What is cloud computing? Everything you need to know about the cloud computing

Cloud computing is the fastest-growing trend of online file access being used by businesses, organizations, and companies worldwide. It develops a virtual space or cloud of company data files and software, that can be used by anyone and anywhere you want. All you need is the appropriate hardware that can be connected to the internet, whether it’s a computer, a notebook, an Apple iPad, an Android phone, you name it. Cloud computing providers usually charge you a small monthly fee and you are ready to go. Most of the companies that offer you cloud computing services are very flexible and allow you to choose a wide range of software or applications. The set up usually takes just a couple of hours and the client can immediately log in.

What is cloud computing

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that has to do with the provision of hosting services over the Internet. Based on its functionality, there are different clouds computing services:

1. Saas (Software as a service)

2. Paas (Platform as a service)

3. Iaas (Infrastructure as a service)

What is cloud computing? You might ask yourself what are the differences, what do they do exactly? What is Saas? 

Saas:

The Saas service provider manages registered software packages. The browser-based applications can be used individually by the user without having to worry about licensing and high server costs. 

Paas:

The Paas working platforms are managed by the provider to work and generate business applications. This is quite clever because it is made to support all stages of web application creation without the need to add any other software on local devices such as a laptop or a computer. 

Iaas:

Finally, Iaas can be seen as an enhanced type of hosting. You can purchase virtual servers and accessories on a “per use” basis.

So what about security? It has been said that cloud computing has been designed to be as secure as a credit card transaction through the internet. In other words, your data will be protected against hackers and any other criminal acts. 

Apart from professional CC service providers, there are also a couple of free ones out there. For example, the famous Google engine has a free platform called Google apps. It is far from being perfect since it’s free and you do get a lot of advertisements (hence why it is free), but it is a good way to get familiar with cloud computing. Other providers that you could have a look at are Zoho and Salesforce.

Why Cloud Computing:

Reducing costs is the main reason why more and more businesses opt for a cloud computing platform. Yes, indeed it reduces your costs because you don’t have to buy several expensive licenses for Microsoft Office anymore in order to let your employees work with Microsoft Word, Excel, Access or Powerpoint. Your IT staff doesn’t even have to update every software or drivers which sometimes may lead to server problems or even worse, a server crash! Note that Microsoft Office was just to give you an idea. Other examples of cc: if you run a design company, Adobe products are also available.

Cloud computing architecture

 Cloud computing is a process where software, shared resources and information are given to computers and the electricity grid with the use of the internet. It is a system that provides access to sites that can be accessed through the internet. The whole system of cloud computing is divided into two sections, front end, and back end. Both the sections are connected with each other with the help of the internet.

The front end of Cloud Computing:

 The front side of the section is for the users. The system needs some application to access the cloud computing system. Not all this type of system gives the same edge to its users. Many web services like electronic mails or e-mail programs have control over some of today’s browser like Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc. other systems have some other applications which helps it in its own way to provide access to its clients. Hence, the front end is used to refer to the interface, which helps the user to get some kind of service.

The back end of Cloud Computing: 

 The back end is the cloud section for the whole system. In cloud computing back end includes various computer machines, data storage systems, and servers. Hence it can be rightly said that the back end itself is a cloud in cloud computing. These small groups make a big group or cloud computing system. Any type of cloud computing system can include any type of computer program, which a human being can think of which can be from video games to data processing.

 A central server is used for managing the whole system. There are certain rules, which are followed by this server. It uses a unique type of software, which is known as middleware. This software enables the computers that are connected to a network to communicate with each other. It requires a massive storage device to keep all the information. This is because the computer has the tendency of breaking down and hence the system must have a copy of all the data.

What Is Cloud Computing Storage?

We can, however, say that cloud computing “is secure access to your data by using any device connected to the Internet”. “The cloud” is basically a computer network where you can store your files and data, as well as having access to it from any place as long as you have an Internet connection on your device, instead of having your files on a local computer or hard drive. This is basically what iCloud will give you as well. A lot of websites are also hosted “in the cloud”, which basically means that their files are hosted “somewhere else”, not locally.

It might not sound very interesting, or even safe to store your precious files at some remote location, however, just think about it: at least it’s a great place to have backups! The uptime at the cloud networks is so near to 100%, and you can access your files anywhere. Google Docs is another example of what is cloud computing.

So whenever someone asks you “what is cloud computing”, you can at least give them a short brief description of one of the newest and most expanding service a lot of us will use in the nearest future – both for backup and for storage. New OS’s like Google Chrome OS will be based on having access to the Internet – the cloud, with a few necessary files stores locally.

The Advantages of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is very efficient, especially for those of us who travel a lot or have several digital devices. If you create a document on your computer, it will be stored locally, and it will be tricky to read it anywhere else than on your computer.

If you create a document at Google Docs, you can access it from your account on any device connected to the Internet. You can also allow others to edit it. This is a great invention, also for small and large businesses that share a lot of documents, or files in general.

Another advantage is that the storage space “in the cloud” is way larger than a normal laptop or desktop computer has. Instead of having racks of hard drives stored in your house, you can simply rent space at a cloud service provider instead. Also, you don’t have to be afraid if your laptop gets stolen, as your files are simply stored on the Internet, where you can get access to them again from your new computer, or a given device.