Intro to Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a relatively new term that describes an evolution of the client-and-server concept. The primary evolution comes from the difference in the network infrastructure. Traditional client and server computing has been tied to local area networks or perhaps metropolitan area networks where the business owns the network infrastructure. Cloud computing places the network infrastructure on the Internet, which means the business now purchases its network services located elsewhere on “the cloud”. Cloud computing services can be located anywhere on the Internet and businesses no longer need to carry the expense of servers, software development, and staff programmers to keep up with essential computing services.

Cloud computing is characterized by its independence from platform, location, and device dependency and is usually very adaptable to businesses of all sizes. Currently, cloud computing is growing to overcome the concerns over its reliability and security. In reality, security is improving quickly due to the growth and popularity of cloud computing within the past couple years. Another characteristic is its scalability through the use of server virtualization, which places several instances of server software on one physical machine. This optimizes the use of server resources, which can be costly to install and often do not run to full capacity.

In cloud computing, the idea of client and server can be reworded as front-end and back-end. The front-end, or client, is the end user running the application. Oftentimes the front-end is a web browser; however, this is not the only front-end. Front-ends may be iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phones, or the popular Adobe Air applications running under Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. The back-end is a set of servers that are administered centrally. The server follows protocols known as middleware, which is the programming code that ties together the servers running databases and distributed services and the clients logging into the servers from their front-ends.

Data security is the most important part of cloud computing, and data is almost always distributed across multiple servers in multiple locations and backed up to other machines in multiple locations. Redundancy of data is crucial and is done for maintaining service uptime and recovery from single instance server failure and disaster recovery (e.g., tornado, flood, fire). Locating the data on multiple servers in multiple locations also keeps services online via the Internet when problems occur with Internet bandwidth or disruptions due to hardware failures and upgrades.

There are several forms of cloud computing. One of the most popular is “software as a service,” often abbreviated SaaS. Examples of the SaaS variety can be found in Google Applications, Xero Accounting, and Zoho Office. These applications are delivered via the web browser, and users can access these services from any location with access to the web. These services are pay-as-you-go and pay-as-you-grow which works nicely for both the customer and the service provider.

Other forms of cloud computing include on-demand storage and backup services. Computing resources like these are represented by Amazon, Sun, IBM, and CrashPlan. Specialized services like collaborative messaging and group information sharing include Yammer and Twitter. Social networking and professional business networking are also use cloud computing and are available in services like Facebook and LinkedIn.

Cloud computing not only has the potential to change and evolve computing to make it more mobile, more cost effective, and increase business productivity, but cloud computing is quickly replacing old client and server systems in the business workplace. To find our more about cloud computing and the services available to your business, contact ArrowQuick Solutions. Our web and IT teams are focused on business solutions that take advantage of cloud computing were possible.