A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Cloud Computing

What is cloud computing?

To put in a very simple manner, cloud computing is a concept that involves computing by sharing the resources involved, instead of relying on local servers to do the job. The 'cloud' in the term 'cloud computing' is used to represent the internet. The technique involves utilizing remote servers which allow centralized data processing and storage, and online access to resources from any place, at any time.

So, basically, cloud computing means internet based computing where several services are pooled together in order to achieve a common purpose. It is a recently evolved phenomenon, and it has caught on pretty quickly, owing to its many advantages, which we will now explore.

Advantages of cloud computing -

Cloud computing has single handedly made computing, information processing, data storage and data access a lot easier than they were before its advent. Some of the many reasons why cloud computing has become an integral part of our professional as well as personal lives include -

• Lower costs - Companies and organizations need not spend huge amounts of money on setting up information technology infrastructure. Cloud computing enables them to easily access all their information with minimal pay out costs.

• Streamlining of procedures - One of the major advantages of this kind of computing is that it enables organizations to achieve and accomplish more work, in much less time, and by employing much fewer people. It saves time and costs by cutting down unnecessary costs and eliminating time consuming activities.

• Better accessibility - Information and data can be accessed at any time, and from any place. All the potential user requires is a device to view and access the data, and a working connection to the internet. This has ended up making our lives so much easier.

• Flexibility of procedures - Since this kind of computing mostly involves the use of the internet and technology, the approach adopted in the work place can be easily maneuvered and changed without having to worry about the time, costs, and resources needed to retrain the personnel who would have otherwise been employed on the job.

• Improved utilization of resources - As a direct result of this kind of computing, organizations across the world have seen an improved and more efficient utilization of their resources, such as people, processes, and procedures. This goes a long way in improving the performance of the companies, as well as in spreading and raising the goodwill they possess. It is one of the important things to remember.