What is the Cloud and where TF is it?
“The cloud” is a commonly used term today; Yet, many still misunderstand the meaning.
Even for 5seconds, we’ve all thought that the cloud meant your data and information is in the sky somewhere — sadly it’s not
Or when you hear the word “Cloud” you think iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox. — You’re not wrong, but you’re not completely right either.
The cloud simply means that you can store your data and information on a device (usually a server) that is owned by an organisation. You can then download and access your information and data via the internet for free or for a fee.
Cloud computing technology also means that you can access a service like AWS or Netflix without having to design, develop, maintain, or even download the app yourself.
Before cloud computing and cloud storage, we kept records in a written folder, stored in a physical storage room, and arranged in a certain order.
Desktops eliminated the physical method. With desktops, you could store data and information on the desktop’s storage and access the information when need be.
But for larger organizations like banks and hospitals, desktops had limited storage capacity because they stored records of thousands and millions of people.
Another issue with desktops was: If you stored a file on a particular desktop, another desktop couldn't access it without connecting it to a Local Area Network (LAN).
How would doctors access patient files without access to the nurse’s desktop? So organisations needed to connect their devices with one another LAN. Big companies with large files and records needed to buy servers.
Let’s take an instance:
Bank X needs to store and retrieve large files fast.
Instead of
- the traditional method of pen and paper, where you had to walk to a storage room or
- the desktop method with limited storage, availability, and speed.
They could buy servers.
Servers are computers on steroids.
They have:
- Faster data processing and
- Larger storage capacities than desktops, phones, and PCs.
Bank X had the sole responsibility of:
- installing an operating system on all their company computers
- connecting the server to a network
- securing and maintaining the physical and data infrastructures and also,
- providing a place for storing these servers.
And these servers are kept in a place called “Data Centers.”
The type of data storage bank X used above is called “On-Premise Storage Solution.”
The data centers are large rooms that needed a 24/7 cooling system and power supply.
If bank X needed more storage, they had to buy more servers.
Talk about the struggle.
But cloud computing came to the rescue.
Heres’ an excellent explainer video on life before cloud computing:
(445) 00 Before Cloud Computing — YouTube
The common misconception is that somehow your physical infrastructures disappeared. They didn’t.
It’s the location and ownership of bank X’s servers that changed.
Cloud computing reduces the management and cost burden on companies.
With cloud solutions, you don’t need your own data center to use a server.
You can share some or all the responsibility of having a server with, “The Cloud Service Providers”
How?
Now, instead of owning a data center, there are companies that offer Infrastructure as a service (IaaS). which means, the servers and maintance of the servers is managed by your IaaS provider. You manage everything else like installing the opertang system, chossing the applications to use, managing the database etc.
If you need more space, call your IaaS provider, pay for more, and it’s done.
You and the IaaS provider share the struggle of setting up and maintaining your servers.
Here are links to know more about IaaS and how to get started:
(445) Use cases of IAAS — YouTube
Getting started with Azure IaaS (microsoft.com)
Examples of IaaS Providers include;
- Amazon AWS
- Microsoft azure
- Google Compute Engine.
Another Cloud service model is: PaaS
Developers are major users of PaaS.
Before PaaS, developers had to handle all the troubles of building and managing software like:
- installation of the operating system,
- development of the application, and
- maintenance of physical servers to manage the application.
But, PaaS eliminates the high cost and bulkiness of developing and maintaining software.
Now, with PaaS, developers can focus on only building and the deployment of their apps.
Here are links to know more about PaaS and how to get started:
(446) What is PaaS (Platform as a Service)? — YouTube
IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: Examples and How to Differentiate (2021) (bigcommerce.com)
Examples of PaaS providers include;
- AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
- Google App Engine.
- Red Hat Openshift.
SaaS
SaaS is the most popular cloud storage solution.
SaaS is a solution where you use the service/software without knowledge of how it was/is:
- Developed
- Deployed and
- Maintained.
For Example, Gmail
You don’t worry about your email’s storage location and the development of the Gmail app.
You write your emails and hit send.
Finis.
Imagine if Gmail didn’t exist, and you needed to send emails.
You would have looked for ways to:
- build the application,
- buy servers to store and retrieve these emails
Creating Gmail took the money and technical- heavy battles of using a service.
Some popular examples of the SaaS model: Google Drive, Facebook, Instagram, Gmail.
Here are links to know more about SaaS and how to get started:
(446) What is SaaS (Software as a Service)? — YouTube
How to Start a SaaS Startup | 5 Lessons I Wish I Had Known Beforehand (foundr.com)
What is SaaS (Software as a Service)? Everything You Need to Know (techtarget.com)
Examples of SaaS Providers include;
- Salesforce.
- Oracle.
- SAP.
These types service providers mentioed above fall into one of these storage models.
They include:
Public Cloud:
Public cloud providers manage the data of different companies in one data center.
Here, you only buy a part of their servers and other companies can occupy the rest of the same servers.
It’s cheaper for companies who can’t afford their own data centers, but it offers less security for data.
Like Mircosoft Azure.
Private Cloud:
The Private Cloud solution: here you have your own servers or personal data center for you alone.
Like HP Data Centers.
This solution is more expensive but has more security than the public cloud.
Large corporations and organizations that can afford it use this solution.
Hybrid Cloud:
The hybrid cloud solution is the best of both worlds.
This solution uses both cloud services.
You can store sensitive data on a private cloud and less salient information on the public cloud.
Like Amazon Web Services.
Here are links to know more about the types of cloud computing and more on cloud computing:
What Is Hybrid Cloud? — Benefits and Advantages of a Hybrid Cloud | NetApp
Before you go,
The cloud symbol used in internet flow charts and diagrams inspired the naming.
The service and your data isn’t in the sky.
It’s developed, stored, processed, and managed for you by service providers.
Service providers take care of what you don’t want to worry about.
Letting you access information and services, anywhere and anytime.
Unless your providers’ servers are down (^ ^ ). (Facebook- emm Meta, catch your sub)
