What Is Cloud Computing? A Beginner’s Guide
Cloud computing refers to the delivery of on-demand computing resources over the internet, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. Rather than maintaining their own physical infrastructure, organizations can access these resources from a cloud provider, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
Cloud computing offers a number of benefits over traditional on-premises computing, including:
1. Scalability: Cloud resources can be easily scaled up or down depending on demand, allowing organizations to quickly adjust their computing resources to meet changing needs.
2. Cost savings: Cloud computing eliminates the need for organizations to invest in expensive physical infrastructure, as they only pay for the resources they use on a pay-as-you-go basis.
3. Flexibility: Cloud computing allows organizations to access computing resources from anywhere with an internet connection, making it easier to work remotely and collaborate with teams around the world.
4. Reliability: Cloud providers typically offer high levels of uptime and redundancy, minimizing the risk of downtime and data loss.
There are several different types of cloud computing models, including:
1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This model provides organizations with access to virtualized computing resources, including servers, storage, and networking. Organizations are responsible for managing their own operating systems, middleware, and applications.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS): This model provides organizations with access to a platform for developing, running, and managing applications, without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure.
3. Software as a Service (SaaS): This model provides organizations with access to software applications that are hosted and managed by a cloud provider, eliminating the need for organizations to install and maintain their own software.
Cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations of all sizes do business, enabling them to access powerful computing resources on demand and at a lower cost than traditional on-premises infrastructure.
Cloud computing services
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform
- IBM Cloud
- Oracle Cloud
- Alibaba Cloud
- VMware Cloud
- DigitalOcean
- Rackspace Cloud
- Salesforce Cloud