What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet, providing on-demand access to applications, software, analytics, and data storage. By leveraging cloud architecture, organizations can reduce reliance on physical IT infrastructure and scale more efficiently.
Cloud operations management plays a crucial role in ensuring these services run smoothly. Cloud computing relies on remote data centers that house both physical and virtual servers. These centers may be privately owned for internal use or operated by cloud service providers (CSPs) that offer access to businesses and individuals, typically for a fee.
Because it’s always online, security and privacy are key cloud computing. Cloud encryption gateway acts as an intermediary between clients and cloud service providers, encrypting data before it leaves the client’s network. This ensures data remains protected during transmission and storage in the cloud.
Cloud forensics is another critical aspect of cloud security, helping organizations investigate and respond to security incidents within cloud environments.
Benefits of cloud computing
Cloud computing was created to ease everyday IT operations for both companies and individuals. From keeping your files accessible to enabling some of the world’s largest storing Find out more about the key benefits of using cloud servers and infrastructure.
Cost
Cloud computing reduces the need for businesses to invest in expensive hardware, on-site data centers, and maintenance. Instead, companies can pay only for the computing resources they use, optimizing costs and avoiding unnecessary expenditures.
Speed
With cloud computing, companies can start using various IT resources the minute they are needed because all of the necessary infrastructure is readily available in the cloud. This enables businesses to accelerate the development and deployment of applications, helping them respond to customer demands faster.
Global reach
Companies can expand their businesses quickly and efficiently by accessing IT resources in the cloud from almost anywhere in the world. Cloud computing allows businesses to explore new markets without the need to build physical IT infrastructure in different regions.
Productivity
Companies using onsite data centers usually use their IT staff to patch hardware and software vulnerabilities or perform other IT management tasks. However, with cloud computing, IT experts can be freed from mundane maintenance tasks and focus more on business objectives, such as expansion, new application development, or process optimization.
Performance
Reputable cloud service providers continuously upgrade their data centers and network infrastructure to offer clients the latest software and technological advancements. Cloud users can select from a variety of cloud computing services to optimize performance and build high-quality applications. Additionally, cloud provisioning enables the efficient allocation of computing resources within a cloud environment, ensuring scalability and optimal usage.
Reliability
Cloud architecture allows all the stored data to be simultaneously saved in other online platforms. That means that in case of a service disruption or network crash, all the data in the cloud can be backed up and restored, ensuring business continuity.
Security
Cloud services' security is often robust and reliable. Many CSPs employ dedicated security experts, advanced technology, and strict policies to protect cloud infrastructure, including cloud cartography tools to map and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Cloud security is one of the key aspects that many companies consider when choosing a cloud to work in, that’s why CSPs put a lot of effort to offer highest quality security features. Some organizations opt for vertical cloud solutions — industry-specific environments designed to meet the strict security and compliance requirements of sectors like healthcare, finance, and government.
Elasticity
Cloud elasticity means that cloud architecture allows companies to scale up or down with ease. Without the need to purchase hardware and establish extensive IT infrastructure, businesses can be more flexible in their decision-making and adapt better to the changing market.
Types of cloud computing
Cloud computing can be divided into four distinct types that determine how online resources are hosted and managed in the cloud and how users can take advantage of them. Read on to learn about public, private, and hybrid clouds as well as multi-cloud solutions.
Public cloud
Public clouds are data centers owned and managed by third-party CSPs who deliver on-demand cloud resources to their clients online. While some public cloud services are free of charge, many CPSs offer their assets for a monthly subscription or pay-per-usage fee. The leading providers of public clouds are Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and IBM cloud.
Public cloud infrastructure is an attractive solution for business owners because it offers more flexibility whenever the business needs scaling or downgrading. Companies can start using necessary resources without making large investments into IT infrastructure or, alternatively, stop using cloud services they don’t need anymore at any time.
On the other hand, public cloud users have limited control over the resources that CSPs provide and cannot customize them according to their specific needs. Though public clouds often come with robust security features, they may not meet specific industry standards or security requirements of some companies.
Private cloud
A private cloud storage is a cloud environment used exclusively by a single organization, offering full control over data security and management. It is typically hosted on-premises, but businesses can also use third-party cloud service providers to manage their private cloud infrastructure online.
For more flexibility, organizations can opt for a virtual private cloud — a logically isolated section within a public cloud that provides private cloud benefits while leveraging public cloud scalability. A sovereign cloud is another alternative designed for organizations that must comply with strict data residency and privacy laws, ensuring data remains within a specific country's borders.
While private clouds offer high security and control, they require significant investment in hardware, software, and maintenance. VPCs and sovereign clouds provide scalable and regulatory-compliant alternatives.
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud combines private and public clouds, allowing organizations to share data and applications between them. Hybrid cloud security depends on effective cloud management but can enable companies to choose the most suitable cloud environment for different workloads or changing needs.
With hybrid cloud storage, organizations can keep sensitive data and critical operations in a secure private cloud while using the public cloud for less critical processes and business scaling. Disk-to-disk cloud backup solutions further enhance hybrid cloud storage by enabling seamless and secure data replication across cloud environments.
Multi-cloud
Multi-cloud computing means using multiple public clouds from different cloud service providers. It’s a solution that can help organizations avoid vendor lock-in, which occurs when businesses become too dependent on a single cloud service provider and cannot change it without experiencing financial loss or structural damage.
