What is Cloud Computing?

Introduction to Cloud Computing

Cloud computing means the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networks, software, analytics, and intelligence over the internet or cloud to enable quicker innovation, Scalability, adaptability and so many more.  

In this, article you will learn about what is cloud computing, the types of cloud computing, the components of cloud computing, and explained with Examples. 

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is a very high-end technology that allows users to access and store data, applications, and services over the Internet instead of their local servers or personal devices. This offers great flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency by providing on-demand resources such as virtual machines. storage, and databases.

Major players in the cloud computing market include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). They individually offer a wide range of services and tools to help different organizations build, deploy, and manage applications and infrastructure in the cloud. 

As the demand for cloud solutions continues to grow, cloud computing courses have become essential for IT professionals who seek to enhance their skills and knowledge in deploying, managing, and securing cloud environments, that will help them to grow in their profession.

These courses cover a range of topics, including cloud architecture, cloud security, and cloud service models, helping all individuals and organizations leverage the full potential of cloud technologies. 

Who is using cloud computing? 

The organization of every size, shape, and industry are now using cloud computing services. It includes several benefits like data backup, disaster recovery mail, virtual desktop software development and testing and so many more services. This has significantly cut down the expenses on the cost of investment for IT Infrastructure.  

Different industries use cloud computing for their own specific needs. For example, healthcare companies might use it to provide customizable treatment for patients. Similarly, financial companies use this for real-time fraud identification and its elimination.  

Google Cloud CertificationsJoin Today! Get Cloud Computing Course Benefits.Explore course

How does cloud computing work

Cloud computing models are mostly demand-oriented resource sharing primarily over the internet. Companies pay to get entry to the digital supply of resources and services like computing, storage, and networking.

One of the major benefits of cloud computing is that it can be delivered at remote locations over the Internet and companies have to only pay for what they use. This significantly helps the users to grow without draining their finances on infrastructure development.  

The central server acts as a communication link between the client's equipment and servers to allow the healthy exchange of data. The flexible and adaptable cloud services help in meeting the growing needs of an emerging organization.  

Components of cloud computing

Cloud computing consists of several key components that work together to deliver a wide array of services over the Internet. These components include 

Datacenter:

CSPs own and operate remote data centers that house physical hardware, cloud storage systems, and others that create ground-level infrastructure for cloud computing. 

Networking capability:

Networking and connectivity are very important for cloud computing. WAN connects front-end users with back-end functions. Besides this, there are other advanced technologies like load balancers, CD, SDN, etc for streaming data in a quick, easy, and safe method between front-end and back-end resources.

Virtualization:

This relies heavily on the virtualization of IT infrastructure like servers, OS, and others using special software that can be contained and distributed irrespective of hardware and software boundaries. Here a single server can be divided into multiple ones. It helps in the optimization of data center resources. 

Types of cloud computing models

A cloud computing model refers to the framework and structure by which cloud computing services are delivered to users. This encompasses the deployment method (how the cloud infrastructure is set up and managed) and the service delivery method (the type of services provided). Organizations must understand these models to select the right approach that aligns with their operational, financial, and regulatory needs. The primary cloud computing models are:   

1. Public cloud: IT is a third-party cloud computing service providing computation, storage, and networking services on demand as per their requirements to achieve their business goals 

2. Private clouds: Private cloud service is created, controlled owned, and hosted privately on specific data centers. They are called on-premises or on Prem. It offers more safety and better control over the resources.  

3. Hybrid clouds: It is essentially a combination of both. It can shift the workloads constantly between public and private cloud platforms. Here companies pay for the temporary use of resources rather than purchasing them for one-time use.  

4. Multicloud: Multicloud involves using services from multiple cloud providers to meet different business needs, enhancing redundancy and optimizing performance. 

5. Community Cloud: Community clouds are shared by multiple organizations with common requirements, such as regulatory compliance or specific industry standards. 

Latest Cloud Computing Trends

Cloud computing is a highly growing market. This has been valued at a whopping 321 billion in 2019 and is expected to rise over and above $1025. 9 billion in seven consecutive years. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has further accelerated the pace of cloud adoption.  

1. Higher spend rate on cloud technologies: Companies will spend more and more in the wake of the pandemic and remote working. The public cloud has limited its accessibility to small businesses, individual professionals, and startups. The public clouds are expected to grow by 18% as per Gartner touching a valuation of $304.9 billion. 

