In this fast-paced world undergoing a digital revolution, huge capital investments in technology which can eventually become outdated, is seen as a potential obstacle by many companies who seek a better option, which would be less time consuming, cost-effective, more agile and flexible.
There are four broad categories of Cloud namely-
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): On a pay-as-you-go basis, IT infrastructure – servers and virtual machines (VMs), storage, networks, operating systems – can be rented from a cloud provider with IaaS.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): With PaaS, the creation of web or mobile apps is facilitated by cloud computing services that provide an on-demand environment for designing, testing, delivering, and managing software applications.
- Serverless Computing: Overlapping with PaaS, serverless computing refers to the method of offering backend services on an as-used basis. Users can create and make use of the codes without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure using a serverless provider.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): It is a method of delivering software as a service through the Internet. It can be accessed through the Internet instead of having to install and maintain software, freeing the user from the complex software and hardware management.Whatfix, a SaaS based platform, assists businesses in creating an interactive walkthrough software for web applications.
Cloud for Business Innovation and Growth
The cloud, which offers IT resources based on the Internet to firms without the need for a major and upfront capital outlays, is an innovation booster and growth enhancer for any business.
Massive amounts of computing resources can be offered in minutes, usually with only a few clicks, offering enterprises a lot of flexibility and relieving the strain of capacity planning. Most cloud computing services are self-serviced and on-demand.
Using the cloud ensures that the IT staff can focus on innovation rather than maintenance. Businesses don’t have to worry much about keeping up with technology upgrades when their applications are kept on servers maintained by third parties, like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft.
However, businesses should not aim to get to their ultimate destination in one leap, but rather employ a step-by-step approach while re-imagining their business’s future with new products and services.
Netflix, Uber and Airbnb took calculative risks and used the cloud to bring in some new differences and were successful in doing so.
Health care institutions, banks and government agencies generally prefer various public clouds like Microsoft’s Azure, Amazon Web Services, or private clouds. Another popular cloud is the Hybrid cloud model, a system that merges a private cloud with one or more public cloud services, with an exclusive software allowing communication between different services. A hybrid cloud model gives businesses more flexibility by allowing them to move workloads between cloud platforms as and when their needs, and costs change.
Benefits of Cloud–
- Cloud computing services increase efficiency by allowing data to be accessed from any location and on any device with an internet connection. It provides the most effective ways for small, medium, and even large businesses to quickly and reliably backup, and restore their data and applications.
- Cloud computing is cost-effective as it offers a scalable framework in which organisations just pay for the services they consume. In this instance, a business can opt for a less expensive option rather than establishing and maintaining an expensive IT infrastructure.
- Many cloud providers provide a comprehensive set of policies, technology, and controls to enhance overall security and prevent data, apps, and infrastructure from cyberattacks.
- Businesses can use cloud computing to select particular prebuilt tools, and features to create solutions that fulfil their specific needs. Cloud computing provides private, public, and hybrid cloud solutions, each with its own set of benefits.These options are available to companies depending on what best meets their needs.
- SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS are service options offered by the cloud provider. By choosing the suitable or most appropriate option, businesses can determine the nature and amount of control.
- Individuals from several locations can collaborate on business projects using cloud computing without having to physically meet.
- Using cloud computation can increase search engine optimization,due to improved speed and bandwidth, as this would ensure the web pages don’t take longer time to load.
- Cloud computing facilitates innovation by assisting businesses in optimizing, innovating, and sharing new values. In the present times, customers want a higher level of intimacy and commitment, therefore firms must innovate by developing new products and services or by introducing new business models within their existing product and services to meet these needs.
Conclusion
Although cloud computing has numerous benefits, expecting it to be fully hassle-free is unrealistic. When businesses move their IT needs to the cloud, they will still have to deal with some technological challenges, such as administering anti-virus programmes and maintaining IT performance logs. It’s very essential for business executives to think about breaking down the journey of innovation into smaller, more achievable steps. However, knowing the options for making the most suitable decision for each cloud project is essential, so they should have a design and plan in place to move their pilot to production.
