The word ‘Clouds’ is used as a symbol to depict the Internet for more than two decades. As a virtual space that connects users from all over the globe, the Internet is like a cloud, sharing information by way of satellite networks. Cloud computing is a type of computing that depends upon shared computing resources. In its most simple description, cloud computing is taking services (“cloud services”) and moving them outside an organization’s firewall. A cloud based solution denotes to on-demand services, computer networks, storage, applications or resources accessed via the internet and through another provider’s shared cloud computing infrastructure.

An Epitome of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is an umbrella term refers to Internet based development and services. Cloud computing became popular in the twenty-first century. The evolution of this concept is the resultant of the gradual development of idea of computing since 1950s. It is necessary to know the history of cloud computing more precisely before using it or if you are using currently.

• 50’s & 60’s: Multiple users were capable of accessing a central computer through dumb terminals, whose only purpose was to deliver access to the processer or mainframe. It was not easy for any organization to organize distinct computer for all of its employees because of their high purchase and maintenance cost. Furthermore the processing power and the storage capacity delivered by the processer were also not required instantly by most of its users. This financial difficult gave birth to an idea of consuming this technology economically by delivering shared access to the single source, the central computer.
• In 1970s: The concept of Virtual Machines (VM) evolved in the mind of researchers. The Virtual Machines operating system took the 1950s’ shared access mainframe to the next level, approving multiple distinctive computing environments to reside on one physical environment. Virtualization motivated the technology, and was an important catalyst in the communication and information evolution.
• In 1990‘s: After the evolution of the visualization concept several telecommunication companies provided private visualized network connections in 1990s. Earlier telecommunication companies offered only single dedicated data connection to connect the user’s point-to-point. But the newly developed private connections offered visualized network which provided low cost services in quality to the committed services. These companies were now capable to run shared access to the same infrastructure to provide individual connections to more users without building new infrastructure. The term “cloud computing” was first used in an in-house document released by Compaq way back in 1996.
• In 2000: Since 2000, cloud computing has come into existence. In the beginning of 2008, NASA’s Open Nebula boosted in the RESERVOIR European Commission- financed project, developed the first open source software for arranging private and hybrids clouds, and for the federation of clouds. In the same year, struggles were focused on delivering quality of service guarantees (as required by real time interactive applications) to cloud-based infrastructure.
• In 2006: Many believe the first use of “cloud computing” in its modern context occurred on August 9, 2006, the term introduced by Google CEO Eric Schmidt to an industry conference.

Schmidt said, “What’s interesting is that there is an emergent new model. I don’t think people have really understood how big this opportunity really is. It starts with the premise that the data services and architecture should be on servers. We call it cloud computing—they should be in a “cloud” somewhere.”

The term began to use extensively in the following years, after companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM started to vend cloud-computing efforts as well.

The use of Cloud computing is spreading rapidly because it captures a historic shift in the IT industry as more computer memory, processing power, and apps are introduced in the “cloud” or remote data centers.

Some accounts trace the birth of the term to 2006, when large companies such as Google and Amazon began using “cloud computing” to describe the new model in which people are increasingly accessing software, computer power, and files over the Web instead of on their desktops.

Cloud Delivery or Service Models

According The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.” A corporate trend among several businesses is the introduction of cloud-based systems. Here is an overview of the three more common types implemented in many businesses.

1. Software as a Service (SaaS): Software as a service (SaaS) replaces the traditional on-device software with software that is licensed on a subscription basis. It is centrally accommodated in the cloud. Without any downloads or installations, most SaaS applications can be accessed directly from a web browser. However, some SaaS applications require plugins. Using the cloud, software such as an internet browser or application can become a usable tool.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS): Platform as a Service (PaaS) allows organizations to build or construct, run and manage applications without the IT infrastructure. This makes it simple and faster to develop, test and organize applications. Developers can emphasis on writing code and produce applications without stressing about time-consuming. IT infrastructure activities such as provisioning servers, storage, and backup.  It can diminish your management overhead and lower your costs.
3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): It is like buying electricity. You need to pay only for according to your use. This model enables companies to add, delete or reconfigure IT infrastructure on-demand. Most IT organizations trust on IaaS because they are more acquainted with IaaS, specifically if they are experienced with virtual environments or strict security and regulatory requirements that can only be met through IaaS.

Types of Cloud Deployment

All clouds are not equivalent. Cloud computing can be divided into three different ways to deploy computing resources: public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud.

1. Public Cloud: Public clouds are possessed and functioned by a third-party cloud service provider, which bring their computing resources like servers and storage over the Internet. Microsoft Azure is a model of a public cloud. All hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure is owned and managed by the cloud provider with a public cloud. You access these services and manage your account using a web browser.
2. Private Cloud: A private cloud denotes to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business or organization. A private cloud can be tangibly situated on the company’s on-site data center. A private cloud is one in which the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network.
3. Hybrid Cloud: Hybrid cloud is a combination of different clouds, be it private, public, or a mix. Hybrid cloud gives businesses greater flexibility and more deployment options.
4. Multi-Cloud: A multi-cloud strategy is the use of two or more cloud computing While a multi-cloud deployment can refer to any implementation of multiple software as a service (SaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS) cloud offerings, today, it refers to a mix of public infrastructure as a service (IaaS) environments, such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

1. Convenience
2. Scalability
3. Low costs
4. Security
5. Anytime, anywhere access
6. High availability
7. Worldwide Access
8. More Storage
9. Easy Set-Up
10. Automatic Updates

In A Nutshell

Organizations are increasingly enjoying the benefits gained through cloud computing, whether through a single or multi-cloud approach. When defining or refining your cloud strategy, then, the real question you need to be examining is ‘do the benefits outweigh the risks’, with a deep understanding of how the cloud will be used and managed in your organization, taking into consideration the factors discussed here.

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In simple words, cloud computing refers to storing and accessing your data online. Instead of using hard disk to save your files, photos, videos or documents, you put it all in an online space. This virtual space can either be owned by you or third-party organisations who offer computing services like storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, servers, etc at pay-as-you-use prices. The more components you use, the more you pay, like electricity. Similarly, if it’s provided by third party organisation, you don’t have to invest in its infrastructure or bother about its maintenance. Everything is taken care of by them.

Whether it’s an individual, small company or big organisations, everyone’s using cloud in one or the other way. As individuals and SMEs, whenever we use applications that sync our offline data to an online directory or ones that are purely online-based, we are accessing cloud computing. Emails, picture gallery backup, online movie storing – it’s all cloud!

Cloud computing has become an omnipresent part of our lifestyle without us even realizing it.

But now that you know you can utilize it further to create new apps and services, store, save and recover data, host websites or blogs, and stream audio and video.

Perks of using cloud include:

• Save costs – Cloud is an affordable way to store and access important data. You don’t have to spend anything on building and maintaining infrastructure or hiring and managing IT professionals to handle the same.
• Focus – As a commercial entity, you can focus on your company’s true goals instead of getting stuck up trying to manage these technical aspects.
• Scalable – On cloud, it is super easy to measure usage. Since that system is transparent, you only pay for what you use, nothing more.
• Security – In terms of privacy and lost files, data stays more secure when it’s on cloud. Cloud services providers have multiple backups of your data which makes its recovery quicker.

Cloud is now, cloud is future. Get on it.