The cloud isn’t anything new, but as more organizations and businesses adopt cloud-based services, it’s critical to understand the subtleties of cloud computing language and ideas. It’s clear that technology is progressing at a breakneck speed, and many firms, big or little, are gradually moving to the cloud. Because of that, cloud computing jobs are hot and on the rise. Meanwhile, the pros and cons of cloud computing are still being discussed. However, new cloud computing beginners continue to appear every day, and this guide is for them.
Cloud computing basics explained
Cloud has often been used to metaphor the internet in the network diagram. Cloud computing is a new IT delivery model accessed over the network (Internet or intranet).
Implementing a cloud solution can get you ahead of your competitors. Simply defined, cloud computing provides computing services—such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—through the internet (often known as “the cloud”) to give faster innovation, more flexible resources, and cost savings.
The cloud is being used by organizations of all types, sizes, and industries for various purposes, including data backup, disaster recovery, email, virtual desktops, software development, testing, big data analytics, and customer-facing online applications. You can learn more about the benefits of cloud computing in this article. Also, it is important to be prepared for cloud computing vulnerabilities. Even HP acquires eucalyptus systems to gain a stronger foothold in cloud computing.
You typically pay only for cloud services you use. It can help you lower your operating costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as your business needs change. This is a quick summary of cloud computing basics.
What is cloud computing?
The most basic definition of cloud computing is “computing services available over the internet.” Clouds may provide a wide range of services, including storage, networking, software, analytics, etc. If you are one of those who are confused, you can have a look at our edge computing vs cloud computing comparison.
The use of cloud computing, also known as utility or on-demand computing, is the delivery of IT resources over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. Instead of purchasing, owning, and maintaining real data centers and servers, you may utilize cloud services like computing power, storage, and databases from a provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS).
What is AWS cloud computing?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud computing platform that provides approximately 200 distinct, fully-featured services from data centers worldwide. AWS is being used by millions of customers, including the fastest-growing startups, largest businesses, and major government organizations, to lower expenses, gain more agility, and innovate faster. Amazon Web Services is one of the three largest public cloud providers, including Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. So, what are the other types of cloud computing?
Cloud computing types
There are many types of clouds, and not all are suitable for everyone. Several distinct models, sorts, and services have emerged to assist you in discovering the best answer for your needs.
First, you must choose the type of cloud computing architecture to which your cloud services will be linked. There are three different types of cloud solutions: public clouds, private clouds, and hybrid clouds.
Public cloud
A third-party cloud service provider maintains the cloud services and keeps them in a single location. The provider handles the hardware, software, and related infrastructure while the end-user uses a web browser to access the cloud resources.
Private cloud
As the name implies, a private cloud is a cloud that is accessible only to certain individuals rather than the general public. Unlike a public cloud, a private cloud typically has just one tenant. Data is kept behind a firewall and is secured. Many organizations prefer this option because it gives them the flexibility of the cloud while also providing more customization and security.
On-premises private clouds are those that are onsite. The primary distinction is the single, individual tenant who has more control over the IT services. Private clouds are popular alternatives for businesses concerned with data security and compliance.
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud connects two distinct clouds via an encrypted connection and mobile data portability technology, allowing them to work together. What’s important is that the two clouds remain separate, independent entities with one or more touchpoints in common. A hybrid cloud isn’t the same as using public cloud services for some tasks and a private cloud for others.
For some businesses, a hybrid cloud is a tradeoff between their old on-premises data storage and processing systems and entirely migrating to the public cloud. For others, hybrid cloud technologies allow them to take advantage of cloud computing’s scalability while maintaining data integrity and regulatory compliance.
Private cloud vs public cloud
A cloud is a type of data storage that can be public or private. A public cloud sells services to anybody on the internet. A private cloud is a company’s proprietary network or data center that supplies hosted services to a few people with specified access and permissions settings. The aim of cloud computing, whether public or private, is to make it easier and more scalable to gain access to IT resources and solutions.
How does cloud computing work?
Hybrid cloud computing is a type of cloud computing that involves using both public and private clouds to provide IT services. Hybrid cloud computing differs from traditional IT hosting services. The consumer (a business, organization, or individual user) generally does not own the infrastructure required to run the applications or programs they use.
