Many might ask, what is cloud computing? It is actually a general term for any application that distributes hosted services all around the internet with services such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service.
To further illustrate what is cloud computing, three significant features had to be pinpointed. Firstly, it is highly in demand, thus selling every minute/ hours; secondly it is elastic, which suggest that users can have as much or as little services required at any given time; and thirdly, the services is fully govern by a provider, which suggested cloud hosting. With the advancement on information system, the innovation of computing and the idea on producing a fast moving internet along with a weak economy had boost the curiosity in cloud computing.
Usually, a cloud can be either privatise of publicly owned. A publicly owned cloud sells its services to anyone and everyone in the visual world; and presently, the largest cloud hosting provider is Amazon. A privatised cloud is when a cloud hosting provider sells their services to a selected number of people. Also there are times when a cloud hosting provider utilises a public cloud resources to form their private cloud, and such event suggests virtual private cloud. However, privatised or publicly owned, the function of cloud computing is to offer an easy yet straight forward entry to computing resources or IT services.
To understand more about what is cloud computing, the 7 type of cloud computing services had to be acknowledged.
First is the web-based cloud service where the user is able to utilise a certain services without needing to fully developed the whole application, for instance, program that is used in credit card processing.
Secondly is the Software-as-a-Services (SaaS) application with the goal to provide a series of application to several users, especially to those that are using a browser, this can be commonly seen while conducting a sales service.
Third is the Platform-as-a-Service function where users are allowed to manoeuvre his/her own applications/ software freely but with a main requirement of using the cloud provider’s network.
Following is the utility cloud services where it provides users with a virtual storage and server options in which users can administer; it also allows the creation of a virtual data centre.
Managed services are the next in line where it shows the ‘oldest iteration of cloud solutions’. In this process, cloud providers will be the one using the application in order to monitor a service or to incorporate anti-spam services.
Last but not least is the service commerce where it established the incorporation of SaaS and managed services by providing a hub where users can interact between one another. Such application involves expense tracking, tracking of orders or virtual assistance services.
