Pros•Expands Global Presence (for businesses)
•Unlimited Storage •Saves Money •Reduces Carbon Footprint |
Cons• Servers crash
• Possible hacks • Not 100% secure • Fees |
Types of Cloud Computing
Almost everything we are using or doing on the internet is somehow connected to the Cloud. But what actually is the Cloud? The Cloud stores information but not on our computer's hard drive. The Cloud is split up into three different types: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), or Platform as a Service (PaaS).
Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS is when you buy access to raw computing hardware like servers or storage. However, most of the time you buy what you need as you go, known as utility computing. Normal examples of this type of computing are monthly subscriptions and a prepaid megabyte or gigabyte fee to a company that provides the access of files to your website from their servers.
Software as a Service
Software as a Service or SaaS is when you completely run your website or online application on someone else's servers. Common examples of Saas are web-based email, like gmail, or any Google Documents.
Platform as a Service
The last type of cloud computing is Platform as a Service or PaaS. PaaS are applications being developed on web-based tools that are running on another company's system software and hardware. In other words, if you have developed you own website but have all the elements of your website including the shopping cart, checkout, and payment running on their serves, it is PaaS. Some examples are App Cloud and the Google App Engine.
Companies in Cloud Computing
Now you know the types of cloud computing, but how does this all relate to you? Do you use this type of computing? Cloud computing has really grown in the last few years. Companies like Amazon and Google have substantially grown in this industry. Big companies like Netflix and NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), along with many more, are currently using Amazon Web Services. Gmail uses Google Drive to store their data. Apple iCloud, Google Drive, and Amazon Web Services are the leaders in this industry. Apple iCloud mostly stores, backs up, and syncs all devices. All data from your device is available on all your devices via the cloud. Google Drive is 100% a cloud computing system. Everything you create with the many google apps like Google Docs, Google Slides, and Google Sheets are all saved under the Drive. However, the Drive isn't just accessible from a computer or desktop; you access and edit all documents from your phone or tablet. Amazon Cloud Drive is mostly used for saving images and downloading music. On the other hand, many businesses are using Amazon's serves to host their websites and data. Some of the biggest companies using Amazon Web Services are Netflix, Hulu, Adore, McDonald's, Pinterest, Autodesk, and multitude more.