The term “cloud computing” is everywhere, but what exactly is it?
In the simplest terms, cloud computing means having access to software applications and storing your data on virtual servers (servers hosted in secure data centres) and having access to your data and applications over the internet, instead of using your computer’s hard drive “local computing”.
Three types of cloud computing services
1. Public Cloud
Owned and operated by service providers that offer quick access to resources; software applications and storage to the general public over the Internet.
Services may be free or offered on pay-per-usage.
Businesses and individual consumers no longer need to purchase hardware, software, maintain network file servers and supporting IT infrastructure.
Key Benefits
- Inexpensive to set-up as hardware, applications and bandwidth costs are covered by the service provider.
- Eliminates costs purchasing, developing or upgrading business applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)and Electronic Document Management (EDM). There are several free or pay as you go Software as a Services (SaaS) providers.
- Flexible and scalable to meet needs on demand with Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) that provides virtualised computing resources primarily storage over the Internet.
- Powerful Platform as a Service (PaaS) for cloud-based application development
and deployment environments.
2. Private Cloud (internal or corporate)
The main difference between private and public cloud infrastructures is that a private
system is used only to host and distribute a single organisations data and applications,
while a public model is used for multiple organisations and individual consumers.
Organisations can build the private infrastructures themselves using their own servers, or
outsource to a third party to build and deliver the dedicated resources required.
Heavily regulated organisations such as healthcare and financial services that are required
by law to comply with strict rules regarding the control and security of the data they store,
and therefore more likely to choose a private cloud service.
Key Benefits
- More secure than public cloud infrastructure as the organisation’s data needs to be tightly secured and controlled on servers that no other company can gain access to.
- Enhanced and more reliable service.
- Private cloud infrastructure uses a firewall for maximum security.
- Private cloud gives companies direct control over their data.
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