The modern workforce is becoming more and more mobile as technology evolves. Traditional job roles are changing, and whether you are in the office or out in the field, the need for access to secure work resources is on the rise.
The sudden increased availability of mobile devices such as smartphones, coupled with the arrival of affordable high-speed networks and WiFi coverage, has led to conditions that enable employees to work and be productive from virtually anywhere.
That’s where cloud computing comes in to play. Countless businesses are moving away from the established IT infrastructure of purchasing servers, managing expensive licensing, and storing applications and data on local workstations by migrating to the cloud. Cloud computing is surpassing the classic IT infrastructure model by totally revolutionizing the way businesses store information and run applications. By recognizing that cloud is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution, businesses are enjoying the flexibility of utilizing the cloud when it most makes sense for their business goals.
The Advantages of Using the Cloud for Your Software Solution
It is almost impossible to match the core infrastructure abilities of a cloud-hosting firm. That’s why it is absolutely crucial to be using an experienced and trusted cloud-solutions provider to run things for you. Some of the advantages of switching from on-premise based to cloud-based servers are:
- Scalability: You’ll no longer need to build out a network in anticipation of an increase in business, or be left with expensive hardware after a downsize. With cloud you can easily upscale or downscale your IT requirements as needed, saving you time and money.
- Money management: Buy what you need, and only pay for as much as you need, when you need it. This can include processing power, bandwidth, storage, backup facilities, etc. Operating dollars are utilized, where, in the past, capital expenditures might have been required. Fixed monthly costs, or easily monitored metered billing, make it possible to have very tight control on expected spending without excessive effort.
- Security: Providing secure operations is the specialty of cloud hosting firms, and the best ones have a team of security experts that focus on that critical aspect of their infrastructure in order to prevent cyber security attacks. Also, cloud providers have better security mechanisms in place and are more suspicious and attentive to security risks.
- Support: For companies who have limited access to their IT team, cloud service providers can fill that role within your company through 24/7 help desk support in the data center. If your IT team is unshackled from the worries of maintaining server uptime, power provisioning, bandwidth, cooling, etc. they can focus on implementing the applications that directly drive productive results for your business.
What are Public, Private and Hybrid Clouds?
So what are the different options when it comes to cloud-based solutions for your business? The three most often used are public clouds, private clouds and hybrid cloud environments. Here’s how they work:
- Hybrid: These are made up of servers that are hosted internally as well as externally, with groups of servers, or virtual instances of your data. Specific software makes it so that everything flows together without a glitch.
- Public: These are fully automated server clusters in which the server hardware is shared among different customers with security enabled to separate your data from other customers.
- Private: These are like public clouds, with the difference being that the server and hardware are physically separated from others. A private cloud can be hosted externally, or in your own data centres.
