Cloud computing services are changing the way people access, deliver, and use data. In short, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet. Computing services can include servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics and intelligence.
Instead of companies owning their own infrastructure, they rent access to resources from a cloud service provider.
History of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing isn't necessarily new, but it is becoming a standard.
The term cloud computing originated sometime in the early 2000s but the concept has been around since the 1960s when computer bureaus would allow companies to rent time on a mainframe.
When the personal computer (PC) hit the scene, these earlier renting services became obsolete. But since then, the idea of renting computing power has continued to resurface and eventually took the form of cloud computing with the emergence of software as a service.
How Cloud Computing Has Changed Business
Cloud computing allows businesses to leverage the power of centralized technology resources without having to foot the entire bill. Businesses of all sizes can access the power and data storage of the cloud environment.
Efficiency
Cloud computing makes data storage highly flexible and scalable so businesses only need to pay for what they need. Cloud productivity tools offer a remote and flexible working environment with tracking, reporting, workflow management, and more.
Scalability
When workloads are transitioned to the cloud, businesses no longer need to build their own IT systems on-side, freeing up resources for other projects.
Availability
Resources in the cloud are available real-time, allowing employees to collaborate no matter their location.
Other Changes
As cloud computing technology improved, companies began creating products and services within the cloud. In addition, the cloud has become a place to analyze data and where artificial intelligence operations are conducted.
With the emphasis on renting hardware, businesses are freed from the upgrade cycle they were previously tied to. Instead, the upgrades are done by the cloud provider.
Uses of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing offers a wide variety of options ranging from basic storage to complex artificial intelligence.
The wide range of computing services offered can be categorized as the following
- Software as a Service (SaaS). This is what most people think of when they think of the cloud. This category includes services such as data storage, project management tools, email, etc.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This refers to the infrastructure of the cloud. The provider would maintain everything that is needed to manage SaaS tools. IaaS lets the physical components such as servers and other hardware live offsite, freeing up space and resources.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS). This category refers to an environment where developers can build and create apps that live in the cloud.
There are three main types of cloud deployment models, or how you will connect to your chosen cloud service.
- Public. You may be familiar with two of the most popular companies in this area: Amazon and Microsoft. Their cloud environments, AWS and Azure, respectively, are examples of managed cloud hosting. Public cloud provides lots of storage, making it available to a wide range of users. Users rent the program and hardware services as opposed to buying programs and hardware. The vendor handles all the maintenance, administration, troubleshooting, backups, and capacity planning.
- Private. A private cloud is like a public cloud environment, except it offers more control over privacy and security. Private clouds use hardware and a network that is not shared by anyone outside of the company or organization.
- Hybrid. Combines on-premises datacenter or server and public cloud resources. This allows organizations to leverage the best of both environments.
Some examples of cloud computing are email hosting such as Microsoft Outlook or backing up your documents through OneDrive. On a bigger scale, companies like Uber use hybrid cloud deployments for their routing software.
How Anteris Can Help
There isn't one cookie cutter set up that will work for every organization. As a strategic provider, Anteris works with our Clients to find the best solution for their situations.
We offer our Clients private and hybrid cloud management services. Clients can access enterprise-level hardware and security through our data center for a predictable monthly fee.
Our HaaS structure allows for greater availability of equipment. Since we maintain an inventory of related models, we can quickly dispatch replacements when required. Hardware-as-a-Service provides a longer use-life and more excellent value for the team.
In addition, we can combine hardware with data management to create greater resilience. We can do this in various ways such as linking onsite servers to our data center or installing multiple servers on the same site so if one fails, others remain online. These solutions could easily cost up to $100,000, putting a significant strain on your bottom line. At Anteris, we've already made these investments—allowing Clients to access enterprise-level technology at a fraction of the cost.
Let us make your technology freeing, not frustrating.
