Mastering the Basics of Cloud Computing in 2023

We are in 2023 now. And, I am very sure that, by now, you must have heard the word “cloud computing” or “cloud ” at least a million times :P.

Am I right or Am I right? 😛

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Well, nowadays, organizations are also looking for people, who are well-versed in cutting-edge technologies. For example -Cloud Computing, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence etc.

Especially, As a result of the pandemic, the cloud is the way to go for everyone. In fact, It won’t be wrong to say that we are surviving without going out due to cloud computing.

So, tell me- Isn’t it a good idea to make ourselves aware of the ongoing trends to stay updated and relevant?

Of course, It is !!!

But, before I start, let me ask you a question.

Have you ever looked at the sky thinking, about where data is stored when you heard the word “cloud” for the very first time?

To be honest, I did 😛 😛

If you are like me, comment to let me know that I am not the only one 😛

Well, today I will try my best to give you a basic overview of cloud computing. If you have any doubt, please feel free to add a comment, and I will answer them as soon as possible.

What is Cloud?

In simple words, If I say, the cloud is nothing but a set of computers/servers which can be accessed over the internet.

Those servers are located in various data centres across the world.

Let’s understand it this way.

If you store your data on your computer. It’s called local storage. But if you store it in a server provided by someone else. It’s called storing in the cloud.

Also, those who provide/rent their servers are called cloud service providers for example AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform.

You, as a user, need not manage that computer/server physically. But you can use it from anywhere in the world. Provided, you have an active internet connection.

“For example, Most of us sync our phones with google photos. The benefit: you may lose your phone but not your photos.“

Have you ever thought, what’s the reason behind it?

Well, It’s very simple.

Those photos are stored in the cloud as a backup. You can access them from anywhere in the world.

After getting a basic idea of the cloud, let’s dive into the details.

What is Cloud computing?

In simple terms, cloud computing is the availability of computing resources such as storage, servers, databases, software applications etc. over the internet.

• As cloud services provide pay as you go model, you only pay for the services that you use and nothing else.
• It helps in lowering overall operational costs by cutting the need of procuring all the required infrastructure in advance.
• You can store as fewer data as you want and as much data as you want without worrying about the disk size.

Real-world Example Of Cloud Computing.

If you pay close attention, cloud computing is everywhere. Especially with the rapid growth of IoT-connected smart devices, everything is connected to the cloud.

Let’s have a look at a few examples which are very common in our day-to-day life.

• Gmail, Microsoft Office 365
• Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
• Google Photos, Google Docs, Google Drive
• YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix etc.

Use Cases Of Cloud Computing:

Based on the above example we can easily say that below are some of the use cases for cloud computing.

• Audio and Video Streaming for ex Netflix
• Storage, Back Up and Recovery such as Google Photos
• Software Development and Testing
• Website Hosting
• Virtual Desktop
• Internet of Things(IoT)

Who is Using Cloud Computing?

The answer to this question is quite evident:

Everyone uses cloud computing to some extent. It includes small as well as big businesses and industries.

Cloud computing gives smaller businesses the opportunity to start small and scale as the business grows.

Companies like Airbnb, Zoom and Slack grew massively using the cloud by starting small and scaling when needed.

When Cloud Computing Became Popular?

• Cloud computing became popular around 2006 when Amazon launched its Elastic Compute Cloud(Also Known as EC2).
• Ever Since each passing day, cloud computing is becoming more and more popular.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

Every single day, companies are moving to the cloud. Let’s take a look at what makes companies choose the cloud over traditional computing.

Cost Saving :

With the cloud, you only pay for resources that you use. You need not invest in buying any physical server.

24 X 7 Availability :

Cloud service providers are proving 99.9% uptime now as days.

Security:

Cloud Service Providers provide, a set of policies or security controls. Which in turn, helps you strengthen your overall security.

Flexibility:

You can store any amount of data from anywhere. And you can access them from anywhere as well.

Automated Software Update:

Cloud servers are regularly updated to recent software and security patches. You need not worry about updating them

Elasticity:

You can start as small as you want and grow as big as you want. There is no limit on the data or compute service that you can use. In short, you can scale infinitely.

Performance:

Cloud servers are regularly upgraded to the latest and most efficient computing hardware. In turn, They provide better performance than traditional computing.

Read the Advantages of Cloud Computing in Detail in this post: 11 Advantages of Cloud Computing You Should Know

The disadvantage of Cloud Computing?

Internet connection:

If you want to enjoy the perks of cloud computing, you must have a stable internet connection. Sadly there is no workaround for this problem.

Technical Issues:

Even the best solutions in the world get technical issues. You have to depend on the service provider to fix such issues.

Lesser Control:

You must trust your providers in how they store and handle your data.

Conclusion:

In today’s fast-paced world, cloud computing makes our life easier. Small businesses, as well as big enterprises, are moving to the cloud slowly and the reason is pretty clear.

As everything from smartphones to smart homes is talking to the cloud to operate efficiently and scale infinitely.

We are not far away from the day when everything including web or mobile applications will be available on the cloud.

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