There are three layers to cloud computing; at the bottom is the foundation, this is the infrastructure. The infrastructure is the initial step where people begin to build; this is where cloud hosting lives.
So, as an example, say you own a company based online. In the beginning you’ll have few interactions between users, but as your company grows you’ll notice an increase in users, and a decrease in storage space.
As you start to have higher traffic volumes you may see a decrease in performance. In past times, people have turned to dedicated servers. Basically, this is where you buy or rent a physical server, every time you need more space you buy, or rent, another one.
The problem with this solution is cost and amount of time you lose in the set up process, plus– whenever you run out of space you need to go out and buy another server.
With your main focus being to grow your company, this solution obviously doesn’t seem like the best fit. It’s sucking money and time that could be better spent increasing customer satisfaction, and improving upon your product.
This is where cloud computing comes in. By hosting in the cloud you have access to your information when you need it, higher performance, and no waiting to create servers.
With cloud hosting you put your data on a single digital server, just like you would a dedicated server. This digital server allows you to connect from anywhere, store any data needed, and increase the size of your server whenever you need to. And, if you have a sudden decrease in traffic you can decrease the size, saving you money.
When working with the cloud, there is no physical server for you to actually touch (although there is one located in one of the provider’s data centers, it’s something that you will not be working with). Instead, you’re able to remotely access your server from your computer, tablet, or smart phone—anywhere with a secure connection and Internet access. One of the major benefits to using a cloud server is this remote scalability. Because you have just digital space to manage, you can increase or decrease the size to fit your needs at a moments notice.
Working with cloud hosting is an easy solution to your performance and storage needs. Not only will you be able to decrease costs but you also will have less (to no) fear of down time.
What do you think? What have your experiences been when working in the cloud?
