Cloud  Computing describes a scenario whereby computing resource is delivered as a service over a  network connection, usually the internet.

Cloud computing relies on sharing a pool of physical and/or virtual resources, rather than deploying local or personal hardware and  software. It is somewhat synonymous with the term ‘utility computing’, as users are able to  tap into a supply of computing resource rather than manage the equipment needed to generate  it themselves.

Benefits of Cloud computing:

*Scalable

*Cost effective

*Economics of scale

*Reliability

*Flexibility

Types of Cloud Computing:

There are 3 fundamental  deployment  models of cloud computing; public cloud, private cloud and hybrid  cloud.

Public Cloud

A public  cloud is where services and infrastructure are hosted off-site by a cloud provider, shared across  their client base and accessed by these clients via public networks such as the internet. Public  clouds offer great economies of scale and redundancy but are more vulnerable than private cloud  setups due their high levels of accessibility.

Private Cloud

Private clouds  use pooled services and infrastructure stored and maintained on a private network – whether  physical or virtual – accessible by only one client. The obvious benefits to this are greater levels  of security and control. Cost benefits must be sacrificed to some extent though, as the enterprise  in question will have to purchase/rent and maintain all the necessary software and hardware.

Hybrid Cloud

As the name  suggests, a hybrid cloud combines both public and private cloud elements. A hybrid cloud allows a  company to maximise their efficiencies; by utilising the public cloud for non-sensitive operations  while using a private setup for sensitive or mission critical operations, companies can  ensure that their computing setup is ideal without paying any more than is necessary.

Models of Cloud Computing

Broadly speaking,  there are 3 models of cloud computing which describe the service on offer; these are Software  as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

As with the other  cloud computing categories, IaaS refers to the delivery of virtualised computing resource as a service across a network connection. IaaS specifically deals with hardware – or  computing infrastructure - delivered as a service. Offerings include virtualised server space, storage space, network connections and IP addresses. The resource is pulled from a pool of servers  distributed across data centres under the provider’s control, the user is then granted access to this resource in order to build their own IT platforms. IaaS can provide enterprises with  great business benefits.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS is an  extension of IaaS and describes a category of cloud computing that provides developers with environments in which to build applications over the internet. In addition to the fundamental  computing resource supplied by the hardware in an IaaS offering, PaaS models also include the software and configuration (often known as the solution stack) required to create the platform on  which clients can create their applications. PaaS packages can be tailored to meet individual  user needs. they can cherry pick the features of the service that are relevant to them while disregarding those  that are not. PaaS provides a number of benefits to enterprises, including simplifying  the development process for geographically split development teams.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS  is arguably the most common of the cloud computing variations; it’s the term used to describe a software  delivery model in which applications are hosted (usually by a provider) and made available to  customers over a network connection. Many people make use of SaaS without realising it as many web applications  are delivered in this way. 

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Cloud computing