2. Multi as well as hybrid cloud technologies: Both of them have jointly helped in reducing the downtime. Thus the risk of choosing a single vendor had been reduced significantly and even if one vendor goes down one can easily switch to the next.  

3. Rise of container technologies: Containers offer an independent digital atmosphere for developing and running applications irrespective of the environment whether it is on-premises, servers, cloud, or hybrid. This will help the companies in the segmentation of their own cloud to suit their infrastructure requirements.  

4. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure: VDI has become more common than ever before. The major advantage of VDI is that it can be highly useful in remote work environments. It allows deploying the application and services to the client without complex installation requirements simply over the internet.  

5. Safety and security: The evolvement I'd secure technologies for becoming cloud native and edge first. The decentralized remote hosting and processing over the edge infrastructure have become vital. The shared resources generally mean shared risk. A complete range of protection has become necessary for cloud as well as edge. 

6. Partnership and communication: Cloud helps the companies to link companies to remote locations enabling internal and external collaboration as well as customer engagement.  

7. Serverless architecture: This is a cloud computing implementation model where the resources are given in demand and assigned to each isolated module. The beneficiaries are not only tech companies but also include health care, government, and MSPs. 

8. Skyrocketing cloud budget: The growing dependency on cloud computing has quadrupled the cloud budgets. Over 30% spend on cloud and optimization costs them around 61% on average. Another survey estimates that 40% of the cloud budget has a tendency to overrun. 

9. Cloud Empowering AI: AI has been increasingly in demand across the world. Cloud computing and the availability of cloud-hosted AI libraries, modeling engines and so many more are very important for AI deployment. Both these technologies are interdependent and intertwined in an inseparable way.  

10. Market monopoly: AWS, MS Azure and Google Cloud are the three major players in cloud computing platforms. However, the market share of AWS has been rising rapidly causing concerns for the experts who fear monopoly of the market. But soon the Azure has caught up eliminating any such possibilities.  

The future of the tech industry is entirely dependent on the cloud computing innovations. Those who want to join the change can Enrol in the cloud computing courses and embrace the future potentials and possibilities.  

Advance your career with Microsoft Azure Certification Courses!Join today! Get Discount!Explore course

Types of cloud computing services

Based on the specific deployment model it has been divided into three they are public, private and hybrid model. 

Classification based on the service model  

Based on the service model it has been divided as follows:

IaaS(Infrastructure as a Service): Here you can rent IT infrastructure mainly servers and virtual machines storage, networks, and operating systems from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you basis.

PaaS( Platform as a Service): IT is designed to make it easier for developers to quickly create web or mobile apps without worrying about setup or managing the underlined infrastructure of servers, storage, network, or data basis that is needed for the development. This Fosters an on-demand atmosphere for the development, testing, delivery, and management of software applications.  

SaaS (Software as a Service): IT is an on-demand basis delivery method of software applications over the Internet. The cloud providers will host and manage the client's software application and the underlying infrastructure and also handle its upgrades and patches up. The users can connect over the internet to applications with the help of a web browser on their respective laptops, mobile devices, or tablets. 

History of cloud computing  

The following is the history and evolution of cloud computing 

Evolution of cloud computing  

*1950s: The companies started to use computer systems but the cost of purchasing a computer was very high. So they started a sharing method of using the computer called time sharing. This enabled the users to use the computer mainframe simultaneously maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime. This is the basic idea that allowed the development of cloud computing.  

* 1960s: Advanced Research Project Agency Network which is the starting point of Internet development. The goal was to connect the computers all over the world. It was pioneered by American scientist JCR Licklider.

*1970s: Introduction of VMs that allowed users to run more than one computer system within a single physical setup. This laid the groundwork for virtualization which is an integral part of cloud computing.  

*1980s: Companies like Apple, IBM And Microsoft developed technologies that introduced cloud server and server hosting.  

*1990s: Salesforce becomes the first company to deliver business applications from a website in the year 1999. 

* 2000s: In the year 2006 Amazon introduced AWS which was followed by Google and Microsoft which launched their own similar services. 

*2010s: Microsoft launched Azure in 2010 and Office in 2011. The first ever docker container technologies were also launched in this decade. Microservices and serverless platforms were also started in these periods. Similarly, other technology breakthroughs like the Google app engine and AWS lambda were introduced in 2015 

*2020 and thereafter: The serverless computing and edge computing flourishing and was becoming more advanced each year. AI and machine learning have also been integrated into edge computing improving their efficiency significantly. 

