Cloud Applications

Cloud technology has taken the IT world by storm. Both consumers and businesses alike have widely adopted the technology as a means to access resources remotely rather than having to rely on a specific system or device. And, as cloud has evolved, it has grown to include many different facets of computing. One type of cloud technology that has grown significantly in recent years is cloud applications.

What are cloud applications?

The truth is that cloud applications are a more challenging concept to define than most. Depending on what literature you read you will hear a number of different ways it is described from an application that is running in the cloud to software as a service, to mobile applications. In this sense, cloud applications are the combination of a number of different styles of applications such as service apps and distributed apps.

Cloud applications can also be thought of as a combination of traditional applications that are used on desktops and web applications.

Cloud application features and capabilities

While the term is difficult to define because it is still evolving, here are some of the features and capabilities of cloud applications that will give you a good sense of what they can do:

• High quality user experience: users can get immediate response to actions and use a number of modes.
  
• A simplified server set up: For companies that are hosting cloud applications, they require smaller servers than traditional applications.
  
• No installation needed: Cloud apps do not need to be downloaded on a computer to be used.
  
• Cloud storage: Cloud apps store all the data in the cloud. This is also where all data is housed and accessed.
  
• Accessibility: The apps can be access through any web browser and an internet connection.

Benefits of cloud applications

The growth of cloud applications can be attributed to the benefits they offer Canadian companies when compared to traditional app deployment. Benefits include:

• Mobility: The cloud platform allows the app to be accessed from anywhere. Therefore, you can connect through the internet whether you are at work, home, or the local coffee shop.
  
• Automatic upgrades: If your app is hosted from a third party provider, changes to the app will automatically be performed by the service provider. No more downloading updates and patches on each computer in your office.
  
• Improve run times: With cloud apps, your local device is no longer used for processing. The app is run on the host server in the cloud and this is where the process takes place, which helps to improve response, processing, and run times.
  
• Centralized management: With all of the application being hosted from one location, tasks such as updates can be completed in one step, rather than having to do it multiple times on multiple machines. Companies can also better control access and security.

Top cloud applications

While the market is now saturated with cloud applications that have countless purposes and functionality, there are some that are better than others.

Consumer apps

Here are some of the most widely used cloud consumer apps:

• CloudApp for Mac OS
  
• Spotify
  
• iCloud
  
• Evernote
  
• Audiobox.fm
  
• So.com from Salesforce

Business apps

Here are some of the top cloud business apps on the market:

• Zoho
  
• Desk.com
  
• Skype
  
• Box.net
  
• Dropbox
  
• Mint
  
• YouSendIt
  
• MailChimp
  
• Lemon