A Complete Cloud Computing Tutorial for beginners
As the title suggests , you will learn everything about cloud computing through this article including characteristics, history, benefits and drawbacks. Moreover, you will learn about a list of companies that are actually working on cloud computing deployment models.
Cloud Computing Definition:
Cloud computing is about storing , accessing data and programs on the internet in spite of hard disk. Data can be in any form like documents, images, files, music, etc.
Cloud infrastructure enables data access from anywhere in the world with the help of internet connection. Only thing required is the user registration with valid id and password.
History of Cloud computing:
Cloud computing was basically an advancement of technology in which all data used to be stored and controlled at the server side.
A user simply accesses data whenever he connects with the server. Another technology which was introduced later was distributed computing and it is based upon mutual networking of computers and shared resources so that they may be used whenever required.
The concept of Cloud computing was first introduced in 1950. When accessibility was provided through implementation of mainframe computers. In 1961, John Mccarth proposed an idea in his speech at MIT that cloud computing should be sold like other utilities such as electricity.
In 1999, Salesforce.com became the pioneer of the cloud arena by introducing enterprise level applications through the internet.
In 2002, Amazon introduced Amazon web services with facilities of storage, compilation and human intelligence. In 2009, cloud computing enterprise applications were introduced by micrsoft’s windows azure and google apps. Later on, other IT companies like Oracle and HP also embraced cloud computing.
Major Types of Cloud Computing:
Cloud computing can be classified in three major types which are as follows:
1: SaaS:
SaaS is an abbreviation of software as a service. It enables the accessibility of tool(s) from anywhere in the world. Its other name is “software on demand”. Service providers, hosted applications and the related data makes remote access a reality.
There are hundreds of advantages of SaaS infrastructure. It is considered as one of the economical options for enterprises. Users have to pay installation fees, licensing fees, support fees and maintenance fees. Companies based upon SaaS technology are Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail , etc.
2: PaaS:
PaaS is an abbreviation of platform as a service. In a PaaS environment, you may create , customize and publish software applications in a hosted environment. Among its numerous benefits , the top one is the cost effectiveness as users only pay for essential services. Hosting company has its own software and hardware.
It also has several benefits such as low costs and only the user has to pay for the essential things. It resolves hectic from the user’s perspective as the user does not need to worry about installations of hardware and software.
3: IaaS:
IaaS is an abbreviation of Internet as a service. In this type of infrastructure, the user pays the basic price of hardware and software. IaaS infrastructure is being implemented in tech giant companies like Amazon, Google and IBM. IaaS is best suited for small startups as they don’t have to spend more money on hardware in spite of they rely on infrastructure. The core reason behind choosing IaaS could be speed, lesser complexity and cost effectiveness.
Benefits of Cloud Computing:
1: Cost:
Users pay for basic services only and users are provided with a lot of free opportunities. There are many reliable names providing cloud services at minimal cost.
2: Round the Clock Availability:
Most of the cloud computing firms provide customer support round the clock. As due to the difference of timezones, requests may rise at any time from anywhere in the world. So,cloud users may get support on phone call or chat with the help of technical support teams.
3: Data Security:
Cloud computing provides optimum level of data security. As the data is stored in distributed resources. So, the level of security increases and there is no chance of data loss. Data can be modified remotely from anywhere and anytime in the word with the help of secured internet connection.
Drawbacks of Cloud Computing:
Every technology has its pros and cons. Similarly, Cloud computing has its own gray areas. Few of them are listed below:
Downtime:
A commonly reported problem with cloud computing technology is the downtime. This problem arises due to inefficiencies in the hosted servers. In some cases, accessibility gets denied to the applications.
Vulnerability:
Cloud users may suffer major cyber attacks as reported in 2017 when most of the cloud infrastructure based companies faced great trouble due to ransomware attacks. Although cloud data is more secure then other technologies, even then the large enterprises suffer.
Methods of Cloud Computing Deployment:
There are 4 main classes of cloud computing deployment. Each of them has their own criteria to fit in. Let’s discuss each one by one each of them:
1: Private Cloud:
In this type, a hosting company is responsible for deployment, operation and management of the cloud. Operations may be in both forms that are in house or managed by third parties.
2: Community Cloud:
This is a collaborative form of cloud in which firms having common interests share the cloud by community cloud. It saves the cost of initial investment as setup is built.
3: Public Cloud:
In this type of cloud infrastructure, the hosting company serves on a commercial basis Thus, a customer may deploy and deliver the application with least expense.
4: Hybrid Cloud:
This is a smart cloud technology in which you may move your application from one cloud to another. It’s a blend of private and public cloud services that enables to handle requirements in organization smartly. There are dozens of benefits of hybrid cloud.
Companies using cloud computing infrastructure:
There is a long list of companies which are using cloud technology. Few of them are as follows:
- Netflix – An American media-services provider
- Pinterest – An American image sharing and social media service
- Xerox- An American corporation that sells print and digital document products and services
- Instagram – An American photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc.
- Apple – An American multinational technology company that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.
- Google – The world’s biggest search engine
- Facebook -Biggest Social Media Platform
Wrapping up!
Research suggests that 1.7 MB of data is created every second in 2020. So, to handle this data, companies are embracing cloud computing technology gradually. Cloud computing is being implemented in companies with fast servers to ensure quick access to user data. Hence, users can focus on the company’s growth. If you have any questions about cloud computing, leave your comment below.
