What is cloud computing? Learn about the term below
Those who do not know what it is about, seek to know more about it, those who know, seek ways to implement it and those who already use it, always talk about the excellent results they obtain with it.
If you are in the first group and the concept of cloud computing turns your head, in this article you will discover everything you need to know about cloud computing, the Internet cloud. Keep reading!
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is a technology that allows you to remotely access software, file storage, and data processing over the Internet from anywhere in the world at any time, without the need to connect to a personal computer or local server.
In other words, cloud computing uses the connectivity and large scale of the Internet to host the most varied resources, programs, and information, and allows the user to access them through any computer, tablet or cell phone.
If it's still not clear, let me give you an example: if you ever edited a document in Google Docs, listened to music in Spotify or watched a movie on Netflix, you had direct contact with cloud computing. All of these are online services that do not require you to download, install and access any type of software or file on your computer. You just need a browser and a good Internet connection to use them.
Uses of cloud computing
If we analyze the traditional model of computing, in which users and companies need to invest in downloads, hardware, operating systems and software to run some kind of application, it is easy to understand why cloud computing became so popular.
The cloud emerged as a way of democratizing information and improving the experience of those who depend on technological resources at a personal or professional level.
Cloud computing brought with its countless advantages. Opting for a cloud service allows:
The reduction of costs with infrastructure: since it eliminates the capital expense with purchases of hardware and software, installation and maintenance;
The economy of space: since resources remain stored online;
The centralization of information: avoiding that all the data is kept in different programs, with different types of authentication and forms of access;
The increase or decrease according to the client's need: thanks to the power of elasticity that provides the ideal amount of resources, storage, and processing;
Remote work: company employees can access all data through any computer, notebook, tablet or smartphone, as long as they are connected to the Internet.
Also, we can mention the quality of security, automatic server updating, platform usability, technical support, and backup services.
In the midst of so many benefits, cloud computing has become the favorite option for many companies and users in general. Not in vain, practically everything we consume on the Internet today - social networks, file storage, video and music streaming - comes from applications and services hosted in the cloud.
How does cloud computing work?
Cloud computing uses a remote server to connect users' devices to centralized resources. A remote server stores all the data and programs you need, and can be in your own country or on the other side of the world, for example, in Japan. The fact is that you can access it over the Internet, from anywhere, even if it's stored miles away.
There are 3 types of cloud computing: public, private and hybrid. If you have a business and are thinking of using a cloud service, bear in mind that the choice will depend on factors related to cost, availability, performance, and expectations. Here's how each cloud works:
Public cloud
These are computer resources, such as servers and storage, provided by a third party and available to any person or company that wishes to hire them. In this model, the customer is responsible for what will be sent to the cloud, be it a backup, an application or some files, while the cloud provider is concerned with the maintenance, security, and management of all resources.
In the public cloud, everything is available on the web and shared among several users using simultaneously (but separately), which makes the resources remain standardized.
By offering unified solutions, this model ends up being more economical. Therefore, the public cloud is suitable for businesses that want to save on investment.
Private cloud
In this model, the enterprise maintains the cloud infrastructure in its internal domain and offers restricted access to selected users, such as employees and partners.
The private cloud offers the enterprise the ability to customize features and support to its needs. Because the cloud is designed exclusively for the enterprise, all processes are driven by business reality.
In general, the private cloud is used by organizations that must follow certain specific regulations and rules on data and information security and privacy, as is the case with some financial and government institutions.
Hybrid cloud
Finally, when we talk about the hybrid cloud, we mean the union of the two previous ones, that is, the combination that allows them to share data and applications between them. This being the case, in keeping with the need and strategy of the business, some resources are used privately, others are used publicly or linked by technology.
What services are available for cloud computing?
Today, cloud computing offers a wide variety of services, tools, and features to meet the needs of businesses. Among the main offerings, 3 models stand out:
SaaS (Software as a Service)
SaaS allows access to software without buying its license, using it for free from the cloud, often with limited resources.
However, there are also payment plans in which a fixed fee is charged, a value that varies according to use or even without cost, if the resource offers advertising or another form of monetization.
In this format, the company accesses the software via the Internet, without the need to worry about installation, configuration, and investment in licenses.
Many CRMs and ERPs work through SaaS. Email services and other public applications, such as Skype, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Facebook also works with this type of model, which is why it is the most popular mechanism.
PaaS (Platform as a Service)
In this cloud model, a complete on-demand development environment is contracted, in which it is possible to create, modify and optimize software and applications.
The advantage of the PaaS model is that it includes operating systems, development tools, database management systems, business intelligence services, and many other resources, in addition to all the infrastructure needed to run or perfect web or mobile applications.
The development team only has to worry about the programming of the application, since the administration, maintenance, and updating of the infrastructure is left to the provider.
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
In the IaaS model, infrastructure resources are rented, such as servers, routers, racks, data centers, hardware, and other tools that enable the transmission and storage of data.
Depending on the supplier and the model chosen, the company may be charged, for example, for the number of servers used and the amount of data stored or trafficked. In the IaaS model, you use what is necessary according to the demand of the company and you pay only what you use.
The great advantage of this model is its scalability. After all, in one month, you may require some virtual servers where you will store little data and have little traffic, while, the following month, you may ask for double the resources.
Thus, the mechanism works like hiring a cable TV service, you can cancel it, increase it or decrease it at any time.
Conclusion
Now that you are clear about the concept of cloud computing, I recommend that, before thinking about the best model for your company, you reflect on the needs and priorities of your business, because it is based on them that you will decide which services are fundamental and need this type of investment.
Defining the budget you have available will also help you choose the best implementation system: SaaS, PaaS or IaaS. Analyze the resources
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