Technology is constantly evolving and nowadays there is an increased demand for devices with more storage. As a result, the demand for Cloud Computing is growing.
What is Cloud Computing?
There is no concrete definition for this term, as it encompasses many aspects to it. But in general terms, “cloud” refers to various data networks generally located somewhere far away which are accessed via the internet. These days cloud computing is becoming more popular with small businesses. A huge benefit is that these businesses then have no need for technical staff to handle storage. An example of cloud computing, which most people are aware of, is Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail. When you use these services, you log into a web email account remotely. The software and storage for your account doesn’t exist on your computer – it’s on the service’s computer cloud.
There are various Cloud Computing Services and three basic ones:
Infrastructure as a Service:
This is the foundation of cloud computing. It includes physical infrastructure like servers, storage disks and facilities. Web hosting and on-demand storage are included here too.
Platform as a Service:
Considered the middle layer of cloud computing, it provides the operating system from which applications run. App developers can create and run their software solutions.
Software as a Service:
This is the top layer and includes software applications specifically developed for the internet. Consumers generally pay a monthly or yearly fee to use this service. Pricing is pay-per-user and it allows for rapid, efficient adjustments in staffing.
Companies that offer Cloud Computing Services include Gijima, Dimension Data South Africa, SoftLayer, Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
SoftLayer is the largest privately held cloud computing and web-hosting service provider.
Google has a Google App Engine which offers Google Cloud Storage, Google Drive and Google Apps.
Microsoft offers many of its enterprise apps over the cloud, such as Microsoft Office 365.
A benefit of signing up for a cloud storage service, you get a certain amount of free storage space and an option to pay for an upgrade to access more space.