“All You Need To Know About Cloud Computing”

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CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is a term for characterising the facilitating administration over the internet. It

implies securing and getting to your data, records and tasks over the web instead of your PC hard drive.

Cloud computerises your data at whatever time, any place utilising any service over the internet. It gives

us opportunity of doing things with more abilities power & straight forwardness.

We use cloud services in our daily basis.


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Advantages of Cloud Computing 

Cloud-based software offers companies from all sectors a number of benefits, including the ability to use

software from any device either via a native app or a browser. As a result, users can carry their files and settings

over to other devices in a completely seamless manner.

Cloud computing is far more than just accessing files on multiple devices. Thanks to cloud computing services,

users can check their email on any computer and even store files using services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.

Cloud computing services also make it possible for users to back up their music, files, and photos, ensuring those

files are immediately available in the event of a hard drive crash.

The cloud structure allows individuals to save storage space on their desktops or

laptops. It also lets users upgrade software more quickly because software companies can offer their products

via the web rather than through more traditional, tangible methods involving discs or flash drives.

 This allows users to download new versions and fixes to their programs easily.

Disadvantages of the Cloud Computing

With all of the speed, efficiencies, and innovations that come with cloud computing, there are naturally, risks.

Security has always been a big concern with the cloud especially when it comes to sensitive medical records

and financial information. While regulations force cloud computing services to shore up their security and

compliance measures, it remains an ongoing issue.

Encryption protects vital information, but if that encryption key is lost, the data disappears.

Servers maintained by cloud computing companies may fall victim to natural disasters, internal bugs, and power outages, too.

The geographical reach of cloud computing cuts both ways: A blackout in California could paralyze users in New York, and a firm in Texas could lose its data if something causes its Maine-based provider to crash.

As with any technology, there is a learning curve for both employees and managers.

But with many individuals accessing and manipulating information through a single portal, inadvertent mistakes can transfer across an entire system.

Although, there might be less disadvantages and have more features to use.

CLOUD SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS

Their are three main categories of Cloud Service model:


Software as a Service (SaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SaaS)

SaaS is stand for software as a service it is a model for allocation of software where a user can access data over the

internet. In this model, the software provider host and retain the servers, databases and code that comprise

an application.

Characteristics of SaaS

It is not important that the user should have the knowledge of the back-end infrastructure.
Scalable services or resources over the web and well defined APIs.

Benefits of SaaS

The client can also access services without installing the software on their device.
SaaS provider look after identifying and fixing the bug.
With the help of centralized cloud, software updates are made simpler.
The automation of technology updates.

Limitations of SaaS

Malware attacks can affect the use of SaaS service in web browser.

Third-Party involvement is required for Proper security mechanism.

PLATFORM AS A SERVICE (PaaS)

PaaS is stand for platform as a service is a type of cloud computing service delivery model that provides platform and a solution stack as a service which include resources such as, operating system, programming language, compiler, run-time environment, servers like database server, web server, etc.

Characteristics of PaaS

It provides built-in scalability, web service interface and security to connect other applications outside the PaaS.

PaaS provides many things like common packages/services for network, payment integration, and databases.

Benefits of PaaS

It provides facilitates to work with multiple platforms.

The application can be up grade to authorise users only.

It handles all the applications dynamic resource requirement.


Migration from one PaaS vendors’ application to another PaaS vendor will create some problem

Some of the applications developed may be local while others are from the cloud; which may increase the complexity.
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Figure 2: Cloud Service Delivery Models

INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SERVICE (IaaS)

IaaS is stand for infrastructure as a service. Cloud infrastructure model, is a self-service model for accessing, monitoring

and managing remote data center infrastructure, such as, compute storage (virtualized or bare metal), networking

and networking services (e.g. firewall).

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors.

There are 8 types of IaaS providers

  • Computing
  • Enterprise IT
  • Test/ Development
  • Cloud storage
  • Resource sharing
  • Telecom
  • Wholesale vending
  • High performance computing

Benefits of IaaS

The Developers utilize the IaaS as the testing of their applications on multiple environments.
No need to purchase suitable dedicated servers.

The consumer can maintain and upgrade the tools and database system installed on IaaS.

CLOUD DEPLOYMENT MODELS

There are various types of clouds, each of which is different from the other.

PRIVATE CLOUD

Private clouds are reserved for specific clientele, usually one business or organisation. The firm’s data service centre may host the cloud computing service. Many private cloud computing services are provided on a private network.

PUBLIC CLOUD

Public clouds provide their services on servers and storage on the Internet. These are operated by third-party companies, who handle and control all the hardware, software, and the general infrastructure. Clients access services through accounts that can be accessed by just about anyone.

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HYBRID CLOUD

Hybrid clouds are, as the name implies, a combination of both public and private services. This type of model allows the user more flexibility and helps optimize the user’s infrastructure and security.

Services can be both public and private—public services are provided online for a fee while private services are hosted on a network to specific clients.

The World of Business

Businesses can employ cloud computing in different ways.

Some users maintain all apps and data on the cloud, while others use a hybrid model, keeping certain apps and data on private servers and others on the cloud.

When it comes to providing services, the big players in the corporate computing sphere include:

  • Google Cloud
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • IBM Cloud
  • Alibaba Cloud

Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365: Users can access Google Docs and Microsoft Office 365 through the internet. Users can be more productive because they can access work presentations and spreadsheets stored in the cloud at any time from anywhere on any device.

Email, Calendar, Skype, WhatsApp: Emails, calendars, Skype and WhatsApp take advantage of the cloud’s ability to provide users with access to data remotely so they can access their personal data on any device, whenever and wherever they want.

Zoom: Zoom is a cloud-based software platform for video and audio conferencing that records meetings and saves them to the cloud, enabling users to access them anywhere and at any time.

Amazon Web Services is 100% public and includes a pay-as-you-go, outsourced model.

Once you’re on the platform you can sign up for apps and additional services. Microsoft Azure allows clients to keep some data at their own sites. Meanwhile, Alibaba Cloud is a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group.

Emerging cloud technologies and services

Due to competition, providers must constantly expand their services to differentiate their services. This has

led public IaaS providers to offer far more than common compute and storage instances.

For example, serverless, or event-driven computing is a cloud service that executes specific functions, such as

image processing and database updates. Traditional cloud deployments require users to establish a compute instance and load code into that instance. Then, the user decides how long to run — and pay for

that instance.

With server-less computing, developers simply create code, and the cloud provider loads and executes that code in response to real-world events, so users don’t have to worry about the server or instance aspect of the cloud deployment.

Users only pay for the number of transactions that the function executes. AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions and Azure Functions are examples of serverless computing services.

Hope, We have got to know about the Cloud Computing

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Written by 

VIkas Vashisth is a Software Consultant and having experience in DevOps. He loves to know about new technology.