The Cloud is everywhere, whether at the office or at home, you have necessarily already heard about the Cloud. Who has never faced insufficient storage space and used a Cloud solution? But what exactly is Cloud Computing anyway? What can a solution that you often use on a personal basis bring to your company?
What is the Cloud?
Cloud Computing is a solution that allows ubiquitous and on-demand access to a shared network and a set of computer data. This data is easily accessible and editable. To make Cloud Computing even simpler, it is a way to use computer data without actually owning it physically.
Cloud Computing, more advantages than disadvantages?
Hosting your company’s data on the cloud makes it possible to have it available at any time and above all to never lose it. The Cloud also makes it possible to secure your data, provided that you set up an effective cloud security plan and, above all, train and raise awareness among your employees about its use.
The Cloud is also particularly advantageous from an economic point of view, especially for companies with a limited budget to spend on IT. On the one hand because Cloud Computing does not require any hardware investment and on the other hand because it allows you to smooth costs, especially in the context of a public cloud.
As we will see when we study the different types of Cloud, Cloud Computing is also characterized by its simplicity and great flexibility.
However, some companies are still reluctant to use the Cloud. Lack of trust in suppliers is one of the main issues. However, if the deployment of the Cloud is associated with a coherent security strategy, the risks are very limited and the benefits numerous.
The different types of Cloud
There are three types of Cloud that are distinguished by their own specificities: Public Cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud.
The private cloud
By private cloud, we mean dedicated cloud. In other words, you benefit from an IT infrastructure that is 100% dedicated to your company and your users. This cloud can be managed internally or delegated to a service provider and hosted in a data center.
The cost of setting up a private cloud generally depends on the server used, its storage capacity, its power and of course the associated maintenance.
It has several advantages:
the private cloud makes it possible to set up a solution perfectly adapted to your needs
the invoicing is the same regardless of the use of your employees
Be careful though, it can be less responsive in case of scalability and above all it is more expensive to set up than a public cloud.
The Public Cloud
Above all, we must not understand that the public is accessible to all. The term public means that the data is hosted on several servers that are accessible by a specified number of users, so we can talk about shared hosting. Generally these are solutions proposed by most IT service providers. The public (or shared) cloud is a particularly accessible service. Once the offer is subscribed, the Cloud is almost immediately available. However, unlike the private cloud, billing is based on your use of it. So you only pay for what you need.
Nevertheless, the public cloud is proving to be a particularly attractive solution, especially for SMEs, as it does not require any investment in hardware, software or infrastructure. The public cloud makes it possible to implement a multitude of SaaS applications such as CRM or inventory management tools. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is also an integral part of cloud computing. They allow you to benefit from virtualized IT resources.
The Cloud hybrid
The hybrid cloud, as its name suggests, is a cross between the private and public cloud. Hybrid Cloud combines a public cloud provider and a private cloud solution. Public and private clouds operate independently. They communicate via an encrypted connection to ensure data integrity. With this hybrid solution, you can host your most sensitive and critical data on the dedicated cloud and dedicate the public cloud solution to tasks that require either a significant scale-up of your infrastructure or the use of SAAS applications for example.
Obviously, the implementation of this hybrid solution requires particular expertise because the interactions between the different Cloud are particularly complex. It is therefore important to use an experienced service provider.
The Cloud, an increasingly popular trend
Cloud Computing is a solution that is increasingly appreciated by companies because of its many advantages. Faced with this upward trend, IT hardware providers are starting to develop hardware entirely dedicated to the Cloud. One of the main features of these next-generation computers is a small storage space, just enough to run the cloud solution. Your employees then benefit from much cheaper and lighter machines. However, this requires a good Internet connection, without which you will not be able to access your hosted data.
Cloud Computing may be the solution your business needs. Get in touch with your IT provider to study the different cloud solutions that could meet your needs.
Nootka can help you deploy a Cloud solution adapted to your IT needs and budget constraints.
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