Cloud Computing : A Profitable New Business Model

Cloud Computing is a fairly new term used to identify a type of computer connectivity, IT services and on-demand delivery offered via the web. The way that it works is, Cloud Computing offers an easy approach to accessing servers, storage, databases and a wide set of request over the Internet. Cloud Computing also allows cloud-based service providers to own and sustain the network-connected equipment necessary for these application services. This is all done while permitting a business to facilitate and use the services that are deemed essential via a web application (Amazon, 2016).

According to the official NIST definition:-“Cloud Computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications and sciences) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management efforts or service provider interaction.”

The national Institute of Standards and Technology under the department of Commerce defines Cloud Computing as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction”. Another definition for cloud computing is a term used to describe a network of computers that deliver information technology

Cloud computing is on the rise. Cloud computing is a style of computing where software and virtualized hardware is provided over the internet (O’Brien & Marakas, 2011). The seven most common uses of cloud computing include: infrastructure as a service, private cloud or hybrid cloud, test and deployment, big data analytics, file storage, disaster recovery and backup (Ferkoun, 2014). The biggest advantages of cloud computing include increasing competitiveness through cost reduction, greater flexibility, and elasticity and optimal resource utilization (Ferkoun, 2014). Cloud computing basically uses the internet to provide for the computing needs of the end users.

Cloud Computing has been a buzz world in the past few years. The use of this technology increased considerably when we made huge progress in this domain, reducing the cost for everyone. Today, Cloud Computing is widely used all across the world by a lot of companies such as Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, etc…

Cloud computing is quickly evolving and expanding, thus it’s hard to precisely define this technology (Pallis 2010). However, the main features of cloud computing can be identified according to national institute of standards and technology (NIST)’s definition:

Cloud computing is one of the newest major evolutions in the technology industry. It is a paradigm where computing resources become available at any time, from anywhere just having an Internet connection. The cloud eliminates the need to be physically close to the hardware containing the data user wants to obtain. It can own both hardware and software necessary to run business applications. Cloud service also reduces costs for a company, by excluding the need to buy additional servers and memory storages. Furthermore, because this method of computing uses the pay-as-you-go payment method, it charges organisation based on the usage. This means that business can purchase more space or reduce their subscription as it is required

Cloud computing, in its most basic form, is “using computer services [such as computer and data storage, management and processing] that are delivered over a network” (Kim & Solomon, 2013, p. 189). For example, an organization may require a great deal of storage for their data but may not want to purchase the servers, the physical space for the servers, or the personnel to manage the infrastructure. Instead, they take advantage of the many cloud computing options and outsource their needs, hiring someone to do everything off-site usually with the goal of reducing their overall cost of ownership. As defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), cloud computing has five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models (Mell & Grance, 2011) which will be covered, briefly, in the next few sections.

Cloud computing has become a compelling paradigm for delivering and managing services over the internet. Although it might be difficult to define cloud computing, one simple definition of the term is virtualized third-party hosting. In simple terms, instead of renting the entire or actual physical server, one rents a certain proportion of server resources. The client’s server runs within a virtual container that may be moved from a physical server to another without service interruption. Cloud computing has changed the entire landscape of Information Technology, and it is finally actualizing the long-standing promise of utility computing. This paper serves as a comprehensive overview of the cloud computing technology; definition,

The model of cloud computing has increased in modern years and has become a very important feature in day-to-day computing. Cloud computing simply means virtually extracting resources from service provider through internet. It means that the user has minimum hardware configuration and still by using remote services the user can compute extreme tasks which require maximum amount of computing. Cloud services provide user variety of perks such as data storage, computing power(memory), and networking.

The boom in the cloud computing world has led to a new era of on demand delivery of hosted service over a shared network. Cloud computing is a complex infrastructure of software, hardware and storage that is available as a service. It has flexibility rendering user to customize the service suited to his needs. Innovations in virtualization and distributed systems have paved the path for interest in cloud computing.

In common usage, the term “the cloud” is essentially a metaphor for the Internet. Marketers have further popularized the phrase “in the cloud” to refer to software, platforms and infrastructure that are sold “as a service”, i.e. remotely through the Internet. The major models of cloud computing service are known as software as a service, platform as a service, and infrastructure as a service. These cloud services may be offered in a public, private or hybrid network

Cloud computing is currently being used by a large number of organizations. Many consider it a major development of the decade in computing. In this article I define cloud computing, various services available on the cloud infrastructure, then discuss the technological trends which have led to its emergence, its advantages and disadvantages, and the applications which are appropriate to outsource to a cloud computing service.

Cloud computing is a part of internet growth, it’s the next generation of internet. Cloud computing deliver everything –computing resource, infrastructure, application, and business process to personal collaboration – and can be access as service wherever and whenever through various devices. The cloud itself is a set of hardware, networks, storages, services, and interface that enable to delivery of computing as services based on user demand. (Hurwitz, J, 2009)

In the last few decades, the increased capability and accessibility of Internet had resulted in many benefits to the world of computing. One of the most prominent contribution t to power cloud computing. Cloud computing, a relatively new technology, has experienced tremendous growth since its inception, with organizations and individual finding it beneficial, due to its convenience and ability to deliver computing resources at cost effective terms. The cloud offers on-demand cloud computing resources, eliminating the need for organizations to purchase, install, store and maintain costly computing infrastructure. It also offers reliability and flexibility in terms of computing. With the cloud model, users can have services in three paradigms. First, cloud as an infrastructure offers the users on-demand computing infrastructure, including