Introduction to Cloud Computing: A Beginner's Guide
Published: 2024-06-24 10:54:08


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Introduction

Cloud computing combines two words, 'cloud’ and ‘computing’.
Cloud means virtual servers that are connected on the internet and the applications that are running on the virtual servers.

Computing as a service is the process of running applications or workloads on a hosted server. It has existed since the 1960s, when companies were given ‘rented time’ to perform operations on mainframe computers.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is renting/leasing computing resources and services based on demand and pay-as-you-go usage over the Internet.

Or the on-demand delivery of computing services-including storage, database, network, and computing power over the internet to offer fast innovation, flexible resources and economic of sales.



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Types of Cloud Computing

The lists below are the types of Cloud Computing:
	 	 	 	

- Private Cloud: This is a cloud environment where the computing resources and infrastructure are dedicated to only one customer. In a private cloud, computing resources such as networking, database, servers, storage and infrastructure maintenance are the host's sole responsibility.

Private clouds can be hosted on-premises, in Cloud Service Provider (CSP) data centres, or on rented infrastructure hosted in an off-site data centre.

	 	 	 	
- Public Cloud: This is a cloud environment where infrastructure and computing resources are hosted by cloud CSPs. Computing resources connect to the internet for public use. In the public cloud, the use of resources or services is based on a pay-as-you-go pricing model. 

The public cloud introduced the shared responsibility model, in which computing resources or services are managed by both the vendor and the customer.
	 	 	 	

- Hybrid Cloud: This is the combination of public and private cloud to form a single cloud environment. A hybrid cloud connects these cloud environments in a flexible and cost-efficient approach to running applications and workloads of an organisation. 

Organisations are free from the burden of expanding on-premise hardware needed to run application testing, offering faster time to market.

- Multi-cloud: This uses different vendor’s services. For example, a multi-cloud environment can use SaaS from one vendor and PaaS from another. Enterprise companies use multi-cloud flexibility to select the best services for their applications and workload.

In a multi-cloud environment, vendor lock-in is no longer a concern. Organisations can choose any service from any CSP to suit their needs.
	 	 	 	
Below are the following benefits of Cloud Computing:

- Cost Effective: The cloud promises affordable services and computing power for companies, enterprises and startups. Infrastructure upfront purchases of expensive hardware are the sole responsibility of the CSPs. 

CSPs adopt the per-usage model of resources used. Idle resources or services are not paid for

- Increase Speed and Agility: This feature enables organisations to use enterprise applications in a few minutes. The issue of waiting weeks or months to send requests to the IT department and get feedback has been resolved.

- Unlimited Scalability: CSPs are now responsible for excessive capacity increases to meet peak customer demand and waste of capacity during low demand periods. Cloud computing scales up resources to match customers' respective demands in real time.

- Enhance Strategic Values: CSPs provide enterprises with new innovations and upgraded technologies over their competitors.

Banks and retailers use AI as customer service to hasten response to customer queries and provide support to customers.






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Types of Cloud Computing Services

The following lists are types of Cloud Computing Services:

- Platform as a Service (PaaS): Software developers use PaaS based on per request. Software developers use PaaS to develop, run, and manage applications on a public cloud. CSPs main responsibility is to 
provide the following:
 - developing tools 
 - software 
 - hardware  
 - Infrastructure

CSPs offering PaaS provide customers with resources such as databases, storage, compute power, and networking.

- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): CSPs provide the fundamental computing resources such as servers, storage, and physical and virtual servers on the internet using a pay-as-you-go pricing model.
 
Iaas increases and decreases the use by customer base usage. Organisations no longer worry about up-front purchase of resources to accommodate periodic spikes in customer usage.
	 	 	 	
- Software as a Service (SaaS): These are software applications or cloud-based applications hosted over the Internet.
 Users access the applications through: 
 - a web browser 
 - a dedicated desktop client 
 - an API that integrates with mobile operating systems 
 - desk-to-application 

SaaS is offered based on a monthly subscription or a pay-as-you-go pricing model.
	 	 	 	
- Serverless: In serverless, CSPs take the burden of all the back-end infrastructure management tasks, including scaling, scheduling, patching and provisioning. 

Developers are to concentrate on the code and business logic of the applications. Serverless runs applications on a per-request basis. Customers only pay for resources used. Idle services are never paid for.
 

After-thought

Cloud computing is a technology that has existed for some time now. Organisations, enterprises, and startups are leveraging its numerous benefits.

Cost-optimization of cloud computing has been a major point of attraction to most customers. I hope the reader has enjoyed the subject matter and its promising opportunities in the cloud space.