Cloud computing needs no introduction. From email to hybrid clouds, everything falls under the umbrella of cloud computing. This post does not discuss the definition of cloud computing and its types. Towards the end, I will point to some articles on the basics of cloud computing.
Facts about Cloud Computing
The Front Runner in Cloud Industry
The first thing to know among the many facts about cloud computing is that though there are myriad services related to the cloud, the front-runner—currently—is the one that you can’t even guess. With almost no advertising, the company is pretty reliable and has records of minimum downtime. It was hacked partially only once, and unlike others, it does not go about providing insecure encryption or no encryption.
Amazon and Azure are the front runners when it comes to cloud computing. The reason is simple: They provide no-nonsense service with minimum downtime. The security algorithms are best and the company goes a step ahead by helping its consumers in setting up hybrid clouds employing its own engineers.
Though Microsoft said they are not in competition with Amazon and others as they have the server software that nobody else has, it is a reality that people still prefer Amazon when it comes to real cloud computing needs. Azure trails behind and may catch up with AWS in the near future if Microsoft plays fairly well.
Cloud computing market to increase
According to Global Industry Analysts, the cloud computing market is growing regularly. They managed to figure out that the total revenue being dealt in the sector will sky-rocket). Despite the fact that many companies opt for hybrid clouds, the cloud is only poised to grow.
For example, Microsoft CEO – Satya Nadella – is focused on the mobile-first and cloud-first and is acting accordingly. Almost every product from Microsoft is integrated with cloud – especially the Office software in the form of independent MS Office suites or as Office 365. This, as well as Azure, will draw a crowd as the company offers good discounts on cloud software to students and developers. Other than discounts, the company is also providing tools for developers to use Azure as their platform for the development, implementation, and distribution for software.
In short, rates for cloud computing will drop, attracting more people to the field. From individuals to major enterprises, everyone will have a foot in the cloud, making it one of the best businesses to follow.
Cloud computing means profit
Among other facts for cloud computing is that different companies, like Microsoft and Amazon, are making it easier for everyone to step on the cloud. We discussed how Microsoft is luring developers in the above sub-heading. Not only in the form of money, but the giving away of resources for free – like giving away tools for free when subscribed for cloud computing, it is sure that people will see profits when it comes to cloud. The most basic plan of Amazon is $11 per annum with unlimited storage of photos. The basic plan of Microsoft for OneDrive is free and provides 7 GB of expandable storage.
The need to access documents and tools from anywhere and using any platform will make people shift to the cloud. The same applies to providing cross-platform services that the cloud makes possible easily. The competition among different companies dealing in the cloud will surely bring down the costs while assisting with many things that will increase the overall profits of the consumers.
Infrastructure as a Service is most preferred
Like I said in the above example, Microsoft Azure is the preferred destination for developers as it provides them with an infrastructure that allows them to develop and distribute software. Cloud systems like Azure provide more than just a platform. They provide all the infrastructure required by individuals and companies to work on their projects. Add to it, safety, maintenance, backup, etc, and the cloud is better. Though Amazon Web Services is the front-runner, Azure may soon take it over.
There is no scope for Google to counter Azure at the moment or in the near future. It sure has some good plans like Google Compute, but the rates are too high for individuals and small businesses. Besides, it has its hands in too many projects to focus properly on the cloud segment. Google’s recent reorganization may help it focus better on different projects, but that is going to take time.
As of 2015, Amazon is best, followed by Azure, and may overtake AWS if Microsoft plays it properly when it comes to providing infrastructure. However, Microsoft has been named a leader in cloud storage in the current report from Gartner’s Public Cloud Storage Services.
Hybrid is the key to success – Facts about cloud computing
Many reports say that businesses prefer a private cloud. But facts about cloud storage say something else. Unlike many reports, small companies prefer public clouds over private clouds as the latter costs too much. It is not just about investment, it requires skill to maintain the cloud. Combining public cloud with private clouds, we get the hybrid.
Since Amazon and Microsoft provide technical skills in setting up a private cloud as well, even small businesses can afford to go for hybrid clouds – a combination of private and public clouds. The data distribution over hybrid clouds is an easy concept. Less useful data goes to public clouds that are good at providing backup and minimal downtime. Most used data is stored on-premises – on a private cloud that the cloud service providers develop.
For security reasons, businesses and even individuals shy away from storing important data and performing functions on the public cloud. But they need the public cloud to manage some of their operations. For example, if it is the policy of a province to make businesses store data for 10 years, the companies won’t use local servers for storing old data as it will take up useful resources. This is where the public cloud comes into the picture. But the important data that is used regularly stays within the on-premises private cloud. The same applies to different functions. Important functions run on a private cloud that may store the output on a public cloud thereby making cloud computing faster.
In short, a hybrid cloud provides security while making it faster to process data or perform certain functions, as most of the unwanted and low-priority functions are taken care of by public clouds.
A cloud computing article would not be complete without an introduction to the basics of the cloud. Read about the difference between the public and private clouds. Another type of cloud is a combination of the two and is known as a hybrid cloud. We’ve talked about Infrastructure as a Service. It is just one of the many types of cloud computing. Read our article on types of clouds.
These are the top 5 facts about cloud computing as of now, that everyone wanting to have a career in the cloud should know. We can do it in the comments if you want to discuss any issues.
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