What is Cloud Computing in Simple Terms– A network or the internet is referred to as the“cloud.” It is a technology that substitutes remote internet servers for local hard drives when storing, managing, and accessing data online. Everything you choose can be considered data, including files, photos, documents, audio, video, and more.
We can carry out the following tasks using cloud computing:
- New apps and applications for services
- Hosting websites and blogs and data storage, backup, and recovery
- On-demand software delivery
- Analysis of data
- Audio and video streaming
Applications, servers (both real and virtual), data storage, toolkits, network connectivity, and other computer resources are all hosted at a remote data center under the control of a cloud services provider(or CSP) and are available on demand over the internet. These materials are made available by the CSP in exchange for a monthly subscription fee or usage-based charges.
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Why is Cloud Computing?
- Low IT costs: By using the cloud, you may offload a portion of the entire costs and work related to constructing, installing, configuring, and administering your own on-premises infrastructure.
- Improve responsiveness and time-to-value: Rather than waiting a few days or weeks for IT to reply to a request, buy and set up supplementary gear, and install software, your firm may begin using enterprise apps in the cloud in only a few minutes. Cloud also enables you to give some users—more especially, developers and data scientists—free access to software and infrastructure assistance.
- Scale more conveniently and affordably: The cloud offers elasticity; rather than buying extra capacity that sits idle during slow times, you may scaleability upward or downward in response to traffic peaks and valleys. You can spread your programs closer to users all over the world by utilizing the worldwide network of your cloud provider.
The technology that enables cloud function is often referred to as “cloud computing.” This comprises some type of virtualized IT infrastructure, such as servers, operating systems, networking, and other infrastructure that has been abstracted using specialized software to allow pooling and dividing without regard to physical hardware boundaries. One hardware server, for instance, could be split up into several virtual servers.
Cloud service companies can utilize the full potential of their data center facilities because of virtualization. It should come as no surprise that many businesses have chosen the cloud delivery approach for their on-premises systems to get the most out of it, save money over conventional IT systems, and provide the same level of self-service and agility to their customers.
Types of Cloud Computing
1.- Personal Cloud
An individual user or business can get IT infrastructure services through a private cloud, which is a specific form of the cloud computing environment. A private cloud is free from intervention from outside parties.
2- Public Cloud
Private clouds exclusively offer computing services to a single organization, but public clouds are run by outside suppliers and provide on-demand computing services in the cloud to many different enterprises. Amazon Web Services, Google, and Microsoft Azure are a few examples of public clouds (AWS).
3- Hybrid Clouds
The merging of both public and private cloud functionalities into a single IT infrastructure is made possible by hybrid clouds. It gives customers access to a customizable and scalable cloud environment by combining both public and private cloud environments from many providers.
4- Multi-Clouds
Hybrid clouds and multi-clouds are frequently mistaken. While hybrid clouds combine the benefits of public and private cloud systems, multi-clouds combine several public clouds from various cloud service providers.
Types of Cloud Computing Models
1- Infrastucture as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS, commonly referred to as “Infrastructure as a Service,” is a term used to refer to the fundamental components of cloud computing, including networking capabilities, computers (either virtual or on hardware platform), and data storage capacity. Offering the greatest freedom and management oversight over your IT resources, Infrastructure as a Service is most comparable to the current IT resources that many IT departments and developers are accustomed to today.
2- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
By managing the infrastructure (often hardware and operating systems), platforms as a service free up enterprises to concentrate on the deployment and administration of their applications. By eliminating the need for worrying about resource acquisition, resource planning, updating software, patching, or any other undifferentiated heavy lifting related to operating your application, this makes you more efficient.
3 – Software as a Service (SaaS)
With software as a service, the service provider gives you a finished product that is operated and managed on your behalf. The majority of the time when software as a service is mentioned, end-user applications are meant. With a SaaS solution, you only need to consider how you will utilize that specific piece of software; you do not need to consider how the service is managed or how the core infrastructure is maintained.
