Cloud Computing | What is Cloud Computing

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Overview of Cloud Computing:

In traditional computing, if you want to have the access to a particular software, you need to purchase that from the vendor along with the necessary license options and then install it locally in your computer. You need to take care of the maintenance part as well as the periodical backups. If anything goes wrong with your computer or software you need to contact the hardware/software vendor provided if you have warranty or you have to carry out maintenance through by some means.

In the Internet and broadband world, anything can be downloaded from within the browser window and can be used right-away. Good thing is that some of the resources available on the internet can be obtained for free. But still the maintenance and service part remains same as in the traditional way.

In Cloud computing, you don't have to purchase the software or high tech hardware in order to have access to all your software/applications provided if you have the minimum hardware/software requirement to access the internet.

So what is Cloud Computing?

Connecting to and using the limitless resources/applications provided by a third party vendor with the help of internet for a minimum subscription is called as Cloud Computing. In other words, it is a term referred to accessing the various hosted services through Internet at your convenience . Hosted services ranging from word processor, spreadsheets, email services, photo editing software, to complex business applications like CRM etc. These applications are installed and maintained in the cloud computing company's servers which enables one to access, manage and store their data with the help of internet. Since software/applications and supporting hardware tools are maintained by the remote server, user can be free from all the complexities of maintaining, upgrading and servicing problems as we have seen in the traditional way of computing. Simply put, its a simple solution to satisfy our computing needs such as data storage and management for much lesser cost and effort.

Public, Private & Hybrid Cloud Computing:

Since Cloud Computing entered the internet world, it has come a long way. Everyone started benefiting from that depending upon their personal or business needs. Some of these Cloud Computing companies are offering their basic service free for personal or limited use. Some Cloud Computing Companies charge some minimum fee as their subscription which is a lot lesser when compared to buying that software.

Public Cloud: When a Cloud Service is made available to Public, in other words, when a cloud service is made available to a vast number of customers, it is called a Public Cloud.
Private Cloud: When a Cloud Service is specifically designed for a particular business Organisation or for a limited set of customers, it is called a Private Cloud.
Hybrid Cloud: These combine both Public and Private Cloud features.

Advantages & Concerns of using Cloud Computing