The IT requirements of a business today are high and continue to rise. Cloud computing is one of the technologies that drive digitalization. Cloud computing is still a relatively new technology and is constantly expanding in terms of what it can do.
New technology can be intimidating, but it has the power to completely transform the way we all do business. This blog gives you an insight into the cloud and points out the most important advantages and disadvantages.
What is the cloud?
The cloud is the delivery of on-demand computing resources over the Internet. A cloud server is a virtual server running in a cloud computing environment. A business migrates its data and applications from its own physical servers into the cloud provider’s virtualized servers.
Cloud hosting makes applications and websites accessible using cloud resources. Unlike traditional hosting, solutions are not deployed on a single server. Instead, a network of connected virtual and physical cloud servers hosts the application or website, ensuring greater flexibility and scalability. With cloud hosting, you rent the equipment, space, and manpower to manage it and keep it running. One of the key benefits of the cloud is cost-effectiveness since no upfront costs are involved. Services are being provided to businesses on-demand, meaning you only pay for what you use.
How It works: Different Types of Cloud
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS, or infrastructure as a service, is one of the most common forms of cloud service! This is where you rent servers or storage space from a provider.
- Platform as a service (PaaS)
PaaS, platform as a service, refers to services for developing and running software applications over the internet. PaaS provides the infrastructure for creating and operating applications without companies needing to maintain that infrastructure themselves.
- Software as a service (SaaS)
SaaS, or software as a service, is likely the type of cloud computing most people are familiar with because they rely on them for day-to-day operations.
Public, Private and Hybrid Clouds
- Public Cloud
Public clouds are the most common way of deploying cloud computing. The public cloud is a deployment model where your data is stored off-site on a shared server managed and maintained by the service provider. This is a single service that is offered to many customers at the same time. With a public cloud, the support and infrastructure are owned by the company that provides the cloud services, meaning that the provider of a public cloud service determines the conditions of this service. One important benefit of the public cloud is the ability to rapidly scale a service. A disadvantage of the public cloud is the fact that it is public.
- Private Cloud
Private cloud refers to a model of cloud computing in which computing resources are rented by a single client or company and is dedicated to the needs and goals of one business. Businesses can customize the control and maintenance of their service, allowing to tailor your infrastructure to meet your business needs and to suit any security or infrastructure requirements you may have. The downside is that customization is much more expensive than standard software in a public cloud.
- Hybrid Cloud
A hybrid cloud uses a combination of on-premises private cloud and public cloud services. The combination of both the public- and private cloud allows businesses to benefit from both environments. Hybrid cloud means, you can take advantage of each delivery method (public, private, colocation) while mitigating the risks of choosing just one. You can allocate resources to either private or public cloud storage depending on where, when, and how you need them! You can easily scale resources up and down as your business needs change. A hybrid infrastructure can help businesses deal with rising traffic levels, as well as increased computing and storage demands.
Top benefits of the Cloud
- You can easily scale up, as your needs increase and scale down when your business needs changes.
- Services are being provided to businesses on-demand in a pay as you go model.
- You have access to data anywhere and anytime regardless of the machine
Disadvantages of the Cloud
- Cloud services run on remote servers that are completely owned and managed by service providers. Not every business is willing or capable of putting their entire infrastructure in someone else’s cloud.
- You are dependent on the quality of the internet, in case your internet connection is down, you won’t be able to access your data or applications in the cloud.
- Cloud service providers are often faced with security challenges
Still not sure about the cloud for your infrastructure? Check out our recent blog: How to Choose the Right IT Infrastructure for Your Business?
Netrouting’s Solutions
Determining which applications are best suited for your business, whether it may be colocation, dedicated servers, or cloud; keeping in mind what the requirements and security measures are needed to create the most effective and efficient infrastructure! for your business.
Whatever the case, Netrouting is here to help you make the right decision for your business needs. Our experts are happy to assess your business needs with you to and help you improve your business’ IT infrastructure. Please contact us at sales@netrouting.com or +31 (0)88 270 02 00