Web-based email is an example of a SaaS application that is often used. With this type of email service, you may send and receive messages without having to manage feature updates or upkeep for the servers and operating systems that the email program is using.
Characteristics of Cloud Computing
The following list of cloud computing characteristics:
1- Speed and agility
Distributed computing is the setting in which the cloud operates. Users share resources, and it operates quickly.
2- Reliability and high availability
As a result of fewer odds of infrastructure failure, servers are more readily available and reliable.
3- Highly Scalable
Without the need for engineers to handle peak loads, the cloud allows a large-scale “on-demand” supply of resources.
4- Multi-Sharing
By sharing a common infrastructure, cloud computing enables many clients and applications to operate more effectively and affordably.
5- Independence of Location and Device
With a web browser, users can access systems using cloud computing regardless of where they are or what device they are using, such as a PC, smartphone, etc. Users can communicate from anywhere because the infrastructure is off-site (usually provided by a third party) and accessed through the Internet.
6- Maintenance
As they may be accessed from several locations and do not need to be installed on each user’s computer, cloud computing programs are simpler to maintain. Hence, it also lowers the cost.
7- Affordable
As an IT firm doesn’t have to build up its infrastructure and can pay just for the resources they utilize, employing cloud computing lowers costs.
8- Services offered on a pay-per-use basis
Customers are provided with access to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) so they may use those APIs to acquire cloud services and pay for those services as they are used.
Why is Cloud Computing used?
Both small and large IT firms provide IT infrastructure using conventional techniques. This means that a server room is a need for all IT organizations and is their fundamental demand.
A database server, mail server, networking equipment, firewalls, routers, modems, switches, QPS (Query Per Second, which indicates how many requests or loads the server will manage), configurable system, fast internet speed, and maintenance engineers should all be present in one server room.
We must invest a significant amount of money to build such an IT infrastructure. Cloud computing was created to address all of these issues and lower the cost of IT infrastructure.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing
Advantages of Cloud Computing
1. Make a data backup and restore
It is simpler to back up and restore data utilizing the cloud after it has been stored there.
2. Improved cooperation
By enabling quick and simple information sharing among teams via shared storage on the cloud, cloud applications promote collaboration.
3. Very good accessibility
With the help of the cloud and internet access, we may swiftly and conveniently access and save data anywhere, at any time. Our data is always available thanks to an internet cloud architecture, which boosts organizational productivity and efficiency.
4. Cheap maintenance
Organizations that use cloud computing spend less on maintaining their infrastructure and software.
5. Mobility
We can simply access all cloud data via mobile thanks to cloud computing.
6. Services with a pay-per-use marketing strategy
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are made available to cloud computing customers so they can access cloud services, and they are then charged depending on how frequently they use those facilities.
7. Unlimited storage space
We can save a ton of vital material, including papers, photos, audio files, and videos, in the cloud.
Disadvantages of Cloud Computing
1. Internet Accessibility
With an internet connection, we can access any data (including images, audio files, and videos) that are stored in the cloud according to cloud computing. This data are not accessible without strong internet connectivity. We do not, however, have any other means of gaining access to cloud-based data.
2. Vendor lock-in
The main drawback of using cloud computing is vendor lock-in. Transferring services from one vendor to another may provide challenges for organizations. It can be challenging to switch from one cloud to another because different vendors offer different platforms.
3. Limited Control
Cloud customers have less influence over how services operate and are carried out within a cloud infrastructure since, as we all know, the cloud resources is entirely owned, maintained, and looked by the service provider.
4. Safety
Despite the best security measures used by cloud service providers to store sensitive data. But, you should be aware, before implementing cloud technology, that you will be transmitting all of your company’s confidential data to an unidentified party, i.e., a cloud-based service provider. There’s a danger that hackers will steal the data from your company while it’s being sent via the cloud.
Conclusion
One of the most in-demand abilities in computer networking is unquestionably cloud computing. An advanced understanding of cloud computing can be quite useful for your career if you want to pursue one in computer science.
