The term “cloud” simply refers to the Internet, and when a service is “cloud based”, it means that the service makes use of Internet accessibility. Instead of using expensive hardware and manpower to handle and maintain them, data and data-related processing are handled through an online server, or a cloud-based server, which saves a lot of resources. There is more to this technology used and offered by many cloud service providers, more than simply a means to store data.
Way back then, the Internet was simply used to link distant computers. It was in 2003 when Web 2.0, the second development of the World Wide Web, when videos, music, and other multimedia can be hosted and delivered online. This is probably some of the earliest evidence of cloud computing, or the use of a network of remote servers on the Internet as means to store, calculate, and process data, instead of a physical or local server like a computer. Nowadays, cloud service providers offer different means to harness the capacity of the cloud-based server.
Cloud computing and the use of cloud-based servers are actually behind a lot of our everyday tasks. Cloud service providers are hailed by the companies for many data-driven actions we do, like ATM withdrawals and online shopping. Data like passwords, usernames, delivery addresses, and the like are stored on a cloud-based server, and through cloud computing, these data are processed the way they are intended to be. The banks, websites, and other establishments we encounter every day owe it to cloud service providers for making everyday life and business a lot more convenient.
Different types of cloud computing mean different ways to harness the capabilities of a cloud-based server. Cloud service providers may also ask you how specifically you want to use cloud computing, as there are varying ways how cloud technology can help you.
IaaS cloud service providers make available to their client’s cloud-based infrastructure for computation purposes as an outsourced service. Issa cloud service providers will give you pre-programmed hardware or software at a virtualized interface, and commonly those who access the cloud services have free reign on how to use it. A familiar example of IaaS is managing to host or leasing a server all to yourself. As the service is leased, IaaS users save money from having to own a physical server. The virtualized interface is also managed by the cloud service provider, so that saves users on manpower too.
PaaS is a more advanced version of IaaS. Cloud service providers will also give access to infrastructure, but added to the cloud-based server are meant to personalize their needs. Those who would like to use PaaS will collaborate with the cloud service provider to develop, try out, and deploy cloud solutions for specific applications. PaaS uses IT infrastructure that includes a graphic user interface, programming languages, and/or an operating system that can aid in app development. Cloud service providers use the cloud-based server to allow PaaS users to tailor-fit cloud computing to how they need it. Also, since app development requires upgrading of hardware and software, it’s the cloud service provider who will do this for their client. This is a big bonus aside from the plus of using a cloud-based server.
This is probably the most common offering of cloud service providers. SaaS providers use their cloud-based servers to allow the use of high-end apps. These apps are mostly for business, including video conferencing, email, and employee management functions. Cloud service providers will not only provide access to these apps. They’ll also be the ones to handle infrastructure concerns, like storage and maintenance, as well as software concerns which include updating and fixing bugs.
As its name suggests, cloud service providers of RaaS give their clients the ability to recover lost data, but the service is more than that. Aside from the cloud-based server as means to back up data, it can also be used for cloud computing-based solutions on how to handle future attacks that may wipe out significant data and information for an organization’s operations. Simply put, using RaaS means future-proofing your data.
As specific offerings of cloud service providers utilize the cloud-based server for a variety of purposes, preferring to avail of help from cloud service providers has its other benefits.
Using a cloud-based server rather than traditional storage vessels are a lot cheaper in the long run. Also, most cloud service providers offer a “pay-as-you-go” scheme, meaning the amount of money spent on a cloud-based server is dependent on how much of it is being used at the moment.
You can upgrade or downgrade your cloud-based server usage as you go. Cloud service providers may adjust to your use up to the extent of your needs. As your business expands, your use of cloud services can, too.
Having cloud service providers manage the cloud-based server means that you are putting your data and operations in the hands of professionals. These are individuals who are in the know of how the online world goes, including the threats it possesses. Cloud service providers will assure you of online security as it is part of their job.
Anyone with internet access has access to the cloud-based server. This is a benefit that should be of no surprise at all, as cloud service providers ride on the accessibility and functionality of the World Wide Web in allowing you to go about your daily tasks as long as connectivity is possible.
As a technological advancement, cloud-based services have proven their value. Especially since cloud technology is behind most everyday tasks, harnessing what cloud services providers promise will only bring you more efficient means both in business and in your personal life. There is more to the cloud-based server than simply data storage through the Internet.
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