Cloud Computing – Simplest Explanation on the Web
In our previous article, we looked into brands that have scaled up their businesses leveraging cloud services and promised to do a breakdown of cloud computing in a subsequent piece. Well, this is us keeping that word. Welcome to our 101 on cloud computing.
Through this article, we intend to help you understand the concept of cloud computing, the different cloud environments, and their respective benefits. No narratives today; we’d be jumping right in.
Just to recap, cloud computing is an innovative tech solution that makes computer services like storage, access to software, and analytics available over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. It allows you to enjoy the benefits of specific software and hardware without having to incur the cost of maintaining the infrastructure.
Let’s break that down
Think of it like this; (I know I said no narrative but I guess I can’t help myself). Let’s say you need a transport mode to help you get around daily. Now, there are two major options: you can either get a car of your own or use other transport services like Uber or regular buses.
While the first option seems great, it comes with its responsibilities. You’d be responsible for the maintenance of the car which would require both time and money. You’d need to do this on days when the car is in use, and on other days when it’s just sitting in your garage. If you do not want to spend time on maintenance, you’d need to get someone who will, and pay them. Now, that translates to more money out of your pocket.
But, on the other hand, the second option allows you to pay for transportation only when you need the service. The maintenance cost will be borne by Uber’s service managers and you can access the service from anywhere.
This second scenario portrays the benefit of cloud services.
Now let’s relate this same example to one of the services offered on the cloud – data storage.
If you need to store files, you can decide to store them on a local drive and carry it along with you wherever you go. You will be responsible for keeping and maintaining that local drive and will not be able to access the information saved on it when it’s out of sight.
However, with a cloud service like Google drive, you do not need a physical storage device. You can store your files (image, video, or text) on the cloud and access them from anywhere via the web. No cost incurred.
Cloud computing for businesses.
Small storage devices like flash drives or hard drives can easily cater to the storage needs of Individuals. However, organizations tend to need bigger storage facilities to meet their needs. Owning and maintaining these on-premises servers or storage facilities require IT expertise and relative maintenance cost that could cause strains on businesses. More so, as team strength and user base increase, organizations who manage their own data centers will need to invest in more robust infrastructure to accommodate their growing needs. This will result in increased cost of installation and maintenance and could stifle efforts to upscale.
However, with cloud services, small and large organizations can upscale and downscale at will whilst managing operational costs. With this, the organization can focus its effort on providing value to its customers and meeting its set targets.
We hope that through this piece, you’ve gotten a better understanding of what cloud computing entails.
In our next piece, we’d focus on the different cloud environments and types of cloud services.
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