Most technology experts list cloud computing as one of the most prominent IT trends of the twenty-first century. Over the past two decades, cloud computing has modified enterprise IT to the point where most organizations now take a "cloud-first" approach to their technology needs.
What exactly is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is a buzzword that means different things to different people. For some, it's just another way of outlining IT (information technology) "outsourcing"; others use it to represent any computing service provided over the Internet or a similar network; and some define it as any bought-in computer service you use that sits outside your firewall.
Cloud Computing Services
A lot of different types of a cloud services fall under the overall category of cloud computing. The NIST(The National Institute of Standards and Technology) cloud computing definition identifies three cloud service models: software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS).
SaaS
SaaS(Software as a Service) provides clients with the ability to use software applications on a remote basis via an internet web browser.Examples of SaaS include: Google Applications and internet based email applications like Mail,Hotmail and Gmail.The most popular among online retailers, allows merchants to run direct sales applications such as shopping carts in the cloud without their customers having to download or install programs to make a purchase.
PaaS
PaaS(Platform as a Service) provides clients with the ability to develop and publish customized applications in a hosted environment via the web. It represents a new model for software development.
IaaS
IaaS(Infrastructure as a Service) allows clients to remotely use IT hardware and resources on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.It is also referred to as HaaS(Hardware as service).Major IaaS players include companies like IBM, Google,and Amazon.com
Benefits of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has opened the world to consumers and online retailers. It provides many benefits over traditional computing; it has helped online businesses increase earning potential as well as offering customers access to thousands of stores. Additional benefits of cloud computing include:
- Scalability - It can dynamically increase or decrease based on the online retailers requirements.
- Data security - Information is stored on a remote server; if a personal computer or internal network fails, no information is lost.
- Accessibility - Remotely storing a catalog of products or services means that potential customers can access the e-commerce site from virtually anywhere in the world.
- Pay-Per-Use - Computing resources are measured at a granular level, end users only pay for the resources they require.
