Cloud computing: What is Cloud computing?

Table of Contents

Why Cloud Computing?

Suppose you have started a business and initially you used hard drive from your computer to store data. As time goes, your business grows and now you are team of 100+ employees. Now to store the data of all employees, you will require proper data storage system or server, you will require team to implement and maintain this server, based on requirements this server will not be used up to its full capacity, you will require continuous monitoring to secure the data.

What if all these requirements will be fulfilled on any service provider in much less cost? Isn’t it will be great for your business?

Cloud computing which is one of the key technologies from Industry 4.0 which provides all these solutions over internet and based on on-demand requirements.

If you are using Gmail, Google drive, Google photos, one drive, Netflix, or Amazon prime, then you are already using cloud computing technology.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of an on-demand computing services over the internet on a pay as you go basis.

In simpler words, rather than managing files and services on a local storage device you will be doing the same over the internet in a cost-efficient manner.

What is difference between On-premises server and Cloud based computing?

Cloud computing is having much more advantages over On-premises server facilities.

Types of Cloud computing

Cloud computing is mainly divided in two categories based on its way of deployment and based on its service provided.

Types of Cloud computing based on its deployment:

Based on the way clouds is deployed, three types of clouds are available in market – Public cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud.

These three types can be easily understood if we refer example of transport system.

Public transport (Bus, train) – Available for all public, Low cost, easy to find.

Private vehicle (Car) – Huge cost, privacy.

Public car (Taxi) – Benefits of public as well as privacy, Moderate cost

1. Public cloud:

A public cloud is a type of cloud computing where resources are shared among multiple clients over the internet.
The infrastructure is owned and managed by a third-party cloud service provider, and clients can access and use these resources on a pay-per-use basis.
Public clouds are generally cost-effective and easy to use, making them a popular choice for small businesses and startups.

2. Private cloud:

A private cloud is a type of cloud computing where resources are dedicated to a single organization or company.
Private clouds can be hosted on-premises, or they can be hosted by a third-party cloud service provider.
Private clouds offer more control and customization options than public clouds, but they can be more expensive to set up and maintain.

3. Hybrid cloud:

A hybrid cloud is a type of cloud computing that combines both public and private cloud infrastructure.
Hybrid clouds are often used by larger organizations that require the security and control of a private cloud for sensitive data, but also need the scalability and flexibility of a public cloud for other applications.
The two environments are connected through a technology that allows data and applications to be moved between them seamlessly.

Types of cloud computing based on Service:

Cloud computing is classified into different types based on the services provided by the cloud provider. These are of three types:

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

In this type of cloud computing service, the cloud provider offers virtualized computing resources such as servers, storage, and networking infrastructure, over the internet.
Users have complete control over the operating system, applications, and data that run on the infrastructure, and are responsible for managing and maintaining the virtual machines and applications.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS):

In this type of cloud computing service, the cloud provider offers a complete platform for developing, testing, and deploying applications over the internet.
The platform includes tools and frameworks for building and deploying applications, as well as the underlying infrastructure needed to run them.
Users are responsible for developing and deploying their applications, while the cloud provider is responsible for managing and maintaining the platform infrastructure.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS):

In this type of cloud computing service, the cloud provider offers fully managed software applications over the internet.
Users access the applications through a web browser or an API, and do not need to worry about managing or maintaining the underlying infrastructure.
The cloud provider is responsible for managing and maintaining the software application and the underlying infrastructure.

Top 10 cloud service providers in 2023

There are 800+ Cloud service providers in world, out of which following ten have made greatest impact leading into 2023.

Cloud computing has changed the way organizations looks at the IT infrastructure and services. It has provided many benefits including cost savings, scalability, flexibility, improved efficiency and security.

Though cloud computing has many advantages, there are many challenges to adapt for it and which needs to be addressed like privacy concern, legal issues, reliability, skills etc.

To take full benefits of cloud computing, organizations need to carefully plan and implement cloud computing with risk analysis and mitigation. Keeping updated about newer technology will always keep you over the competition.