Technology has played an instrumental role in transforming the modern workplace. Along with AI, ML, Blockchain, and RPA, cloud computing has rapidly emerged as a popular choice for businesses.
In the era of digital transformation, it is helping organizations prevent data loss, saving costs, improving efficiency, and boosting productivity.
As a result, cloud computing has become a growth catalyst for numerous organizations.
Studies show that the public cloud service market will reach $623.3 billion by 2023 worldwide.
This technology follows all the traditional forms of architecture and hardware that form the backbone of any computer network. However, it stands out from the conventional systems because the user gets to access the hardware’s processing power and storage capacity remotely, with the help of the internet. These benefits have opened new doors for seamless remote working.
This article takes you through the basics and benefits of cloud computing, different cloud models, and a verdict on which one is ideal for your organization.
But first, let us have a closer look at why modern-day enterprises are adapting to cloud computing technology.
Why do businesses adapt to a cloud infrastructure?
Cloud computing has revolutionized the way businesses operate, and there are several key reasons why even more organizations are eager to migrate their applications to cloud infrastructure.
Here are some of the significant benefits of Cloud Computing:
Reduce overall IT cost
Traditionally, companies have always relied on using large-scale, in-house data centers, which require a huge CapEx (capital expenditure). The CapEx further rises because a data center needs space, hardware, software, and a maintenance workforce to stay functional. In addition, the firm will eventually have to replace the hardware to keep up with industry standards even before leveraging all the benefits from the investment. The pay-as-you-go model of the cloud resolves this issue by eliminating the need to worry about servers or data centers.
61% of the world’s biggest IT companies have moved to the cloud because it allows them to cut down on costs.
Improved security
Cloud services store the data on remote servers and databases subject to stringent security checks, such as granular permissions and multi-factor authentications. In addition, data stored within the cloud is stored behind a firewall and can be accessed by users only by providing a password. The security measures ensure that there are no data breaches or malware attacks. Cloud solutions also allow companies to store their data off-site, making it a safer option than keeping servers on the company premises.
Promotes remote work
As mentioned earlier, cloud computing technologies allow access to data from remote locations with the help of the internet. This ability to store data remotely has made the sudden transition to the remote work model convenient. Furthermore, it improves efficiency levels and supports real-time collaboration, creating an environment where team members can work together and execute projects hassle-free.
Highly dependable
Cloud service providers employ several technologies which ensure that the service is always up and running. The technology is spread across different regions to prevent any downtime from affecting the service. It also helps them avoid facing any single point of failure. Thus, the service provider can quickly repair any fault without shutting down the entire cloud platform. As a result, the cloud has become an extremely resilient and highly dependable platform.
Improves scalability
Cloud computing is an ideal solution for smaller companies and start-ups on an expansion spree. Cloud technology provides these companies with the flexibility to scale up at their own pace, according to the demand, and without spending much on physical infrastructure. For example, your product gets featured in a popular newspaper, which brings thousands of visitors to your website. Applying a scalable cloud infrastructure ensures that the website has enough bandwidth to handle the traffic without crashing.
What are the types of cloud computing services?
There are four different types of cloud computing services, and companies should clearly understand each service before they invest in a subscription plan. Professionals can choose from the following cloud computing services to meet their business targets:
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS is an automated solution offered by service providers, where the computing resources, software, and networking capabilities are provided to consumers on-demand and charged on a meter. In addition, the users have the flexibility of hosting the cloud with the service provider or within their premises.
It is a highly scalable model, as companies are only paying for the infrastructure and have the freedom to expand their operations if they require it. Companies such as Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, and Amazon Web Services provide this facility.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Any software that is owned, managed, and controlled by cloud service providers are considered SaaS. SaaS applications can run directly with the help of web browsers, which means they do not have to be downloaded or installed on the device. It allows the businesses’ internal IT teams to solve software management issues quickly.
SaaS providers offer a complete software solution by delivering the operating system, infrastructure, and data required to run the customers’ services. It allows companies to scale up their operations rapidly since they only have to purchase a subscription plan. Examples of SaaS providers are Microsoft Office 365, Cisco WebEx, and Google Suite.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
In this cloud computing model, the service provider delivers the hardware and software tools required for developing applications. As a result, it is primarily utilized by companies focused on building software and web-based applications.
The tools required to make software for different devices, such as computers, smartphones, browsers, etc., can be expensive. So, instead of directly purchasing these tools, PaaS customers can access them based on a fee whenever needed. Some of the companies that provide this service are AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Apache Stratos, Google App Engine and, Microsoft Azure.
Function as a Service (FaaS)
FaaS is a cloud computing model where developers can build, run and manage application packages as functions without maintaining their infrastructure. It allows customers to focus on deploying the application code for their systems while the cloud service provider takes care of the infrastructure upon which the code will run. It is an excellent tool for creating chatbots, data processing, and backends for IoT devices.
