Computing services like storage, databases, software and servers were once hosted using on-premises infrastructure, which came with its own set of disadvantages. However, as cloud technology developed, cloud computer services allowed organisations to access these computing services on the internet, via a cloud.
A cloud solution uses flexible resources and faster innovation. It can reduce a company’s operating costs and increase infrastructure efficiency. There are several uses of cloud computing and these are the top ten uses we see today.
Cloud storage is a cost-efficient method of storing data in a remote location so it can be accessed through the internet. Cloud storage is accessible and it also makes file-sharing and collaboration easy and convenient.
It also makes data backup easy, which is one of the main reasons companies obtain cloud computing services. If you are using AWS, for instance, you can select storage options like object storage, block storage services, and backup. You can also choose data migration options to build the foundations of a cloud IT environment.
Technologies that have become immensely important in the last few years are artificial intelligence and machine learning. The possibilities seem endless with these technologies and cloud computing has definitely seen immense development with the integration of AI and machine learning with cloud-based environments.
Azure products like Machine Learning, Bot Service and Databricks are some of the top services that enable the use of cloud computing with AI.
Data is important to businesses of all types and sizes but the uses of data have changed with the emergence of big data. In order to accommodate the infrastructure demands of big data analytics, many businesses have turned to cloud service providers.
If you are looking at analytics on AWS, as an example, you access features like scalable data lakes, purpose-built analytics services, seamless data movement, and unified governance.
When looking for a cloud solution for your business, you may have come across hybrid cloud and multi cloud. The former refers to a computing environment that creates a single, flexible infrastructure by connecting the company’s on-premises private cloud services with a third-party public cloud.
Multi Cloud, on the other hand, enables the use of two or more cloud platforms from different cloud service providers.
Both hybrid cloud and multi cloud are key uses of cloud computing.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service or IaaS is a cloud solution where compute, network and storage resources are delivered to consumers on an on-demand, pay-as-you-go basis over the internet. With IaaS, users can scale resources to meet their requirements.
Some of the benefits of IaaS are availability, speed, and performance.
Platform-as-a-Service or PaaS is another use of cloud computing that several cloud service providers offer users. With PaaS, a user can access hardware, software and infrastructure as a cloud solution to develop, run and manage applications.
PaaS is cost-effective, easy to use, flexible, scalable, and gives users more room to experiment. Like infrastructure-as-a-service, PaaS is also a key use of cloud computing services.
Cloud computing is the ideal test and development environment, with tailored environments now available through various cloud service providers. With AWS, for instance, users can access Amazon Braket to explore and experiment with quantum computing.
The AWS product provides users with a development environment to explore and build quantum algorithms, test them on quantum circuit simulators and run them on different quantum hardware technologies.
The Internet of Things or IoT takes connectivity to another level and a cloud solution like Azure or AWS will have various products that integrate IoT and cloud computing. Azure’s IoT products include IoT Central, IoT Edge, and IoT Hub. With Azure Sphere, users can secure their IoT hardware and software.
Software-as-a-Service or SaaS is another use of cloud computing. With SaaS, users can connect to cloud-based apps like email and office tools over the internet. Like IaaS and PaaS, its pay-as-you-go feature makes it an attractive cloud solution and the cloud service provider will host all underlying infrastructure, software and data on their own data centre.
Organisations rely heavily on data and any loss to such data can have a significant impact on business functions. This is why disaster recovery is important. Disaster recovery makes use of cloud computing and includes the technologies and best practices to prevent or minimise data loss and disruption to business operations following events like power outages to military attacks to cyberattacks.
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