Introduction to Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is a rapidly emerging field in the IT industry. Today, whether it is a startup or a tech giant, everyone is shifting from on-premises services to cloud services. The incremental growth in the digitization of businesses has resulted in the rising demand for cloud computing and cloud based services. It would not be wrong to say that it is an ocean of services and opportunities. The deeper we dive, the more we get from it.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a technology that makes use of virtualization to deliver cloud services that include servers, storage, databases, networks, software, analytics, intelligence, application development, etc. All these services are available through the Internet and can be accessed anytime and anywhere. You are allowed to use all these services with the added advantage of scalability. Most on-premises lack this key feature which limits their growth. Some cloud providers provide these services at no cost. Hence, its use is not just easy and secure but even economical. 

Classification of Cloud Computing

Not all cloud services are meant for everyone. Therefore it becomes important to know about different types of cloud computing services to select the best services according to your need.

There are many bases for classifying cloud computing. But there are 2 major classifications.

• On the basis of deployment

1. Public Cloud- There are several third-party cloud service providers who operate the public cloud. They offer services like servers, storage, and other supporting infrastructure to the users through the use of the internet. In this type of cloud computing, all the hardware and software are owned and managed by the cloud provider. It typically has massive amounts of available space, which makes it suitable for operations seeking scalability. Users can access their services using the web browser and manage their accounts. It is highly recommended for software development.

1. Private Cloud- As the name suggests, it is a service meant for private operations. Usually, it is used by organizations or businesses and can be located in its local data center or can be managed by a third-party cloud provider. The private networks maintain the services and infrastructures under a private cloud. This is why it mostly resides behind a firewall and is utilized by only a single organization. Businesses that require very tight and strict regulations can make use of private cloud for their operations.

1. Community Cloud- This type of cloud computing is shared by organizations with common goals, creating a community where only community members can access the services offered by community cloud. It is a kind of platform where several organizations share the same applications. Hence, it becomes a cloud with multiple tenants who collaborate to achieve a common goal.

1. Hybrid Cloud- It is the combination of public and private cloud. The data and applications are shared and transferred between the public and private cloud. With Hybrid Cloud, both public and private clouds can interact seamlessly. It provides more flexibility and more development options for businesses. Therefore, it becomes easier to optimize business infrastructure and security. It is recommended for businesses that have to work with big data analytics and have strict data privacy regulations. 

• On the basis of delivery models

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)-  

• It is the most basic category of cloud computing in which the user can take resources on rent from the cloud service provider. It is a service model that outsources its infrastructure like databases, servers, and networking equipment. Because it provides hardware services, it is also called Hardware as a Service (HaaS). It is preferred by most organizations because they do not have to procure any physical resources, which is not just high in cost but also time-consuming. The procurement procedure may take up to several months Also the hardware has to be maintained properly for better functioning. It again takes time and human resources. These resources take physical space, power, and cooling.

• Not just this, the companies have to keep IT professionals to maintain these resources. All of this requires huge capital. Despite investing such a huge amount, your resources remain unscalable and you operate in the fear of losing out on space. When your business grows, you would have to replace them and again buy the new types of equipment.  Hence, the companies can save a really good amount by getting the outsourced infrastructure from a reliable IaaS provider.

• The payment method is also quite flexible as they provide scalable services. So you pay for only what you use. Also, they offer you options to pay based on the time for which you use their services. It could be weekly monthly, or even hourly. Some cloud providers use the amount of virtual machine space as the basis for charging their customers. 

            Advantages-

1. Highly Cost-effective: This service provides flexible payment options, making it cost-efficient and suitable for all business types. The amount saved can be used to invest in growing your service rather than using it to maintain the costly hardware.

2. Zero Maintenance- Because you do not have any hardware, there is absolutely no need to maintain them, as the maintenance is done by the cloud provider only. This again saves you a huge amount. 

3. Security- The IaaS cloud provider offers better security as compared to the hardware installed locally. So they are more reliable in securing your data. They invest in the latest technologies which is very tough for businesses to do. Hence, you can rely on the secure services offered by the cloud.

4. Boosts Productivity- Since there is no maintenance required, the employees can work on more important things that boost their productivity and hence, businesses can grow at a higher rate.

             Disadvantages-        

1. Less control over infrastructure- Though you may have access to the infrastructure, it is fully controlled by the cloud service provider. In this case, you have limited control over the infrastructure. 
2. Dependency- Because you take all the services from the third party, it makes you dependent on them. Any unexpected fault in their services may affect your business.

• Saas (Software as a Service)- 

• This service provides on-demand application software services to its users. There is no need to download and install software by the user on his computer or laptop. They can directly access it through any web browser or application. Like in IaaS, a cloud provider offers the hardware, in SaaS, it provides the software to its users. All your data is stored in the cloud which you can access from any device.

