Businesses of all sizes and within nearly all industries are making their transition from in-house servers to cloud computing at continuously increasing rates. Enabling companies to access business applications and data from any location and at any time, so long as an Internet connection exists, cloud computing is often a much more cost-effective option. And “according to research by Gartner, up to 60% of business owners will [rely] on the cloud for hosting data by 2022.” Today, many of the world’s professionals can work productively and efficiently, even from the safety of their own home and on their own devices, due to cloud computing.
However, in particular, small businesses have an abundance of rewards to reap from switching to the cloud. Cloud computing services offer mobile data access, empowering small businesses to become progressively competitive within their markets. As a result of the volatile business climate much of the world’s population currently finds itself in, it has never been more crucial for small businesses to have the availability and flexibility to access information and applications from any device, regardless of their location. Cloud computing provides enterprises with this convenience on a global scale. And the following terms are invaluable to small businesses looking to implement cloud computing strategies of their own.
Cloud
Initially used to refer to the telephone network, today’s “cloud” now commonly refers to the Internet and is a metaphor for a global network. The cloud is an expansive network of remote servers distributed worldwide, all of which are linked together to function as one ecosystem. The servers that comprise the cloud all have unique functions such as storing and managing data, running applications, and delivering content. The cloud enables individuals to access valuable or sensitive files and data via any Internet-capable device, rather than from a local or personal computer. Thus, the cloud empowers users to access information whenever, and from wherever, they might need it.
Cloud Provider
A cloud provider is “a company that provides a cloud-based platform, infrastructure, application, or storage services, usually for a fee.” When deciding which cloud provider is best suited to an individual or organization’s needs, it is essential to evaluate both the reliability and capability that a given cloud provider offers. Different cloud providers will supply varying degrees of business health and processes, administration support, technical capabilities and procedures, and security measures. Moreover, each cloud provider offers their services at differing prices. Users can request a cloud cost estimation today from Speelyaal’s enterprise computing service, Thaalam. And with Thaalam, users can seamlessly control costs through effortlessly manageable cloud functionalities.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is a service supplied by a cloud provider that allows users to transfer data via the Internet to an offsite storage system to be housed and maintained. Hundreds of different cloud storage systems exist, ranging from personal storage — which backs up photos, videos, emails, etc., to enterprise storage, enabling the secure transfer and storage of business data files shared between locations. Often scalable to meet an individual or organization’s needs, cloud storage is offered in three distinct models: public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud. To find the cloud storage solution best-suited to an individual or enterprise, users can perform a thorough cloud cost analysis.
Public Cloud
A public cloud supplies computing services to any user who purchases them via the public Internet. Public cloud services can be free or sold on-demand, enabling payment per usage for the storage, bandwidth, or CPU cycles utilized. A cost-effective cloud option, the public cloud holds the cloud provider responsible for all system management and maintenance. With nearly infinite scalability, public clouds are easily and rapidly deployable.
Private Cloud
A private cloud supplies computing services to select users via the Internet or a private internal network. While maintaining many public cloud benefits, like self-service, elasticity, and scalability, a private cloud also provides users additional control and customization options. Company firewalls deliver enhanced security and privacy through a private cloud, ensuring operations and delicate data remain inaccessible to third-party providers.
Hybrid Cloud
A hybrid cloud combines public and private clouds, uniting their respective cloud environments through technology, enabling sharing applications and data amongst them. In doing so, a hybrid cloud offers organizations enhanced flexibility, empowering scalability and more expansive development options. As computing and processing demands vary, a hybrid cloud allows businesses to smoothly scale up their on-premises infrastructure to the public cloud, managing overflow and meeting their needs without turning over complete data access to third-party data centers. Furthermore, with a hybrid cloud, short-term surges in demand can be handled without necessitating massive financial costs, as companies will only pay for resources they use when they use them.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), sometimes referred to as Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS), is a virtualized computer environment delivered by a cloud provider as a service through the Internet. Infrastructure can consist of servers, software, network equipment, etc. An instant computing infrastructure, IaaS can be rapidly scaled up or down according to demand, allowing users to only pay for the services that they use. With Iaas, individuals and organizations can steer clear of the expenses and complications of buying and managing physical servers or data center infrastructure.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), also referred to as a hosted application, is an application delivered by a cloud provider via the Internet. Enabling users to connect to and utilize cloud-based applications through the Internet, SaaS operates a pay-as-you-go basis with few upfront costs. With SaaS, providers oversee all hardware and software, ensuring the availability and security of applications and data.
Platform-as-a-Service (Paas)
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a computing platform delivered by a cloud provider as a service through the Internet. A total cloud-based development and deployment environment, PaaS supplies users with the necessary resources to provide a vast range of applications. PaaS consists of infrastructure, as well as middleware, database management systems, development tools, business intelligence (BI) services, etc. Created to fully support the web application lifecycle, PaaS empowers users to avoid the expenses and complications of purchasing and handling software licenses, development tools, and more.
Vendor Lock-in
A common plight of cloud computing often faced by small businesses, vendor lock-in is a dependency upon and created by a particular cloud provider. Such providers will supply users with minimal ability to migrate between vendors resulting from a lack of support for standardized protocols, data schemas, APIs, or service models.
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