From being a disruptive force to becoming a mainstream technology, cloud computing has come a long way within a short span of time. It has been a game changer of sorts, and today, small players are not inhibited by the lack of IT resources, which till a while back were only accessible to the big corporations. Yes, it sure does save us money and gives a lot of power in your hands to do a lot more in IT that enterprises till decade back could only dream of. However, over time the term cloud computing has become fuzzier to include anything that involves, even if remotely (pun intended), sharing IT resources via the internet. So, what exactly is cloud computing?
The most accepted definition of cloud computing is from U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the cloud enables convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of computing resources—networks, servers, storage, applications, and services, among others.
Ok, now let’s go step by step and decode the definition.
Cloud computing enables IT services like networks, servers, storage, applications, and services to be available to an organization when none of these services is hosted on its IT hardware. This is made possible by the internet, which allows companies, particularly their IT, to access the services from a third party. In the process, innating the costs involved in maintaining these IT services, from software upgrades to manpower; and getting expensive hardware to host them. In return, companies pay for all the goodies they use.
Traits of Cloud Computing
Does the notion of cloud computing seem less scary now? To simplify further, below are the traits of cloud computing:
Self Service and Scalability
These features make cloud computing so much more accessible and preferred. You can use the IT service for as long as you want, as much as you want, and change your requirements, anytime, with a click of button – and get billed for only what you use. Your IT resources and budgets are under your control.
Flexibility
It works on a broad network, so you can access cloud services over the internet or private networks, using a standard browser. No need for complex software plugins or operating systems.
Pooled Resources
All services are taken from shared resources – this is what makes it so affordable. However, you have complete control and privacy over the resources you access.
Cloud Computing Deployment Methods
Based on the IT needs and access control required, organizations can pick from the below four deployment models.
Public
In this model, a third-party cloud service provider hosts the physical resources. Access is provided to the public over the internet, and the users are billed for the time they use the service.
Private
This deployment model is used when a cloud service is provided within a corporation. Employees are given different levels of access; and the cloud computing servers can either be on-site or managed by a third party like in public cloud computing.
Community
This model is deployed by two or more organizations, which have similar IT requirements, and has the features of both private and public cloud models. Like in a public cloud, multiple users from participant organizations can utilize the computing resources; and just like in the private cloud, organizations have the responsibility for their own infrastructure’s operations.
Hybrid
The hybrid model is a blend of either of the above cloud models. In many cases, hybrid models are a mix of physical infrastructure and virtual environments to provide IT services to an organization. This model is generally used in large organizations that have a global footprint.
Cloud Computing Service Models
With cloud computing users can access networks, servers, software, and storage space in remote locations. Cloud computing services are classified into three models.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
In this model, access to software is provided to the clients over the internet, obviating the need to install the software on individual systems. Users have the liberty to establish and terminate the connection and pay only for how much they use.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
Software development firms usually don’t want access to software but to servers with database connectivity. They need platforms to run the software that they have developed, and often, different software requires different platforms to run. Developing different servers for different software is time-consuming and expensive. With PaaS, this overhead is resolved, and the agility of production is improved.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
In IaaS, users get access to several types of servers, storage spaces, disk drives, private networks, messaging systems and more. With IaaS, a firm can build its own computing infrastructure anytime it needs it and pay only for the time it uses it.
Risks in Cloud Computing
Although, moving to the cloud seems like the next natural step. However, it’s not a silver bullet for all the IT challenges faced by organizations today and itself is challenged by security and compatibility issues.
Data Security
Data security is possibly the biggest hurdle in mass adoption of cloud computing. Organizations feel insecure about keeping their sensitive data on third-party servers. In addition, with the cloud being entirely based on the internet, the data is vulnerable to hack attacks. However, what many companies don’t know is that a well-managed cloud set-up is way more secure than their in-house setups. With cloud becoming ubiquitous, companies are coming up with new ways to protect data.
Compatibility
Cloud services are fast and on demand, you pay for as much or as little as you use and get access to IT services, on the go. For small and medium businesses, cloud computing is an equalizer, which enables them to come neck to neck with established competitors. And for the enterprises, it gives an opportunity to be more robust, agile and profitable.
Now, all you need is the right strategy to maximize on the cloud.