• We can also understand with the help of an analogy. Suppose you have a cassette of your favorite music. You would be required to store and manage it. This is like you have installed the software. Now if you get all your music streamed online, it is like using the SaaS where you would not have to download your songs on any physical device because they are being streamed on software located on the cloud. This industry has seen a sharp rise in India in the last decade. (You can read more about the news by clicking it here)

            Advantages-            

1. Accessibility- This gives users unmatchable accessibility and freedom from carrying physical devices for performing any operation. Both businesses and individuals benefit from the services of SaaS. This allows businesses to collaborate because the employees can work from anywhere.
2. No installations- The major advantage of SaaS is that it gives you the liberty of not installing any software. Therefore, no updates are required as you can access them directly through the browser.
3. Scalability- All the SaaS services are highly scalable so businesses pay for what they use. This way can cut down costs on maintenance. 

           Disadvantages- 

1. Dependency on the Internet- All the services of SaaS can only be accessed through the Internet. Hence, any issue with Internet connectivity can severely affect all your business operations.
2. Limited Control over Data- For organizations that are required to regulate data, this can be a big concern because SaaS providers have all the access to their user data. 

• Paas (Platform as a Service)- 

• This service is used to supply an on-demand environment to develop, test, deliver, and manage software applications. This service is designed to create web and mobile applications. With rapid digitization, the requirement for web applications has increased exponentially. Hence the necessity to have a platform that simplifies the building of applications has also increased. 

• The developers can access the platform and collaborate with other team members. It is also helpful in deploying the applications once they are built on the platform. It is very hard to build applications on the installed software. With PaaS there it becomes easy to store all the information and distribute it to other developers.

           Advantages-

1. Flexible access- Developers work across the globe and PaaS provides flexible access to them making their work easier. 
2. Cost-effective- PaaS is highly cost-efficient like all other service models because it offers on-demand solutions. So you do not pay for services you are not using.
3. Scalable- You do not have to worry about the capacity. If there is an increased demand, you can always rely on the scalable solution offered by PaaS.
4. Affordable Tools- There are specific tools required for the development of applications that come along with PaaS which are otherwise, quite expensive. 

            Disadvantages- 

1. Compatibility- It is difficult to integrate the existing development platform with PaaS. Hence, the organization might face technical issues and thus, delayed operations.
2. Application Security- While the PaaS service providers offer reliable security, the businesses, however, are responsible for the developed application’s security. 

1. XaaS (Anything as a Service)- 

• The varying needs of businesses require solutions that can cater to all their problems. That is why, many cloud providers offer cloud services which is an amalgamation of all the above services.
• This gives businesses a one-stop solution and they can save time which they can invest in scaling business rather than managing services. 

            Advantages-

1. Less Management- Managing different services from different places can be a daunting task for businesses. With XaaS, you get everything you need under one roof. Hence, you have to manage fewer services.
2. Time Saved- Because you have to manage less, you get more time to invest in making critical decisions for your business.
3. Affordability- It might be expensive to take different services from different providers, therefore, XaaS comes to your rescue. You can integrate all the services in one place and therefore, it is highly affordable and cost-efficient. 

           Disadvantages- 

1. Dependency- Since you take all the services from one provider, it makes you highly dependent on the cloud provider which may hinder your business growth. 
2. Performance- XaaS is highly popular and a lot of businesses are making use of it. Since these resources are overused, it impacts the performance of XaaS and this may result in increased latency and downtime.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

1. Easy to use- Cloud computing does not require much technical knowledge and hence, it is quite easy to use.
2. Scalable- One of the best features of cloud services is that it is highly scalable. Your website will probably face high traffic a few times, while the rest of the time, it may get lesser traffic. In such cases, the requirement of resources varies according to the traffic on the website. There is absolutely no need to take up a fixed set of resources. Instead, you can take resources as you need them and give them back when you do not need them. This gives you greater control and also saves you money.
3. Accessibility- As discussed earlier, there is no need to carry a storage device to access your data. All you need is to save your data on the cloud and there you go! You can access it anytime and anywhere from any device. You can enjoy this freedom only by using cloud services.
4. No hassle of hardware-   Free yourself from managing the hardware because the cloud takes care of the hardware maintenance so that you can focus more on your business.

• Cost-efficient – It cuts down the cost of physical infrastructure and the human resources required for its deployment and maintenance. We 

1. Security- The cloud services are highly secure and safe. Cloud providers make use of all security measures that safeguard your data from any cyberattack. Most cloud providers offer a set of policies and technologies to users, with the help of which it becomes super easy for users to secure their apps, data, and infrastructure.
2. Disaster Recovery- Though disaster recovery has a lot of stages, the primary step is data recovery. Data acts as fuel to any business and no business, in today’s time, can afford to lose data. It offers Backup as a Service (BaaS) that helps you retrieve data even after any catastrophe making sure you do not lose out on your valuable data.

Final Thoughts

Cloud computing is the technology of the present and the future. It has enormous potential to make your business grow. You just need to tap into it. After reading the article, you would have gotten a fair idea about all types of cloud services. Now you can make a better and informed decision for your business. 

To know more about how Zebyte Cloud can help you get reliable, scalable, and affordable cloud services you can check our blogs here …………. or visit our website https://www.zebytecloud.com

You may contact our team at contact@zebyterentals.com