Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing
Simply put, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—servers, storage, databases,
networking, software, analytics and more—over the Internet (“the cloud”). Companies offering these
computing services are called cloud providers and typically charge for cloud computing services
based on usage, similar to how you are billed for water or electricity at home.
Still foggy on how cloud computing works and what it is for? This beginner’s guide is designed to
demystify basic cloud computing jargon and concepts and quickly bring you up to speed.
2. Speed
Most cloud computing services are provided self service and on demand, so even vast amounts of
computing resources can be provisioned in minutes, typically with just a few mouse clicks, giving
businesses a lot of flexibility and taking the pressure off capacity planning.
3. Global scale
The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to scale elastically. In cloud speak, that
means delivering the right amount of IT resources—for example, more or less computing power,
storage, bandwidth—right when its needed and from the right geographic location.
4. Productivity
On-site datacenters typically require a lot of “racking and stacking”—hardware set up, software
patching and other time-consuming IT management chores. Cloud computing removes the need for
many of these tasks, so IT teams can spend time on achieving more important business goals.
5. Performance
The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure datacenters, which are
regularly upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient computing hardware. This offers
several benefits over a single corporate datacenter, including reduced network latency for
applications and greater economies of scale.
6. Reliability
Cloud computing makes data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity easier and less
expensive, because data can be mirrored at multiple redundant sites on the cloud provider’s network.