The Benefits of Cloud Computing

Definition of Cloud Computing  

Cloud computing can be defined as the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the Internet. 

Cloud computing can also be divided and subdivided into many parts. Below is a brief overview of the various divisions and uses of cloud computing.

The 3 Different Ways of Deploying Cloud Services

The three different ways that cloud services can be deployed fall under public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud.

  • Public Cloud: A public cloud is owned and managed by a third-party cloud service provider. A business pays the cloud service provider a monthly subscription fee for access to services like servers and storage. All hardware and software are operated and owned by the cloud provider over the Internet. 

  • Private Cloud: A private cloud is owned and used exclusively by one business or organization on their private network. A private cloud is often located on-premise or the business’s data center. Companies can also pay a third-party to host their private cloud.  

  • Hybrid Cloud: A hybrid cloud is the fusion of both public and private clouds. They are joined together through technology that enables the transition of data and applications between the two. Hybrid clouds are usually considered to be the most flexible of the three deployment options. 

The Cloud Computing Stack/ Types of Cloud Services

Almost all cloud computing services fall within these three categories: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS). 

  • IaaS: Providers offer cloud-based alternatives to on-premise models including pay-as-you-go storage and virtualization. IaaS allows businesses to transfer their data from on-premise storage to public or private cloud storage in a data center.

  • PaaS:  Vendors provide hardware and software tools over the internet for businesses to develop their applications. PaaS makes it easier for these developers to create applications faster and without the need for setting up infrastructure, as all the necessary tools are already in place. 

  • SaaS:  A means of software licensing and delivery, hosted on a centralized platform and based upon a subscription fee. SaaS software is available through third parties such as Google Apps, Slack, and Dropbox.

Click here for more on IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.

Other Types of Cloud Computing

There are two other ways that cloud computing can be sectioned: multicloud and vertical cloud. While not necessarily new categories of service, these represent two additional ways of defining the organization of cloud computing services.

  • Multicloud: Multicloud means using more than a single public cloud. There is a distinct difference between multicloud and hybrid cloud. With Multicloud, you could have many public clouds with a single private cloud. Whereas with a hybrid cloud, you can only have the pairing of one public and one private cloud.

  • Vertical Cloud: When providers deliver PaaS clouds that enable customers to build vertical applications that utilize industry-specific, API-accessible services. Most vertical clouds are created to foster partner ecosystems.

The Uses of Cloud Computing

From massive governmental entities to private citizens, everyone utilizes cloud computing to some extent in their daily lives. Here are some examples of the uses of cloud computing.

  • Create Cloud-Native Applications

  • Store, Backup, and Recover Data

  • Stream Audio and Video

  • Deliver Software on Demand

  • Test and Build Applications

  • Analyze Data

  • Embed Intelligence

 

Conectrix wants to shed greater visibility into your current, virtual environment. With over 250 suppliers, we have the means to help you make the switch to the cloud today. For more information on the benefits of cloud computing, read here or reach out to us with your questions. 

Sean Lawless