Cloud Computing

CLOUD COMPUTING

The network engineers used to illustrate unknown domains and large networks of servers located somewhere else by the symbol cloud.

  That’s what the cloud computing is all about using the powers of other computers somewhere else in the world through internet. Cloud computing is basically virtual servers available over the internet. In this technological era every business needs to store and their data and information somewhere and a platform to run its business application, where it is safe and easily accessible from any part of the world. The question is how do they manage to do it? Renting a server or more, hiring specialist IT staff? But as it gets bigger and complicated the only answer is cloud computing. With cloud computing you rent a service rather than servers such as storage, email, accounting etc.

Services on offer:

Microsoft windows Hotmail, Google’s Gmail, yahoo’s mail are in the cloud. In this competitive business market Google docs and Google aps compete directly with Microsoft office and exchange. There are more and more following them. Project management, Customer relationship management (CRM), data storage, online publishing, ecommerce, online marketing, audio and visual streaming are all there in the cloud practically everything you’ll need in this business world.

Security:

The big players of this game Microsoft and Google have some of the best security system and staff in the world.  These big giant providers however represent attractive targets to the hackers to break in.

Australia in Cloud Computing:

Australia’s expensive broadband infrastructures have held back adoption a little. However Telstra is investing a great deal of money to become a giant player in Australia. Some big companies like commonwealth bank, Westpac, Visy, Komatsu etc have committed to Cloud Computing. Slowly its taking its shape in Australia as even the supermarkets with their mobile application app  not only this   even the Department of Defence’s CIO is advocating the cloud.

Pros and cons of Cloud computing:

Cloud computing would end the stories of data and information being stolen from laptops as the thin notebooks and tablet can be taken anywhere and used anywhere to get the information and data from cloud through the internet, Another main advantage is the cost as they need no more big space for the servers,and the data centre doesn’t exist in the IT departments. Software is always automatically updated and profiles remain consistent across all devices. There is a growing market for specific industries as the services are growing. The electronic medical records keep doctors well on track wherever the patient physically is. Lawyers are managing practice and communication with clients from the cloud. Application and data house from the cloud helps employees to communicate with each other regardless of their location.

The Downside:

Maintaining link to a cloud is one of the major concerns. If the link is damaged because of natural disaster or power failure or software crash the internet is not accessible so are the data and information in the cloud.

Security is another roadblock certainly for the government agencies. Privacy is also a reason why people don’t want to move data and application to somewhere they can’t see or touch.

Types of Cloud:

Public Cloud:

It is shared by multiple organizations. The seller hosts the infrastructure and the customer has no access and control over it.

Private cloud:

IT is owned maintained and controlled by single organization and is not shared to outsiders.

Hybrid Cloud:

Hybrid Is the mixture of both private and Public cloud. It gives you the best of both the cloud.

Cloud computing and smart phones:

According to recent survey Cloud-based mobile market will generate annual revenue of $9.5 billion in 2014 from $400 million in 2009, at an average annual increase of 88%.

This phenomenal growth is driven by increased mobile broadband coverage new web standard HTML5. The future of mobiles depends on the power of the cloud in the future itself. Google’s Gmail and voice mail are tow well known cloud application on our smart phones today. A cloud based mobile application is similar to an app purchased and downloaded like iTunes for example on iPhone where the processing power is driven from cloud not through the mobile itself. Through smart phone mobile apps corporate users can shares files company data, projects and more. . In coming years, mobile apps will comprise an increasing proportion of the total revenues with business plans that involve subscription-based content and mobile advertising. In near future, there will be the growth in both device and cloud based applications.



References:

http://www.thebeckon.com/pros-and-cons-of-cloud-co...

http://cloudtimes.org/2011/03/01/cloud-computing

http://cloudtimes.org/2011/05/31/mobile-cloud-comp...

http://www.egov.vic.gov.au/trends-and-issues/infor...