How does it Work:
Many of us are familiar with the various cloud computing services provided by Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive, Apple’s iCloud, Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, the new IBM Cloud, and many more. This mutual understanding of cloud computing is but only superficial in that it only scratches the surface. This blog unveils cloud computing for what it truly is! Cloud computing allows an individual or business entity the ability and power to access documents both near and far away, as long as the user (individual or business entity) has access to the server, without having to store them on a single device or on many devices. This makes business operations flow a lot smoother and bridges the communication gap between international companies by eliminating the delivery time often required, of postal services, to deliver a document, folder, product, etc. from one continent to another by streaming it through one of these cloud services.
How does cloud computing enable users to access documents remotely. What is behind the intricacies of cloud computing that provides cloud computing the capabilities of acting as a flash drive, floppy disk, or cd without the hassle of lugging around a small piece of plastic that could easily wind up between the seat cushions in ones couch?
“…is it through the use of information systems?” – Class Participant
Absolutely! Traditionally companies would spend thousands of dollars on hardware, software, and services that take up a lot of time as well as a lot of space in the business and would be located on-site so the company could easily access the information. This was before information could be streamed via cloud computing like it can be today! With the innovative uses of cloud computing services, provided via the internet, companies are now able to reduce time and money that would have been spent on developing hardware, software, and services that were required to store and analyze data and benefit from that made up time by allocating those unused funds towards other IT resources.
“Did you say the internet?”
Yes, “…cloud computing uses the internet…” as the primary source of communication between the user and the cloud computing service provider.
Cloud computing consists of highly optimized virtual data centers that provide software, hardware, or information resources when needed. The cloud computing service deploys three different models to customers: Private, Public, and Hybrid. The Private Model provides cloud computing to one organization on a private network and is highly secure for example, intercompany business activities. The Public Model is owned by the cloud service provider and offers the highest efficiencies because there is a larger volume of users on the network such as YouTube. The Hybrid Model is the combination of the Private and the Public models, cloud services such as iTunes, Google Drive and Amazon Cloud Drive. Within each of these models is one of three services: Iaas, Paas, and SaaS.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) means that the organization has control over its infrastructure including computing power and storage capacity.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) means that the organization is provided a platform where it can create and develop applications.
- Software as a Service (SaaS) means that the organization has been provided a ready to use application that use a combination of cloud based computations and storage services that can be customized to suit the organization.
Why do users flock to the scene when someone mentions CLOUD COMPUTING if it relies so heavily on the internet?
#1 – For storage and analysis of large amounts of data
#2 – For collaboration effectiveness
#3 – For customer or user information data
Cloud computing offers a variety of benefits through cost efficient solutions. Think about it, no longer do you have to frantically search through your couch cushions to find a flash drive that may not even be there or build an expensive hardware or software system that may not work properly or efficiently. Instead everything is in an easy to access storage unit known as a data center and is being analyzed for you. Not only that but it solves the issue of being unable to communicate information to colleagues and as a result expedites project completion times. Then it goes a step further and provides information about who has accessed the information on the cloud (also the data center). Then cloud computing closes the deal by offering different levels of user access such as Private, Public and Hybrid and different services such as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
What does cloud computing mean for big businesses and small firms? Tune in to our next blog to find out more!
Which model would you say is better for a small company to use Public, Private or Hybrid?
ReplyDeleteI would like to know more about the differences between SaaS and PaaS. How exactly does a platform differ from software?
ReplyDeleteAaron, perhaps the a more detailed response to your question is that a Platform as a Service is similar to creating your own student organization on campus - you can select the name of the organization, choose the meeting times, schedule your own events BUT you have to use a preset form by the university that mandates the use of certain required items such as a constitution and minimum number of members. Software as a Service is less like a Platform as a Service because a SaaS provides you with less flexibility similar to joint a student organization on campus - you can't choose the name, set the meeting times, or schedule events, although you can choose what events you do or do not attend.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps!
Daphne, I would say that having more of both is better than more of one in any situation because I support the diversification against risk model in finance. The Public model for a small company would most likely be #1-Cheaper and #2-A Larger Marketing structure. Although the Private model may provide more benefits against malicious attacks on confidential information. I would suggest a Hybrid to alleviate the risk associated with a Public and get as much return from having both Public and Private models with the SaaS service until I was able to hire my own IT Team which could create a IaaS or PaaS service for less than what it cost to use the provider's IaaS or PaaS services.
Hope that answers your question!
Cloud is the future. How is cloud information protected? and what types of business information is best stored on the cloud? Personally, drive is my favorite tool right now. It's helped a lot with the collaboration on our group project.
ReplyDeleteI like the drive myself but to answer to your questions, nothing can be protected in our society but there are ways to reduce risk and protecting our cloud.
Delete1. We should know who has access to the cloud.
2. Limited their data usage base on their position and if they were to used it outside of work stations, set an extra step for them to log in.
3. Provide extra protection, encryption, and monitoring around them.
4. Make sure that company data is isolated from personal data when using mobile device.
5. Make sure you add more network protection, more so with the cloud.
Last but not least
6. Make sure you provide an extra layer of advance analytical to see any potential risk or security risk through data point.
As for what to store? That depends on what the business or an individual wants to store in the cloud. Just know that regardless what you used, there are risk and if you don't want others to see, then don't store anything online.
in a estimate year, how many years did you think we can use cloud completely? in all cloud computing, which can be trusted?
ReplyDeletewill the information companies store using cloud computing be under strict security or will it be easy to access like a lot of other things on the internet?
ReplyDeleteBusiness used lots of protection to protect their information. The only thing they can do is try to eliminate potential risk. Anything dealing with the Internet are not safe. Please see my response on how to reduce risk for Samantha.
DeleteWith an increase in the use of cloud computing do you think that manufacturers for devices like computers, tablets, and phones are going to start removing most of the internal storage on these devices since it will mostly be unnecessary to have such large hard disk drives or flash drives in devices that don't really need them?
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt it because as we can see, more and more storage are being added to every devices because people used them for other applications, as new application comes out, it requires more space. Even updating the application requires more storage.
ReplyDeleteI would love to learn more about this topic, being an MIS major and all. I find Google Drive to be a great platform and I recently started using it earlier this year. Cloud computing is definitely the future and if businesses are scared of the change or new technology, just show them the dollar amounts they will save by switching over.
ReplyDeleteI agree, there are lots of companies that have switch to web server and some claims that they save millions of dollar and that it works well for their company.
DeleteDo you think that cloud computing will replace all other forms of information storage?
ReplyDeleteSecurity will always be an issue in cloud computing so a balance between security and convince will always need to be struck. So no I don't think that cloud computing will replace all other ways of information storage.
Deletehow risky is cloud?
ReplyDeleteIt can be risky at times. Anytime that your personal business information is on the internet you can be at risk. But the technology is so advanced these days that you have to mess up pretty big to release your information or someone has to hack your computer to get your information. All in all, it is very safe though.
ReplyDelete