Instead, those assets are held and operated by a third party, with the end-user only paying for the services that businesses use. In other words, cloud computing is an on-demand, utility-based approach to computing.
Cloud computing features
The following are the five features that distinguish cloud computing:
On-demand self-service:
On-demand self-service implies that computer resources should be provisioned or de-provisioned automatically in response to demand as needed without the need for human intervention. This is similar to electricity, which may be turned on or off by a user to consume as much power as necessary.
Ubiquitous network access
Ubiquitous network access implies that computing resources may be accessed from anywhere on the network using any thin or thick clients (smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs).
Resource pooling
Pooling computing capacity helps to meet the demands of customers, allowing resources (physical or virtual) to be dynamically assigned, reassigned, or deleted as needed. Consumers are usually unaware of the precise location of computing resources.
Rapid elasticity
Users believe that they have access to an infinite number of computing resources in cloud computing. Resources in cloud models may be provisioned or released rapidly when necessary. My cloud-based internet services, for example, should be able to expand the resources elastically to meet a sudden surge in demand. Unnecessary resources can be eliminated automatically as soon as the peak passes away.
Measured service
Thanks to this idea, consumers only pay for the computing resources they consume. This notion is comparable to utilities such as water or electricity.
Types of cloud services
Cloud computing services can be divided into four categories: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), serverless, and software as a service (SaaS). These are sometimes referred to as the “cloud computing stack” because they build on top of one another. Knowing what they are and how they differ makes it simpler to meet your company objectives. Each relates to different cloud computing basics.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
The cloud is a type of IaaS that allows users to access storage, networking, servers, and other IT resources from the internet. While users continue to handle their applications, data, middleware, and IaaS give automated and scalable environments with a high degree of control and flexibility.
For example, many organizations use IaaS to accommodate workload surges during high-traffic periods (such as the holidays).
Best IaaS providers include:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Compute Engine (GCE), the IaaS component of Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Users may use this service to develop, publish, and update software applications in a hosted environment. PaaS eliminates the need for developers to build their infrastructure.
The user does not have to install the hardware or software because it is provided by the service provider, allowing them to deploy a new application quickly. One advantage of PaaS is that it is less expensive than self-hosting and that only essential resources are paid for it.
If your firm is developing an application and multiple developers are working on it, PaaS is a smart choice.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
This term refers to cloud-based software that can be used on-demand, such as office programs, messaging, development tools, and consumer relationship management (CRM). The end-user pays for a license to use the software.
Cloud computing applications in real life
Cloud computing basics serve different uses. There are some examples of cloud computing applications in real life:
Online data storage
With time, organizations must maintain more and more data. This data can take many forms, such as text, images, audio, or video. Organizations no longer need to invest in physical storage systems because they may store their data in Clouds. Data may be divided into two categories: current data and historical data. Current data is information that is utilized frequently to conduct day-to-day operations. On the other hand, historical data is information that is not operational but has value and must be saved. As a result, we have two storage alternatives for these two types of data:
- Hot Storage: This storage is where data that must be viewed quickly or frequently is kept.
- Cold Storage: Cold storage is used to preserve data that does not require immediate or frequent access.
The followings are three of the best cloud-based data storage and backup solutions:
- DropBox
- iCloud
- Google Drive
Art applications
Cloud computing allows various artistic application services, such as books, cards, and other picture design creations. Moo, Vistaprint, and Adobe’s creative cloud are examples of Cloud computing applications for art. These applications enable you to design cards quickly and print them immediately. Adobe creative cloud is a cloud application that offers outstanding professional editing services.
Social media applications
Every minute, many people may interact with each other through social media platforms. Real-time connections are aided by programs like Facebook, Twitter, yammer, Linkedin, etc. Using these applications, users can share videos, pictures, experiences, tales, and other items.
Education applications
The data gathered from the courses, students, instructors, and outcomes in Education is significant. The comprehension of this information might lead to new insights that could be used to enhance educational institutions’ operations and functioning. Big Data has an important position in this sector in promoting efficient learning, improving international recruiting for universities, assisting students in establishing career goals, lowering university dropouts, encouraging student evaluation, enhancing the decision-making process, and increasing student success.
