Is Cloud Computing For You?
Don’t Have Your Head in the Clouds About Cloud Computing!
The term cloud computing is everywhere these days. Do you know what it means? Things change so quickly with technology today and there is so much information that you may be tempted to think,”My computer is working just fine. I don’t need to know about the cloud.”
The truth is that even with the many technological changes every day. The internet does make it possible to find explanations of almost anything. We can get a basic understanding of what new terms mean, and what they can mean to us. Here is an explanation of what cloud computing is and what it is not.
What is the cloud?
Where is the cloud?
Are we in the cloud now?
These are all questions you’ve probably heard or even asked yourself. The term “cloud computing” is everywhere.
In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive. The cloud is just a metaphor for the Internet. It goes back to the days of flowcharts and presentations that would represent the gigantic server-farm infrastructure of the Internet as nothing but a puffy, white cumulonimbus cloud, accepting connections and doling out information as it floats.
What cloud computing is not about is your hard drive. When you store data on or run programs from the hard drive, that’s called local storage and computing. Everything you need is physically close to you, which means accessing your data is fast and easy, for that one computer, or others on the local network. Working off your hard drive is how the computer industry functioned for decades; some would argue it’s still superior to cloud computing, for reasons I’ll explain shortly.
The cloud is also not about having a dedicated network attached storage (NAS) hardware or server in residence. Storing data on a home or office network does not count as utilizing the cloud. (However, some NAS will let you remotely access things over the Internet, and there’s at least one NAS named “My Cloud,” just to keep things confusing.)
For it to be considered “cloud computing,” you need to access your data or your programs over the Internet, or at the very least, have that data synchronized with other information over the Web. In a big business, you may know all there is to know about what’s on the other side of the connection; as an individual user, you may never have any idea what kind of massive data-processing is happening on the other end. The end result is the same: with an online connection, cloud computing can be done anywhere, anytime.
– via PCMAG
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4 Types of Cloud Computing
Just like there are different types of clouds in the sky and they don’t all mean rain, there are different types of cloud computing. All four types of cloud computing are about storage of data and programs, but they differ in other ways. In the excerpt below you will see an explanation of each type. This may help you understand their differences and decide which one is right for you!
Public Cloud
Cost-effective and able to provide a greater level of efficiency with regards to shared resources, public cloud environments provide access to off-site services and infrastructure over the Internet. A public cloud service may be ideal for a business with a working process that utilizes a standard application shared by numerous staff or departments, and companies that are involved with large-scale collaboration projects. The lower cost of public cloud services makes them a popular choice for businesses that have limited financial resources at their disposal.
Private Cloud
In a private cloud environment a business develops and uses a private network to provide data hosting services and infrastructure for its own internal use. This is a crucial asset for businesses required to maintain a strict level of security or that may have additional data and privacy concerns, private cloud hosting are usually the obvious choice for organizations involved in application development or the management of data and information that may be of a more sensitive nature.
Virtual Private Cloud
Simply put, a virtual private cloud environment is a fusion between the public cloud and private cloud environment. Unlike the public cloud where data resources are usually compiled together to reduce costs, virtual private cloud environments offer levels of isolation between different organizations to keep data apart in transit and in the cloud.
Hybrid Cloud
By making use of multiple service providers, hybrid cloud options are able to offer clients a mix of public and private cloud service features. Your business creates multiple working environments that are able to benefit various aspects of their working process and daily operations, But having to deal with numerous service providers can create complications, especially when it comes to troubleshooting a problem or addressing an issue. The best solution is to turn over management of a hybrid cloud solution to a managed service provider who will keep track of your data storage and computing locations. – via CompuData
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