Overview of Cloud Computing
Generally speaking, cloud computing means providing hosted services by means of the internet. The term cloud computing came about due to the representation of the internet as a “cloud” in most information technology diagrams. So, in its simplest sense, the cloud pertains to the World Wide Web.
Decades ago, the structure of information technology was intensely into the use of mainframes, especially in regards to time share computing. This is known as the traditional form of hosting, whereas a set of expensive resources is shared among a larger set of users simultaneously. Cloud computing is an innovation for this kind of service as it translates the use of mainframes into client-server relationships of modern technology.
There are three basic divisions of cloud computing services: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).
Advantages of Cloud Computing
What sets cloud computing apart from older services is that it is very versatile and centered around today’s technologies and use cases. Both sides of this service – the hosting provider and the end user – largely benefit on its advantages.
The user is not limited into purchasing a service that has lots of restrictions. The user has the power to choose which elements of the service to include and which to omit and can quickly scale the level of service up or down based on real-time service needs. The user does not need to immediately invest in buying data storage and processing resources as it can be dynamically modified at anytime. Additionally, the user also does not need to pay for the maintenance of tools needed to run the service as the service provider handles operations of the systems. Moreover, with the use of the Internet, users can easily be connected to the services obtained in any location at any convenient time. This allows for a great deal of practicality in acquiring cloud computing.
On the other hand, the provider also benefits in cloud computing in many ways. It is easier to supply software, infrastructure, or platform through cloud computing. The Internet allows the provider to easily connect with customers and it provides for an inexpensive method of delivering the service, which can ultimately be passed on to the end user. The provider has the sole responsibility of managing the cloud and can decide on how to divide the capability of the cloud to be shared by a number of customers. ServerMotion has developed a number of technologies that allow for the proper management and ensure that resources are never oversubscribed and that cloud requests are managed and processed in real-time.
Public Cloud or Private Cloud
The cloud is divided in to public clouds and private clouds. A public cloud means that the services are offered on a shared platform with the service provider managing and distributing the resources among a set of users. ServerMotion does not oversubscribe resources, so this management is employed effectively and allows for high quality service to be delivered while reducing the overall marginal cost to each additional user. Private clouds, on the other hand, are dedicated virtual resources provisioned for a specific customer and services are provisioned only on these dedicated resources for a specific client, and not shared among other users. Users can opt to have public, private or both clouds in their information technology infrastructure that they find suitable for their needs.
Public and private clouds only differ in the scope of users that they can serve but it does not necessarily mean that public cloud has better features than a private cloud. Since they both aim towards giving simple and controllable way in getting a computing service, the quality they give are also on much the same level.
The future of information technology is molded by cloud computing. Cloud computing is rapidly becoming the trend in information technology services. Due to its great benefits for both the user and the provider, more individuals and companies are shifting towards using it.
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