What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the process of using remote data center servers hosted on the internet to store, process, and deliver data through a computer network.

Cloud computing allows the resources that support your computer to be stored separately from your physical device — often thousands of miles away. Through cloud computing, service providers can deliver on-demand IT resources as needed. It eliminates the need to store and manage data on your hardware.

The term “cloud” can be misleading, particularly in the context of wireless technology. Data isn’t stored in some nebulous location accessed by electromagnetic waves. Although your data travels short distances through radio or optical waves, it’s stored and processed in physical servers. These servers are located in warehouses that can be millions of square feet in size. Organizations are understandably secretive about their data centers, but the largest — The Inner Mongolia Information Park — is over 10 million square feet.

Words like “cloud” and “wireless” make it seem like internet traffic travels primarily through the air. In actuality, the path data takes from your device to remote servers — and vice versa — is mostly through large cables that contain thousands of glass fibers the size of a human hair and run under the sea. Data only travels wirelessly from your phone or computer to the nearest cell tower or antennae that’s physically wired to this vast connection of cables.

The massive collection of nodes, cables, and data centers lets you tap into resources that would be prohibitively expensive for most individuals or businesses to build and maintain on their own.

Cloud computing providers allow you to use their resources by remotely accessing servers — which are basically giant hard drives — that contain the software, platforms, or infrastructure you want to use.

When you’re setting up cloud services, you can choose from one of three different models: public, private, or hybrid. The primary differences are the location and level of security.

Public clouds are owned and maintained by third-party providers and are available over the public internet. These are located in large data centers and are usually partitioned into virtual machines so that multiple organizations can use them, with each having access to the resources they need. Each virtual machine runs its own operating system and functions separately from the other virtual machines, though they may physically share a server.

A private cloud is a cloud computing environment that’s dedicated to the sole use of a single customer. A private cloud is similar to having your own IT infrastructure on-site. With a private cloud, you aren’t sharing a server with anyone else. The hardware, software, and other resources are reserved for your exclusive use.

Private clouds are usually used by organizations that need a high level of security to protect sensitive data or comply with data protection regulations.

A hybrid cloud combines elements of both private and public clouds. A business has access to both and can choose whether to use the private or public cloud for different applications. Typically, organizations use the private cloud for highly sensitive data and the public cloud for applications that don’t require the highest security protocols. According to Gartner, 81% of organizations use a hybrid, or multi-cloud, strategy for managing IT resources.

The use cases of cloud computing are almost limitless. Everyone, from individuals to large enterprises, can benefit from cloud services.

Cloud services empower developers to create and iterate software applications rapidly. “Fail fast” is a common adage among software developers. Building on cloud services gives developers the speed and flexibility to rapidly create and iterate applications and features. Without having to invest time and resources into managing infrastructure, they can focus on their core development operations. With software, accelerating time to market can be the difference between the latest successful launch and a second-place flop.

Many personal apps are available through the SaaS model for individuals. From banking apps to music lessons, cloud-based apps are how most people interact with software. Smartphone pics, spreadsheets, and documents are all stored in the cloud, which makes changing devices a non-event. Gone are the days when your computer crashing meant all your irreplaceable photos were lost forever.

When the pandemic hit and schools closed, educators scrambled for effective learning solutions. Cloud computing proved to be effective. Teachers could upload their lessons and resources to the cloud, and students could access it from computers or mobile devices.

Cloud-based resources let students and teachers collaborate on projects in real-time or asynchronously. They also provide access to learning environments that students might not be able to experience otherwise through activities such as virtual field trips. Simulation-based experiential learning gives students hands-on opportunities to perform skills in real-world-like situations that would be impossible in reality.

If you’re ready to move to cloud computing, choosing the right solution will make the transition faster and easier. Before you jump into a contract, take the time to analyze your needs and find the right provider and products.