Cloud computing technology refers to how computing resources, such as word processing applications and digital storage, are accessed over a network–such as the Internet. In cloud computing, these resources use the processing power from the servers in the cloud rather than from the end user device. The delivery and execution of these resources appear so seamless that the end user may not realize that they are using resources from a cloud. Let’s take a closer look at the cloud and analyze why it is becoming more popular.

What Components make up a Cloud?

A cloud consists of two primary components: back-end and front-end. The back-end of a cloud usually has a series of application, database, and storage servers that are linked together to deliver computing resources to end users. The front-end of a cloud is the application interface where the computing resource is delivered and presented to the user. An example of a front-end interface is the web browser. Using the web browser, the end user can access the computing resources from the cloud.

What is the Difference between Public Clouds and Private Clouds?

Public cloud infrastructures are shared by many clients. The economics of sharing virtualized infrastructures in public clouds help lower the service cost by distributing infrastructure cost among users. Users are paying only for the resources they actually used. This is known as the pay-per-use model. In a public cloud, all clients also share the same security configurations. So organizations must carefully evaluate the public cloud option and make sure it is in full compliance with their organization’s security standard.

There are two types of private clouds: hosted private clouds and internal private clouds. Hosted private cloud infrastructures are hosted by an external cloud provider, and internal private clouds are hosted internally by the organization. Both hosted and internal private clouds provide greater security than public clouds because they have dedicated infrastructures.

What are the Different Types of Packaged Applications in Cloud Computing?

There are three packaged applications that are usually deployed in cloud computing: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). SaaS is delivered as finished applications to the client. Some of the popular SaaS are offered by Microsoft and Google, such as Office 365 and Google Apps. DaaS virtualizes and deliver a complete desktop image to a thin client device or a hosted desktop. Citrix XenDesktop solution is a popular choice for DaaS. IaaS provides clients to create and manage their own virtual servers.

Cloud Computing is Increasing Popularity

Cloud computing can help organizations cut down costs associated with managing their own data center, cost for maintaining hardware, and software licensing cost. There is no doubt that cloud computing is the next big technology trending.