What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing was the biggest "buzz phrase" of 2009, but it is still little understood.
They way we like to explain Cloud Computing is that it is a style of computing that makes your life simpler.
Imagine someone somewhere else setting up server computers, databases, installing software, and maintaining the systems. They have the technical expertise, technical costs, and technical worries.
All you have to do is set up an account with them, pay a monthly fee, and use your their software and hardware through an internet connection. That is Cloud Computing!
Who uses Cloud Computing?
Businesses that use Cloud Computing tend to fit into one of the following categories:- All I care about is results not how it is done!
- I don’t want to own assets and I don't want the overhead of IT maintenance & management.
- I want to pay for elastic usage, like a utility (i.e. a pay-as-you-use model).
- I want accessibility from anywhere & any device.
Cloud Computing Benefits
- Cost effective - You pay only for what you use, as you use it, with no up-front expenses or commitments.
- Greener - Sharing computing power and IT infrastructure improves utilization rates, as servers are not left idle.
- Reduced risk – Few organisations can commit to 24x7, fully resilient IT. Cloud Computing manages this for you.
- Greater availability - Many vendors guarantee 99.9% availability of their IT infrastructure.
- More scaleable – The service provider is responsible for ensuring bandwidth for anticipated levels of usage.
- Security & compliancy – Security features are built in e.g. virus protection, data archiving and encryption.
- Better use of resources – IT skills are outsourced to the service provider's own experts, meaning your in-house resources are free to concentrate on more business critical matters.
