Thomas Kelly
1 June 2021
Cloud computing is a neat buzz-word, however what does it actually mean, and what does it offer? We’ll get the ball rolling on some answers in our beginners guide to cloud computing. Let’s get into it!
In recent years, cloud computing has emerged as a highly efficient and secure system for online information-sharing. The multitude of platforms and servers this computing system supports stands to revolutionise the business world, as well as redefine human interactions and the ways we connect with our mobile devices.
However, it can all be a bit confusing if you’re new to the concept. Here are a few facets of cloud computing to get you in the groove.
The cloud will continue to grow
Whether you regard cloud computing as a mere upgrade of traditional utility computing, or as an all-encompassing system of online consumption, it offered what IT is always in need of: the efficient expansion of capabilities without extra investment in infrastructure, personnel, or software licensing.
Cloud computing has been around for a few years now, however it remains in its relatively early stages of development (considering its ultimate potential). The support it offers through hosting providers utilising software as a service (SaaS), network as a service (NaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) suggests its significance in terms of online communications in the future. The cloud has arrived, and it continues to grow.
The cloud can be accessed anywhere, anytime
The physical workplace is no longer the central hub of office productivity, with the increasing popularity of mobile devices allowing colleagues to interact and pursue common goals in real time, regardless of where they are.
In classic supply-and-demand fashion, this development in workplace operations puts the onus on professionals specialising in cloud computing to build and deliver apps within the cloud which can facilitate this kind of work. Cloud computing allows for huge amounts of actionable information to be stored and processed online, with data integration making this information accessible at any time.
As you can read in our guide to cloud computing, maintenance also becomes far less of an issue, as cloud computing applications do not require installation on each user’s computer. Whether you’re at home, on a plane, or on the other side of the globe, you can interact and work with your colleagues via the cloud.
The cloud is both robust and secure
Those new to cloud computing could be forgiven for viewing it as a shady, flimsy and highly fallible system, its sheer intangibility lending it a sense of untrustworthiness. This impression is a dubious one. The cloud offers users the ability to develop and maintain their own virtual private networks, upon which important, often confidential, information can be stored.
Indeed, the very intangibility of the cloud allows it the flexibility to offer providers extremely sophisticated safety measures for their clients and customers, such as firewalls and multifactor identification. These defences are invariably updated the moment upgrades become available.
The cloud also allows for files to be stored redundantly across multiple servers, using risk management by guarding against power outages or the possibility of your on-site server being hacked. With the cloud, your information has never been safer, whether you’re safeguarding your uni assignments or working in data centres for the government.
The cloud is flexible
Scalability is another buzz-word thrown around whenever cloud computing is discussed, yet it is incredibly important: networks can be easily enlarged to accommodate growing needs, and scale down when a smaller amount of work is required. Therefore your capacity is whatever you need it to be, and you only pay for what you use.
Apparently the essential flexibility of cloud computing can save you a few dollars, too. Cloud servers are designed to be responsive to your specific needs, and to save you time, space and money. Cloud computing exists to fit your needs, and to constantly adapt to suit you, allowing you to focus on more important matters in your business.
The cloud is here to stay
IT is a rapidly developing and changing environment, and it continues to inspire change in the entire world of online communications and business. Worldwide, over a third of IT budgets are spent on cloud computing. Read any guide to cloud computing, and you’ll see statistics that are getting bigger, not smaller.
Rather than being seen as a mere IT solution, businesses are beginning to re-evaluate their business models to accommodate for the benefits of the cloud. The vast and highly secure online entertainment platforms it also provides demonstrates the range of what it can offer. This is to both businesses and their customers in their everyday lives, and this acceleration is set to continue.
If you haven’t jumped onto the bandwagon yet, don’t worry – we won’t tell anyone you were late to the party.
