What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is access to virtualized IT resources over the Internet. They are provided as a service, on request, pay-as-you-go, through a cloud platform.

Cloud Computing Definition

“Cloud” is not a place, but a way of managing IT resources, which replaced local machines and private data centers with virtual infrastructure. In the cloud,

 users gain access to virtual computing and network resources, as well as to storage resources provided by a remote provider on the Internet. The allocation of

 resources is carried out instantly on request, which is very convenient when you need to quickly expand or reduce infrastructure in

 accordance with changing demand.

Cloud Computing Benefits

Of course, cloud computing is not suitable for all applications, but partial or full transfer of IT operations from the local infrastructure to the cloud offers

significant advantages

Reduce initial investment. When switching to cloud computing, the main part of the budget is made up of operating expenses, not preliminary capital costs.

 You can immediately start work or implement new initiatives without spending money on expensive data centers.

Economic efficiency

 Online scaling of resources in the cloud can significantly save both small and large enterprises. Cloud service providers use the equipment

 with maximum efficiency and load, which allows them to save energy and other resources so as not to pick up prices for customers.

High flexibility of resources. Cloud computing resources not only scale well, that is, easily expand, but are also very flexible. This means that during periods

of low demand, you can reduce the amount of resources used and reduce costs.

Ease of use and maintenance . With cloud computing, the deployment of resources and updates is automatic and standardized. This increases availability and also eliminates inconsistency and the need for manual updates. In addition, your specialists will not need to perform physical server maintenance or be present in the data center.

Simplification of innovation 

 Cloud computing simplifies the development of innovative solutions both within teams of IT professionals and across the whole company. When IT professionals are freed from the need to build and install new systems in order to increase resources, they have the opportunity to implement improvements to business processes that have far-reaching effects. At the same time, the company's management will be able to quickly and without significant costs to provide resources for pilot programs, and then increase and reduce them without the need for detailed infrastructure planning or preliminary long-term investments.

Improving business continuity . Since the cloud computing infrastructure is virtual, you can automate the processes of creating copies of data and operating systems, as well as the initialization of failover procedures. This makes it possible to improve data protection and increase their availability compared to local systems.

Types of Cloud Services

Despite the fact that cloud computing has many advantages, enterprises may have some doubts, for example:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

 The most basic form of cloud computing that offers users basic infrastructure components, such as space in the north, data storage, and network components that can be used through the API. This model resembles the implementation of the functions of a traditional data center in a hosted environment.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) 

This model offers the provision of a complete development environment. Thus, developers completely get rid of solving problems at the infrastructure level when deploying or updating applications.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

 SaaS applications are designed for end users, and all infrastructure deployment and development processes are invisible to them. SaaS applications offer the widest range of features in the cloud, from business applications such as word processing programs and spreadsheets to customer relationship management, photo editing packages and video hosting platforms.

Cloud Deployment Models

Enterprises can use the three main cloud deployment models.

Public cloud 

 A public cloud is a public infrastructure that is owned, maintained, and managed by a cloud solution provider such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. The main benefits of a public cloud are scalability on demand and pay as you go.

Private cloud 

 This type of cloud is protected by the firewall of the internal network of the enterprise and is based in its own data center of this organization. The configuration and management of private cloud infrastructure can be tailored to the specific needs of the company.

Hybrid cloud 

 As the name says, the hybrid cloud model allows companies to use both public and private cloud solutions. Thanks to the hybrid cloud, organizations leverage the strengths of each cloud model to provide them with flexibility and scalability while protecting sensitive data and critical operations.

Cloud Infrastructure Security

Security is a major concern for companies that want to move all or part of their IT processes to the cloud. Some industries have data security requirements that require some applications to be stored in private data centers. In this case, it is necessary to use private or hybrid cloud models. At the same time, cloud computing has several security benefits, including:

Modern technology 

 In public clouds, there is no security risk that exists in most on-premises data centers, where often older systems are combined with more modern technologies. Cloud solution providers can implement advanced encryption systems and other security features throughout the system, as well as automate maintenance procedures.

Specially dedicated specialists 

 The reputation of cloud service providers and companies depends on their ability to ensure the security of customer data. They have specialists who are involved in security monitoring and maintenance. This means that they can solve these issues much more efficiently compared to IT specialists working in individual companies who usually deal with a wide range of tasks.

High availability .

 Cloud computing involves redundancy, so even if some servers fail, interactive applications will continue to work without interruption. Daily round-the-clock monitoring and a guarantee of uninterrupted operation are a standard integral part of the contract with the cloud computing provider.

More effective data protection and disaster recovery . Cloud-based backup solutions are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. The cloud computing model also implies that key files are not tied to individual machines that could break as a result of improper handling and eventually eventually inevitably fail.

Basic cloud computing terminology

There are several concepts in the field of cloud computing, which are very important to clearly understand.

Cloud application

 An online program or “hosted application,” such as those offered by SaaS providers.

Cloud broker . An intermediary with access to several cloud service providers who can offer individual customers the best cloud services to suit their individual needs. In a hybrid IT environment, IT departments often become cloud brokers.

Cloud management platform 

 In companies in which operations are distributed between two or more clouds and / or on-premises infrastructure, clear cloud management is critical to ensure the coherence of all components and make it as efficient as possible and optimize costs. Cloud management tools help integrate all the necessary functions into a universal control panel.

Transition to the cloud . The process of transferring data and applications from private machines or data centers to the cloud.

Cloudy 

 Applications that are specifically designed for use in the cloud. Typically, such applications are microservices in open source containers, which makes it possible to effectively use the flexibility and scalability inherent in cloud computing.

Cloud service provider . They are also sometimes referred to as "cloud providers." Cloud service providers configure virtualized data centers and offer their customers cloud computing services, typically through self-service platforms. At the same time, a wide range of services is offered: from infrastructure to SaaS applications.

Container 

Containers provide virtualization of software applications, offering lightweight runtime environments that include everything you need to run applications, and make porting easy. Containers are the core of cloud computing.

The hypervisor 

 Also called a “virtual machine monitor”. This can be a program, hardware, or firmware, and is the level that virtualizes the resources offered by the physical infrastructure. In other words, hypervisors are management systems that allow multiple guest virtual machines to use the same resources.

Measured service . A key component of cloud computing. Cloud service providers monitor and "measure" the use of various resources and bill accordingly.

Middleware 

 A software control layer that sits between the application and the network and enables data exchange between network devices. In cloud computing, middleware is often used to support complex distributed systems.

The architecture of microservices 

 Small modular programs that are interconnected and form complex applications. Because they are self-contained, they can be deployed and updated separately, which increases the speed and flexibility of deployment.

Multi-cloud 

 Companies often use multiple cloud service providers. For example, a company may use an IaaS or PaaS provider for its own systems and internal or customer-oriented applications, as well as use one or more SaaS applications from other providers that are designed for other aspects of the company’s work.

Multiuser 

 Public cloud providers create a common pool of computing resources that are used by multiple consumers. Resources are assigned dynamically on request.

Software Defined Infrastructure 

 Software-defined infrastructure can be fully deployed and managed using any application and without specialist intervention. Thanks to this, applications can set and configure the equipment they need at the code level. Software-defined infrastructure is a fundamental building block of technology for any cloud.

Virtual Machine 

 A virtual machine consists of hardware and software and is a software-defined environment for the operating system and applications that contains all the same components as a physical computer.

Work task . A separate computing task that arises in the context of application execution. In cloud computing, application work tasks can be distributed between different systems.