Now these vendors started teaching cloud computing courses for all. 

Advantages of cloud computing 

Business operations all over the world have been completely transformed by cloud computing. With its numerous advantages and benefits, it is impossible not to switch to cloud computing. Learning cloud computing courses promotes the development, growth, and efficiency of business operations  

* Data backup and restoring: Cloud computing allows proper data backup and data restoring features without having the need for organizations to invest in the associated necessary infrastructure. They can simply access the data and restore it in case of a data loss or system failure by simply accessing the cloud. 

* Partnership:  The partnership and collaboration between the teams is Enhanced because of the ability to share information freely and continuously. Different users can work on multiple projects at the same time through cloud computing thereby improving productivity and teamwork.  

* Accessibility:  Cloud computing has made data accessible anywhere and everywhere. The users can access the data from different parts of the world making remote work flexible and efficient with just an internet connection.  

*Cost efficient: The organizations that use cloud computing save a significant amount of time, money, and resources. This is because the cloud service provider will take care of the hardware and software upkeep and other maintenance costs. So the business can focus on operations without spending on a costly infrastructure. Being a cloud engineer through cloud computing online courses can help you get hired immediately. 

*Upgrade and maintenance: Cloud service providers will take care of the service, upgrade, and maintenance of the infrastructure. This allows the business to focus on the business strategy and other centralized business decision-making processes. 

*Migration: Cloud computing helps in the easy migration and mobility of data so that it can be easily accessed by users through their laptops, tablets, or mobile phones.  

*Pay per use: Usually the cloud computing service providers allow a pay-as-you-use policy. This will help an organization in cutting down the cost significantly on one-time usage products or solutions.  

*Storage capacity: Cloud computing has an excellent storage capacity which enables scalable, flexible, and centralized storage options for all kinds of data. 

*Data security: Cloud computing has high-security measures placed for the protection and safety of the data stored. This includes encryption, access limits, and regular security Audits.  

* Data recovery: The business can quickly get back from unforeseen disasters ensuring business continuity because of the backup, data redundancy, and geographically distributed data centers.  

*  Innovative and Agile: Cloud computing has opened the door of possibilities wide open before business organizations. They can quickly adapt, test, and adapt to the new market trends promoting overall business growth.  

*Green computing: The adoption of cloud computing has lowered power consumption and reduced waste significantly through tools and techniques like load balancing and digitization  

Disadvantages of cloud computing  

Dependent on the vendor: The clients will become over-dependent on the vendors who provide cloud computing services. The downtime, Cyberattacks, and other vendor issues will also affect the users.  

Dependence on the Internet connection: The deployment of cloud services happens over the Internet. A faster internet connection is very important for cloud services.  

Less control and option to customize: The service provided by the cloud vendor is going to be a generalized one. There is little option to customize the cloud computing solutions offered by them.

Data security and privacy: Concerns over data security and privacy are rising more than ever. The organizations must place complete faith in the cloud service provider's security policies like data encryption, control, etc.

Hidden cost: There is little transparency in the cost and the use-as-you-pay model won't be as affordable as one might think. This happens due to some hidden charges like data transfer fees, additional storage charges, and similar costs.  

Data location: The data centers are located in different places all over the world. The compliance laws and regulations might depend on the geographical locations of those areas. So it might cause concerns about data security as some governments might demand the data information. 

Mobility: The mobility from one cloud service provider to another might be a little difficult. So this might force one to continue availing the present vendor's services.  

Minimal support feature: The cloud support features may not be as good as one might want it to be. The lack of quick response from the vendor might discourage the business from using their service.  

Lack of resources: As cloud computing platforms become more and more advanced organizations are struggling to find someone who is capable of handling such advanced technology. You can enroll in cloud computing certification and make use of this gap in demand and supply. 

Migration: The process of shifting the entire application and data is time-consuming. This will also involve more cost. The issue of workload and data repatriation moving from the cloud to the local center is often overlooked.  

Even after facing these challenges, organizations continue to shift toward cloud computing. This is because their benefits far exceed it's disadvantages. However relevant amount of caution must be undertaken while choosing the cloud computing vendor. The organization can choose the one which is perfect for them and train their employees on these cloud computing courses provided by that particular vendor. 

