Cloud computing is getting increasing popular these days. Cloud computing seems like a perfect solution for cost-conscious users and upper management, which needs to collaborate in real time. For those of you who are wondering what cloud computing is and whether it can be beneficial to you, I am going to cover its basics and some pros and cons associated with it.
What is Cloud Computing?
In cloud computing, you can access the hosted service over the Internet. This gives you the power to interact with applications or access your documents that are hosted and stored with a service provider that could be located just about anywhere. You can even develop applications using infrastructure that is hosted remotely. Cloud computing provides various kinds of services that are listed below:
Software as a service (SaaS) – In this setup, the infrastructure such as hardware and software is already provided to the user. The user needs to use a front end tool to interact with application and documents. A good example of this kind of cloud computing service is the service provider salesforce.com.
Platform as a service (PaaS) – In this kind of setup the service provider provides software and development tools to develop applications over web. The users can create applications regardless of their location. The best example of this kind of cloud computing service is GoogleApps.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) – In this kind of setup the service provider provides infrastructure for development of applications. In most cases the service provider would provide virtual server and memory and the users can access them through API. A good example of this kind of cloud computing service is Amazon Web Services.
Desktop as a service (DaaS) – In this kind of setup enables you to access your desktop from anywhere.
Next let us look at some of the pros and cons associated with cloud computing.
Cloud computing advantages
1) Lower costs – You can cut costs by using a low powered computer to access your applications.
2) Unlimited storage – The service providers usually provide unlimited storage to store documents and applications.
3) Improved performance – You get better performance as the computing is not dependent on your computer.
4) Device Independence – Since the documents are stored in cloud, you can access them from any system.
Cloud computing disadvantages
Along with the benefits, the best cloud storage recommendations can have demerits too. The person should gather proper information for using the services at the computer.
1) You need a high speed internet connection to take advantage of cloud computing.
2) The data stored in the cloud may not be secure. It may be possible for hackers or intruders to access your vital data.
Even though cloud computing has its share of drawbacks, there are numerous advantage that makes it an ideal solution for people who want to lower the costs, improve performance and need real time collaboration.