What is Cloud Computing, and how is it different from Cloud Storage?
Cloud computing is everywhere! The digital ecosystem has made cloud computing a pivotal part of the tech universe. Infrastructure, software, applications, services and operating systems are all on the cloud. Led by tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, cloud technology companies compete for a share of this billion-dollar business. Cloud computing, and cloud storage, are often used interchangeably. But are they the same? Not exactly.
Cloud storage is the process of storing data on remote data centres and accessing them at any time through the Internet and is a component of cloud computing.
Many people think cloud technology is new. The evolution of the cloud began in the fifties with mainframe computers. In the sixties, governments used the cloud to build reliable communications networks.
In the seventies, the virtualization of machines allowed remote sharing of computer resources. Today, almost all software and tech giants are now cloud technology companies offering a variety of enterprise cloud solutions like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and, Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS).
In the early 2000s, major cloud technology companies introduced the cloud to the public.
Here are a few of the early starters:
2002: Amazon Web Services
2003: LinkedIn
2004: Facebook
2006: Twitter
2007: Netflix launched its video streaming service
2008: Dropbox
2008: Google Cloud Platform
2010: Microsoft Azure
The cloud is the Internet. It facilitates remote access of data or software services over the Internet. When something is on the cloud, it is stored on internet servers instead of your computer’s hard drive. The cloud is essentially a vast network of remote servers around the globe operating as a single ecosystem.
Cloud Storage: All types of information/data can be stored in the cloud and accessed from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. Dropbox and Google Drive are some of the most popular cloud-based storage services.
Benefits of Cloud Storage:
- Ease of Use
- Remote accessibility
- Reduce local storage costs
- Easy data sharing
- Multiple users
- Real-time data availability across borders
- Scalable
- Disaster recovery
Cloud Computing is the off-site use of hardware or software accessed over networks for computing needs. Enterprises and consumers use cloud computing in various ways. Cloud computing is used for:
- Data storage
- App development platforms
- Cloud-based servers
- Infrastructure monitoring & management
- Build, host, & deploy SaaS/PaaS, IaaS services
Types of Cloud:
- Public cloud: Managed by third parties
- Private cloud: Owned and used by single private businesses & organizations
- Hybrid cloud: A combination of public and private cloud
- Community cloud: Created to address the specific needs of an industry, a community, or a business sector.
Benefits of Cloud Computing:
- Pay-as-you-go cost savings: No initial infrastructure costs; pay only for how much you use
- Access innovative technology: Easier to experiment with technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms
- Scalability: Scale up or scale down your operation and storage to match your requirements
- Cross-border collaboration: Employees, contractors, and third parties can all access the same files and collaborate
- Boost Performance: Reduced network latency for applications and, gain economies of scale
Cloud computing adoption is rising every year, and it’s not difficult to understand why. The benefits of cloud computing are becoming increasingly evident to enterprises as they assess how the technology impacts production, collaboration, security, and revenue. Cloud technology companies are helping enterprises avoid a whole range of problems associated with on-premises infrastructure.
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