Cloud Computing with Example  

Cloud computing is mainly an Infrastructure and software model that allows unparalleled and universal entry to a common pool of networks, storage, applications, and servers. This sanction data processing is to be done anywhere on a private cloud or third-party server. This can be easy to install, less costly to maintain, and has high future possibilities.  

Cloud computing real-world example  

IaaS and SaaS cloud computing have been on the rise ever since. It is way too common these days that you may even be reading this article on a cloud. The following are some real-world examples of cloud computing 

*Cloud storage examples  

The number of cloud computing storage is high. Each of them is now competing on the amount of storage that they can provide to their customers at a given price. A few of such platforms are mentioned below 

Dropbox: IT enables users to access the files on any device or over the internet and gives free storage capacity of up to 1 terabit  

Gmail: This is an email service provider from Google with unlimited storage. It has revolutionized the way we send emails and has played a huge role in increasing the number of emails sent per day.

Facebook: IT is a mixture of both. One can send an infinite amount of data through Facebook whether it is pictures, information, or videos. This can be accessed through multiple devices and it has put a step further in information sharing through the introduction of Facebook Messenger.  

*Marketing cloud platform examples: 

A marketing cloud platform is an end-to-end virtual marketing platform that helps in managing contacts and targeting leads for clients. The following are some of them 

Salesforce: IT is a cloud-oriented solutions CRM platform for sales, marketing, and customer service.  

Maropost for marketing: This is a multi-channel marketing software built for the purpose of helping fast-growing businesses. It gives extra control over sms, emails, and social media programs.  

Hubspot: This is a CRM platform that includes marketing, sales, service, operations, and website building for emerging businesses  

Adobe Experience Cloud: This is a complete collection of incorporated online marketing and web analytics solutions from Adobe  

* Cloud computing in education examples : 

Cloud computing has also played a significant role in the moderation of classroom and learning methodologies. The following are a few of the cloud computing platforms involved in education like providing cloud courses 

Clear slide: This is a platform that provides customer engagement through real-time data analysis and integrated communication 

AWS: Amazon Web Services cloud for k12 is a groundbreaking tool that has been provided by Amazon it allows streamlining the IT operation, saving money, and keeping the student's information safe. Amazon offers cloud computing courses for pupils who are interested in learning their advanced technology. 

Ratatype: This is a typing software for quickening the typing speed of students and can even give lessons free. 

* Cloud computing in Health care examples :  

Cloud computing has been playing a very significant in all sectors, especially health care. The following are the few vendors involved here  

Dell's secure health care: This provides health

care services for life science organizations such as protecting their information from malware and other cyber attacks and storing them securely  

_ IBM cloud: IT offers more secure and innovative healthcare solutions for life science organizations.  

*Cloud computing in Government examples : 

US Federal cloud computing strategy has been introduced under Obama which accelerated cloud adoption in all departments for protection against both domestic and international threats.

Thus learning cloud computing online courses will help you get an easy job in any of the above fields.

Choosing a service provider 

The following are the various factors to be considered while choosing a cloud service provider. They are  

Business factors: IT includes making a suitable decision considering various things like financial health, trust, plans, business knowledge, and compliance that have to be noted in selecting a cloud service provider   

Administrative support: This includes SLAs, Performance reporting, resource monitoring and configuration management, billing and Accounting, and many other related aspects which is to be considered while choosing a cloud vendor  

Technical capabilities: Various facts like deployment capability, upgradation, management, standard interfaces, event management, change management, and hybrid capacity have to be considered while looking at vendor choice  

Security measures: The security of the infrastructure, policy, identity management, data backup and retention, physical security, etc has to be given additional focus during vendor analysis. Many cloud courses online will help you cover this elaborate area.

How to learn cloud computing 

Learning cloud computing involves a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Utilize online resources, such as tutorials, courses, and certifications from leading providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Engage in hands-on practice by using free tiers or trial accounts offered by these providers to build and manage cloud-based projects. Join cloud computing communities and forums to stay updated on trends and best practices. The process of Continuous learning and practical application are extremely important elements to mastering cloud computing.

Practice the courses such as Azure-administrator-az-104-practice-test, aws-solutions-architect-practice-exam, aws-cloud-practitioner-practice-exam. Besides this, we also offer live cloud computing courses like google-cloud-engineer-certification.