What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is a computing model in which IT infrastructure elements – servers, storage and applications – are shared and dynamically allocated to business processes and/or users via a network. Users acquire only such resources as they need, for as long as they need them and then release them back to the shared pool. It is a significant trend driven by the promise of greater flexibility, improved asset utilization and reduced costs.

Cloud computing is a form of technology that allows organizations to provide businesses with computing solutions as service, rather than as a product in a traditional sense. When cloud computing is delivered to companies, which is done over the Internet, they have the ability to share software and other resources with their entire business network.

For example, prior to cloud, companies would have to purchase a software licence for an application and install it on each user’s computer within their company. However, with cloud computing, companies purchase access to a software application over the Internet from a third party Web site and give each user access through their computer network.

In this sense, cloud reduces the amount of time, effort and resources that a company needs to use to implement a new software program or technology into their current computer network.

Common types of cloud computing

There are four common forms of cloud computing. They are as follows:

• Community cloud computing: This form of cloud shares infrastructure among a number of organizations that fall within the same community. While this reduces the cost associated with cloud, users do not experience the full effect of features and benefits the technology is capable of providing.
• Public cloud computing: This form of is the base model for the technology and is based on the software as a service model of providing software, applications, storage, and resources to users over the internet for a fee or monthly subscription.
• Private cloud computing: This form of cloud is meant for a single organizational infrastructure and can be hosted and managed both internally or externally.
• Hybrid cloud computing: This form of cloud is essentially the combination of two or more types of cloud systems.

Core features of cloud computing

The following are some of the core features that make cloud computing an attractive model to implement into your organization:

• Maintenance: System upgrades only need to be completed on the host and not every individual computer in your company.
• Flexibility: Since resources are accessible over the Internet, users are not confined to a specific workstation or location to use cloud computing resources.
• Scalability: Cloud computing allows companies to effectively scale their resources to meet their needs and adjust them as necessary.
• Lower cost: Cloud can save costs in a number of areas such as setup, implementation, hardware as well as licensing as fees are commonly based on monthly access.
• Resource sharing: Cloud allows organizations to share resources among many users in a single branch or across multiple locations.

Potential issues with cloud computing

Cloud computing does not come without a number of potential issues that must be considered prior to implementation. They include:

• Security: This remains one of the main concerns preventing adoption of the technology. Issues such as data integrity and protection as well as viruses and bugs remain at the forefront.
• Privacy: With any form of technology come privacy concerns. Organizations remain concerned about the protection of the data they store and transmit through cloud.
• Long term development: Like any other new technology, there is some skepticism about if cloud will be able to sustain its presence.