What is Cloud computing and how cloud computing makes business easy?

Overview of Cloud Computing as a Technology

In the world of information technology, everyday we can see new concept coming in and every new technology emerges as a great leap in technology. One of the emerging concepts that attracts the IT world is the cloud computing technology. Before a company decides to embrace the cloud computing technology and makes its strategies, it should understand all the implications of this new concept.

With most of the technologies, there are varied benefits attached, but at the same point of time, businesses should evaluate its associated risks. One should start counting both the short term needs, and the long term objectives and goals of the organization.

Understanding the Cloud Computing: 

Cloud Computing is basically a model for convenient, on-demand network-based system to access computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort. Cloud computing introduces the concept of buying resources and these resources can be accessed from remote locations.

Development Models of Cloud Computing:
Before evaluating know, if cloud computing is a good for your organization, the concepts of cloud computing must be well versed. There are a number of deployment models and applications that consists in the cloud environment. Different cloud deployment models include: public cloud, community cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. There are strengths and weaknesses of deployment model. Before using any of the model one can take into consideration, according to its implementation.

Public Cloud
It is available to the general public or a large industry and is owned by an organization selling cloud services.

A public cloud is owned by a third party vendor that offers free of service, a cloud that can be used by the general public. It has limited transparency and limits customization. It is easy to setup within an organization.

Community Cloud:

It is shared by several. A community cloud is a setup that is established when a many organizations come together to share resources. A community cloud is a mini version of public cloud, but it allows only a selected group of organizations to use the cloud.

Private Cloud:

Operated solely for an organization. A private cloud is one that is established to support a small singular organization. There is much debate if a private cloud should be considered a cloud at all, as the infrastructure and management of the cloud remains within the organization.

Hybrid Cloud:

The Composition of two or more clouds that remain unique and are bound together that enables data and application portability.

A hybrid cloud allows for some of the resources to be managed by a public cloud environment, while others are managed internally by a private cloud. This will normally be used by an organization that wants to allow itself to have the scalability features that a public cloud offers, but will want to keep mission critical or private data internal to the organization.

Service Models: 

There are three major types of cloud services:

-          Software as a Service (SaaS),

-          Platform as a Service (PaaS),

-          Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS):

SaaS allows applications to be used by customers over the internet. The advantage of SaaS is the software is run from one centralized location, which means that that the software can be accessed from any location over the internet.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): 

It delivers a computing platform by sustaining cloud applications. PaaS is a platform that helps to deliver an environment where a user can use the clouds to develop new applications.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): 

It typically provides a platform virtualization environment. IaaS is using the cloud to supply the infrastructure to run an organizations IT infrastructure.

Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing: 
After understanding the basic concepts of cloud computing one organization needs to consider all of the impacts that cloud will influence.

Advantages:
There are many advantages of cloud computing. The concept of cloud has potential cost-savings benefits that are helpful for small startup, large company, or even an entire federal agency.

There is no need for highly trained personnel dedicated to IT.

With the use of cloud computing, software updates and backups are hassle free and organizations having to spend time and money on these activities.

Resources can be scaled up or down as needed by the client and as per operating need. The elasticity is gained by cloud computing as it allows businesses to proceed in a manner that is appropriate and without any delay.

The use of cloud is as an environmentally friendly approach.

Disadvantages:
Every company may think about a number of concerns that need to be taken into consideration before a company elects to implement cloud computing.

The main concern in cloud computing includes security, privacy, reliability and cost.

The amount of security control is highest in a private cloud and lowest in a public cloud.

The vendor that is supplying the cloud could potentially access a company's sensitive information, which increases the risk of a privacy breach.

Reliability is can be another concern for many organizations; having a service down for even a few minutes can create a mess.

It is important that service level agreements should be established with the vendor to make sure the reliability requirements are agreed upon by both parties.

Bottom Line of Cloud Consulting

Cloud consulting has the potential to change the way organizations deal with the IT requirements. It reduces costs and controls the IT structure of the organization. But one should make some level of customizations before using the same for the current and future needs of the organization.