriber. This is cost-effective because users won’t have to pay for any other services except for what they are using, and no maintenance to worry about.
Hybrid
This feature combines public and private elements to some extent. In several ways, it is useful to businesses. Communication over the Internet is encrypted, and data delivery is quite portable.
The Pros
No Upfront Cost
Migrating over to the cloud is a BIG saving because expenses are only spent on what a company uses. Unlike the traditional setup where the entire IT services (storage, bandwidth, etc.) used or unused, must be paid. Small businesses benefit most from this pay-as-you-go model.
Reliability
Compared to in-house IT infrastructure, downtime and service interruptions are well-taken care of. As a managed platform, the support system is available 24/7. Furthermore, users are assured with backups, they can access if needed.
Accessibility
Employees of the company have access to the information anytime they want and wherever they go, just by using their gadgets. In fact, remote work is made more accessible and more productive with just a button.
Generally, cloud computing as a business makes the service providers earn decent benefits. They extend the same services to several users and get paid.
The Cons
Cloud computing might be appealing to you because it looks like handy. But like any other advancement form, downsides are inevitable.
Rental costs may not always be cheaper. There might be regular and predictable requirements to be implemented anytime. Also, keeping a competitive advantage can barely take effect if rivals use the same software. Worse, access to the services is only available if you’re connected to the Internet.
Deciding what data to migrate and keep running in the usual setting can be overwhelming for start-up users. The cost may grow robust if they need to rewrite or optimise apps, which could drag down the migration processes. The most challenging part is when there is a skill shortage.
But if migration is successfully implemented, the next concern is latency. It’s because the providers’ data centres can come either from original locations or other zones, which may result in connectivity issues. Furthermore, data sovereignty may also become a concerning matter. You won’t know where your data will be processed and stored.
Conclusion
Cloud computing is very useful in several ways. It’s a groundbreaking solution for heavy business operations, infrastructure concerns, and mounting expenses. Small or large enterprises benefit from this pay-as-you-go platform. Even if potential problems may occur, the overall effect positively impacts every business level.
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