By using multi-cloud storage, organizations can choose the best CSP for specific tasks and get the best out of existing cloud functionalities. Multi-cloud storage also helps to ensure that a failure in one cloud won’t affect operations run in other clouds. Distributed cloud further enhances multi-cloud setups by extending cloud services to multiple locations, improving performance, compliance, and redundancy.
To up their game, some companies also use hybrid multi-clouds, which allow combining multiple public clouds with a company’s own private cloud. This solution helps to keep critical resources in a private cloud while safely scaling the business in several public clouds. However, multi-cloud solutions are suitable mainly for companies with robust management tools, high data transmission rates, strong security protocols, and comprehensive multi-cloud security measures intact.
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Main types of cloud services
Cloud computing services, often referred to as cloud as a service in general, are different models for how cloud computing can be used in various online environments. Most companies don’t start as cloud companies but eventually integrate various parts of cloud computing into their IT infrastructure, a process that’s called cloud enablement. This transition allows organizations to leverage the cloud’s scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness without overhauling their entire system at once. Let’s look at the different types of cloud computing services.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
IaaS allows businesses to use and keep the necessary IT infrastructure and computing resources in the cloud, either private or public. Whenever the organization rents its IT infrastructure from a public cloud provider, it can scale or decrease resources according to its needs without vast financial investment. That’s because the companies typically pay only for the specific services they use.
IaaS enables organizations to closely monitor and manage their IT infrastructure in the cloud, including capabilities for desktop virtualization, giving them a high level of control over their IT resources. Below are the most common components available on IaaS:
Data centers
Storage
Virtual machines
Firewalls
Middleware
APIs
Platform as a service (PaaS)
PaaS is a cloud environment that allows software developers to build, test, and deliver various applications without establishing and managing a specific on-premises platform. Using PaaS, developers can choose from a number of software tools and other IT resources that cloud providers host in their data centers. They can also access a comprehensive collection of readily available tools online while saving the time and costs needed to establish the same necessary platforms themselves.
Software as a service (SaaS)
SaaS is one of the most popular cloud computing applications allowing developers to build and deliver software to end users without them needing to install it. This type of software is fully hosted and managed by cloud service providers, including the necessary security patches, software updates, and occasional maintenance. In exchange, users usually have to pay a monthly subscription for the SaaS. One of the biggest advantages of SaaS is that it stores all the data in the cloud, preventing users from losing it in case their devices crash.
Backend as a service (BaaS)
BaaS is a cloud model created to simplify the development of the web. There’s also a version of this software suited for mobile applications called mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), a key component of mobile cloud computing. They both offer pre-written backend software, enabling the developers to focus on the frontend of the new applications. It also eliminates the cost that would otherwise go toward building the backend.
Function as a service (FaaS)
Though frequently mistaken for serverless computing, FaaS is actually a subset of serverless computing that enables developers to run small, single-purpose pieces of code called functions. These functions are designed to respond to specific events, such as a new data entry or a file upload.
Serverless computing
Serverless computing is a cloud infrastructure that allows developers to write and run their code in the cloud without managing the servers, storing systems, and other underlying infrastructure needed for the code to work. As in previous cases, cloud service providers take care of the necessary computing resources for codes to function. Serverless computing typically works on an event-driven basis, which means that the inserted code triggers specific events needed for that code to function. Depending on the developer’s needs, the supporting infrastructure scales up and down automatically. The users of serverless computing are only charged when the functions are executed and not when they simply run on the server.
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Main examples of use cases for cloud computing
Cloud computing is widely used in many industries thanks to the array of benefits it can bring. Take a look at how different businesses use cloud services for their operations:
Online retailers often turn to IaaS when they need to quickly scale up their server capabilities during peak periods, such as Christmas. Retailers also use cloud databases to store product information, customer details, and transaction records.
Cloud advertising uses cloud computing to run campaigns. With cloud advertising, advertisers can analyze large amounts of data, automate campaigns, and deliver targeted advertising to consumers across various digital channels.
Media companies, especially those producing video content, use IaaS to quickly scale the necessary infrastructure whenever viewer demand increases. Meanwhile, news media often use PaaS to develop new applications and features for online publications.
Startups often rely on cloud communications as the foundation for their applications. Many also utilize cloud containers, such as Docker, to ensure their apps run consistently across different platforms.
Financial institutions apply cloud services to a variety of tasks, from customer relationship management and accounting to storing sensitive data. Businesses in finance also rely on the special security services implemented in the cloud to ensure compliance with various financial regulations.
The healthcare sector often stores vast amounts of patient data in cloud storage to keep it secure and prevent data loss. At the same time, healthcare organizations employ PaaS to create custom healthcare applications.
Cloud archiving offers a way to store large amounts of data, users can access at any time. The benefit of being able to access it from anywhere is huge for businesses or individuals who need that peace of mind. Plus, cloud providers usually implement strong security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access or cyber threats.
A cloud VPN is a virtual private network that runs within a cloud computing environment. It encrypts user data to ensure secure and private internet access. It’s ideal for remote teams, multi-office organizations, or frequent network access needs. However, a cloud VPN is not the same as a cloud CVS. A VPS can host websites, while a VPN helps protect online activity, including server administration.
Cloud-based supercomputing means using a cluster of powerful internet-connected computers to efficiently manage and solve complicated tasks. Working as a team, they share resources and carry out tasks together.
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