Cloud Computing

Introduction to cloud computing

Cloud computing is one of the hottest catchphrases in business today. It has transformed the way
organizations store, access and share information, collaborate and manage computing resources. With the
advent of the internet, cloud computing has provided new ways of conducting business by allowing
companies to rise above the conventional on-premises IT infrastructure. Cloud computing offers modern
businesses flexibility, efficiency, scalability, security, increased collaboration and reduced costs. While
the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated cloud adoption, the reliance on cloud technologies is set to
continue in 2022, especially with hybrid work taking center stage. So, whether an organization already
uses cloud services or is planning to in the coming year, it is imperative to understand the basics of cloud
computing in order to take full advantage of cloud- powered solutions.

What is cloud computing?

According to ZDNet,”cloud computing is the delivery of on-demand computing services- from

applications to storage and processing power- typically over the internet and on a pay –as- you go basis”

In simplest terms ,the cloud refers to the internet. When organizations store data in virtual data
centers or access programs using an internet connection instead of relying on their device’s hard drive or
on-premises IT infrastructure,it means they are operating in the cloud. Cloud computing can be as simple
as "servers in a third- party data center" or entire serverless workloads that are infinitely scalable and geo-
redundant. Cloud servers and services are scalable and elastic.

How does cloud computing work?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing resources, such as IT infrastructure or data

center over the internet. This model allows businesses to rent storage space or access software programs
from a cloud service provider, instead of building and maintaining their own IT infrastructure or data
center. One major benefit of using cloud computing services is that companies pay only for the resources
they use.

History of Cloud computing

According to Technology Review, the phrase “cloud computing” was first mentioned in 1996 in a
Compaq internal document.

The year 1999 was a milestone for cloud computing when Salesforce became the first company to
deliver enterprise applications over the internet. This was also the beginning of Software-as-a-Service
(SaaS).

In 2022, Amazon launched Amazon Web Services (AWS), which was another significant
development in cloud computing. Its suite of cloud-based services included storage, computation and
even human intelligence. In 2006, Amazon launched Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), allowing businesses
as well as individuals to rent virtual computers and run their own computer applications.
What are examples of cloud computing?

Cloud computing includes everything from virtual machines to databases to entire serverless applications.
Some examples of cloud computing include:

Salesforce: Salesforce.com is a SaaS provider that specializes in customer relationship management

(CRM). The company provides enterprise applications to help align marketing, sales, customer services,
etc., and allows users to work from anywhere.

Digital Ocean: This company is a New York-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider for
software developers.

Microsoft Azure: Microsoft Azure is a fine example of a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that supports the
entire application development lifecycle, right from development to deployment and beyond. Azure
provides a plethora of tools, languages and frameworks to developers.

Dropbox: Dropbox is a cloud-based file hosting service that allows users to store and sync files to their
devices so they can access them from anywhere. It also allows users to share large files, including images
and videos via the internet, facilitating effective collaboration.

Common uses of Cloud Computing

• Storage: One of the most common uses of cloud computing is file storage. While there are several
options to store and access data, such as hard drives on PCs, external hard drives, USB drives, etc., .
Cloud storage services like Amazon S3, DropBox or OneDrive provide secure access to data and also
allows businesses to upscale and downscale storage space based on their requirements.

• Database: Cloud database is another popular business use case. IBM defines cloud database as "a
database service built and accessed through a cloud platform”.

• Web applications: Web applications are a must-have tool for businesses today. Powered by cloud
technology, anyone can access web-based apps using a web browser, providing instant remote access to
information.

• Collaboration: Due to its easy accessibility, integration, flexibility, security and ease of use, cloud-
based tools, such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, have become the obvious choice for
businesses looking to collaborate both internally across departments and externally with clients. Gmail,
Google docs, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Teams, etc., are powerful business tools designed to
enhance collaboration and productivity.

• SaaS applications: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, such as Salesforce, allow businesses to

store, organize and maintain data, as well as automate marketing and manage clients efficiently. SaaS
solutions are highly functional and do not require software and/or hardware management.
What are the different types of cloud computing?

There are four main types of cloud computing: public, private, hybrid and multicloud.

 Public cloud :VMware defines public cloud as "an IT model where on- demand computing
services and infrastructure are managed by a third-party provider and shared with multiple
organizations using the public internet." Cloud service providers offer various services like
Infrastructure-as-a- Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and SaaS to individuals and
businesses who rent these services on a monthly or pay-per-use basis. Amazon Web
Services(AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and IBM Cloud are the top
five cloud providers.
 Private cloud: A private cloud or an internal cloud is where the IT infrastructure (hardware and
software resources) is solely dedicated to a single organization, unlike a public cloud where the
computing resources are shared among multiple tenants. A private cloud environment is ideal
for businesses for whom meeting regulatory requirements, security and control are a priority.
 Hybrid cloud: A hybrid cloud is a combination of both public cloud and private cloud
environments. Businesses use this model to supplement their compute capacity. When the
capacity of a private cloud reaches its peak, businesses can leverage public cloud to enhance the
capabilities of the private cloud. Hybrid cloud enables businesses to scale compute capacity up
or down depending on the traffic or service demands. This eliminates the need to purchase and
maintain new servers, allowing businesses to save cost, time and effort.
 Multicloud :Multicloud is the practice of using a combination of clouds- two or more public or
private clouds, or a combination of both, from several cloud providers. A multicloud approach
allows businesses to select the best services from different cloud vendors based on their
budgets, technical requirements, geographic locations and so on.

What are the three different types of cloud computing services?

The three types of cloud computing services are Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-
a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

IaaS is a cloud computing service where cloud providers deliver and manage virtualized
computing infrastructure over the internet.Instead of creating an in-house IT infrastructure,business can
access essential resources,such as operating systems,networking,storage space,development tools etc. on
demand.This Saves hardware and software costs as well as minimizes the burden of IT staff.

Platform-as- a-Service (PaaS)

Pass allows business to concentrate on the development.Deployment and management of software

applications abd services without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure since cloud
providers do the heavy lifting with PaaS,developers and programmers gain access to not only IT
infrastructure but also application/software platform and solution stack. Some of the examples of PaaS
include AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine and Microsoft Azure.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

SaaS provides businesses with ready-to-use software that is delivered to users over the
internet. All of the underlying infrastructure, including hardware, software, data storage, patch
management and hardware/software updates, are managed by SaaS providers. SaaS is a subscription-
based model, which requires businesses to subscribe to the services they want to use. Users can access
SaaS applications directly through web browsers, which eliminates the need to download or install them.
SaaS allows users to access web-based solutions from anywhere and at any time with an active internet
connection. Some popular SaaS solutions include Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Salesforce.

Online Cloud Computing Courses

Online courses are one of the best ways to learn cloud computing. Many online courses offer
videos, articles, eBooks, reports, hands-on labs, and assessments to help the learners. Some of the best
cloud computing courses online are listed below:

• Introduction to Cloud Computing on Amazon AWS for Beginners on Udemy

• Introduction to Cloud Computing on Coursera

• Cloud Computing with AWS Training on Internshala

• Cloud Computing Basics: Enhance your career as Cloud Engineer on Udemy

• Introduction to Cloud Computing by Microsoft on edX

• Cloud Computing by NPTEL

• Cloud Computing Basics (Cloud 101) on Coursera

• TOTAL: Cloud Computing / CompTIA Cloud+ Cert.

(CV0-002) on Udemy