What is cloud computing ? Simply put, cloud computing is the delivery of computer resources — including servers, storage, websites, network, software, statistics, and intelligence — over the Internet (“cloud”) to provide faster innovation, flexibility, and economy. You usually only pay for the cloud services you use, which help you reduce your operating costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as your business needs change.
Top benefits of cloud computing
Cloud computing is a major change in the way businesses generally think about IT services. Here are seven common reasons why organizations are turning to cloud computing services:
Cost
Cloud computing eliminates huge cost of purchasing Hardware and software as well as setting up and deploying datacenters on site — server racks, hourly power supply and cooling, as well as IT infrastructure management professionals. It covers quickly.
Speed
Many cloud computing services are self-sufficient and when needed, so even a large amount of computer resources can be provided in minutes, usually with just a few clicks of a mouse, giving businesses greater flexibility and less stress management.
International scale
The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to measure flexibility. In cloud communication, that means delivering the right amount of IT resources — for example, more or less computing power, storage, bandwidth — when needed, and from the right place.
Production
On-site datacenters typically require a lot of “collection and packaging” – computer hardware setup, software feeds, and other time-consuming IT management tasks. Cloud computing eliminates the need for many of these services, so that IT teams spend time achieving the most important business goals.
Performance
Major cloud computing services operate on a global network of secure datacenters, constantly updated in the latest generation of fast and efficient computer platforms. This offers a few advantages over a single business data center, which includes reduced network latency for applications and a larger scale economy.
Honesty
Cloud computing makes data backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity easier and less expensive because data can be displayed on multiple sites that do not work on the cloud provider network.
Security
Many cloud providers offer a comprehensive set of policies, technologies, and controls that strengthen your overall security environment, helping to protect your data, applications, and infrastructure from potential threats.
Types of cloud computing
Not all clouds are the same and no single type of cloud computing is suitable for everyone. Several different models, types, and services have been developed to provide the right solution for your needs.
First, you need to determine the type of cloud usage, or cloud computing, in which your cloud services will be used. There are three different ways to use cloud services: public cloud, private cloud, or cloud component.
The public cloud
Public clouds are owned and operated by third-party cloud service providers, who deliver their computer services, such as servers and storage, via the Internet. Microsoft Azure is an example of a public cloud. With public cloud, all computer systems, software, and other supporting infrastructure are managed and managed by a cloud provider. You access these services and manage your account using a web browser. Learn more about the public cloud.
Private cloud
Private cloud refers to cloud computing services primarily used by one business or organization. The private cloud can be physically accessed on the company’s website. Some companies also pay third-party service providers to keep their cloud private. A private cloud is where resources and infrastructure are stored on a private network. Learn more about the secret cloud.
Combined cloud
Integrated clouds include public and private clouds, integrated with technologies that allow data and applications to be shared between them. By allowing data and applications to navigate between private and public clouds, the integrated cloud provides your business with greater flexibility, more supply options, and helps improve your existing infrastructure, security, and compliance. Learn more about the hybrid cloud.
Types of cloud services: IaaS, PaaS, serverless, and SaaS
Most cloud computing services fall into four broad categories: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), serverless, and software as a service (SaaS). These are sometimes called cloud computing “stack” because they build on one another. Knowing what they are and how they differ makes it easier to achieve your business goals.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
The most basic category of cloud computing services. With IaaS, you hire IT infrastructure — servers and virtual machines (VMs), storage, networks, operating systems — from a cloud provider on a pay-per-view basis.
Forum as a service (PaaS)
Platform as a service refers to cloud computing services that provide much-needed space for developing, testing, delivering, and managing software applications. PaaS is designed to make it easier for developers to quickly build web or mobile applications, without having to worry about setting up or managing the basic server infrastructure, storage, network, and infrastructure needed for development.
Server without a server
Compatible with PaaS, a computer-free computer focuses on application performance without wasting time continuously managing the servers and infrastructure needed to do so. A cloud provider to handle your setup, volume planning, and server management. Non-server entities are highly scalable and event-driven, using resources only when a specific task or trigger occurs.
Software as a service (SaaS)
Software as a service is a way to deliver software applications online, as needed and usually by subscription. With SaaS, cloud providers host and manage software and basic infrastructure, and manage any improvements, such as software development and security amendments. Users connect to the app via the Internet, usually via a web browser on their phone, tablet, or PC.
Use of cloud computing
You are probably using cloud computing right now, even if you are not aware of it. If you use an online service to send email, edit documents, watch movies or TV, listen to music, play games, or save photos and other files, cloud computing is likely to make everything happen behind the scenes. The first cloud computing services are not even ten years old, but already various organizations — from small beginnings to global corporations, government institutions to nonprofits — are embracing technology for all sorts of reasons.
What is cloud computing
Here are a few examples of what can happen today with cloud services from a cloud provider:
Create native cloud apps
Build quickly, use, and scale applications — the web, mobile, and API. Take advantage of traditional cloud technologies and methods, such as Containers, Kubernetes, microservices architecture, API-driven communications, and DevOps.
Explore and build applications
Reduce system upgrade and time costs by using cloud infrastructure that can be easily expanded or deployed.
Save, make a backup copy, and restore data
Protect your data in an inexpensive way — and on a large scale — by transferring your data online to a secure cloud storage system that can be accessed from any location or device.
Analyze data
Gather your data across all groups, divisions, and locations in the cloud. Then use cloud services, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to get information on informed decisions.
Stream audio & video
Connect with your audience anywhere, anytime, on any device with high definition video and audio that is being distributed worldwide.
Embed wisdom
Use smart models to help engage customers and provide valuable information from captured data.
Bring the software where needed
Also known as software as a service (SaaS), the most sought after software allows you to provide the latest software versions and updates to customers — whenever they need it, wherever they are.
Microsoft and cloud computing
Microsoft is the world’s leading provider of cloud computing services for businesses of all sizes. To learn more about Microsoft’s cloud platform, our Kubernetes offering Azure offer, our server-free application, and how Microsoft Azure compares to other cloud providers, see What is Azure? and Azure vs. AWS.