Service providers can scale functions according to the demand, which makes them an ideal choice for companies that may have dynamic workloads. In FaaS, customers only pay for the resources they are using, making it one of the most original forms of pay-as-you-go model of cloud computing services. Most major cloud providers sell this service, such as AWS Lambdas and Microsoft’s Azure Functions.
What are the different types of cloud deployment services?
Cloud deployment defines how a cloud platform and its features are implemented so that organizations and users can benefit from these services, depending on the requirements. There are four primary types of ways in which the cloud platform can be implemented:
Public cloud
It is the most common cloud deployment service where the resources are owned and managed by the service provider. The services are delivered through the internet, and users share the resources with other organizations or tenants of the same cloud service.
Private cloud
A private cloud provides all the usual resources of a cloud computing service, but it is accessible to only one single organization. The software and hardware are dedicated to matching the specific demands of the organization. It is mainly used by companies that want greater privacy and control over their cloud environment.
Hybrid cloud
It allows seamless interaction between public and private clouds and is the perfect solution for a business or company that wants to access both technologies. In addition, this technology is beneficial when dealing with clients who need to be updated in real-time using the public cloud. At the same time, the computer will keep the sensitive data stored in the private cloud.
Community cloud
It is a platform comprised of multiple tenants using a set of applications to achieve their business goals. These companies usually belong to the same industry and share similar security, scalability, and compliance interests. For example, the IBM SoftLayer cloud platform is used by U.S. Federal agencies.
However, often one cloud system doesn’t suffice the organizational needs, and thus, they invest in a broader system known as multi-cloud. Here is a detailed description of it:
What is a Multi-Cloud model?
The multi-cloud model is different from the hybrid cloud as it consists of many public clouds from varying cloud service providers. Therefore, it is beneficial for organizations that have various departments with different cloud computing requirements.
For example, the HR department and the Marketing departments may have different needs for cloud computing. Multi-cloud offers a specialized solution for each of these departments. Thus, they don’t have to settle for a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, companies can choose the solution that gives the specific departments their maximum return.
These models are more reliable than the other forms of cloud deployment because they consist of different cloud service providers. A mixture of various cloud providers, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, ensures that organizations don’t have to be dependent upon the services of a single cloud provider. Instead, it gives them flexibility and reduces overreliance on a single provider.
Hybrid and multi-cloud solutions are two of the most well-integrated cloud service solutions, but organizations can often choose the best plan for themselves. Read on to find out which model suits your business perfectly.
Which is the better solution for your business – Hybrid or Multi-Cloud?
If you want to know which is the right choice for your business, you need to clearly understand your business needs and how cloud technology can help you fulfill them.
Benefits of multi-cloud
Multi-cloud models benefit from compiling and letting you use different computing environments to perform specific tasks.
For example, an organization’s sales team might require the CRM features provided by a cloud provider. But, on the contrary, the IT department will demand a cloud provider that equips them with greater processing capacity and higher storage.
Large organizations with numerous departments benefit the most from multi-cloud models. Since it uses different cloud service providers, organizations can look forward to driving down costs by pitting service providers’ prices against each other. Thus, having various cloud providers allows greater flexibility.
Moreover, it protects organizations from security concerns that may arise from having shadow IT users. It refers to the IT services employees use personally when a single cloud cannot fulfill their demands. These applications help achieve the goals but aren’t safe from data theft.
Research shows that 81% of all enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy already laid out or in the works.
Benefits of Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid clouds are beneficial for businesses that need to operate under higher levels of security. They provide an environment where the private cloud can locate and store sensitive data. In contrast, the public cloud interface offers the framework for running applications used by clients and users.
The public cloud platform provides benefits such as high scalability and reliability. High scalability ensures you always have access to the resources needed to meet business goals while the vast server network keeps the client interfaces running smoothly.
For example, financial institutions and banks such as Bank of America and Banco Santander prefer using the hybrid model of cloud computing. It provides them the advantage of storing sensitive data on private clouds, making them less susceptible to security threats. Meanwhile, they can keep the rest of the data, with lower sensitivity, on public clouds.
Organizations can easily customize the hybrid cloud models according to their requirements. Therefore, it is beneficial for medium and small-scale enterprises to scale up the processing power when needed. Companies such as Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb extensively use hybrid cloud models in their IT systems.
Conclusion
Cloud services are swift, reliable and serve as excellent backup options if you ever lose your primary data storage device. As a result, a wide variety of industries and businesses are eager to move to the cloud. It is expected that 25% of organizations will move all their applications to the cloud within the following year.
Moreover, the umpteen benefits, including a customized solution for business-specific needs, make a cloud solution more viable and practical. In this era of remote work, cloud computing is an intelligent solution for any business looking forward to minimizing costs and improving the scalability of its operations.
Have you invested in a cloud computing system yet?
