Cloud computing is a general term for anything which involves delivering hosted services over the Internet – and was inspired by the cloud symbol that’s often used to represent the Internet in flowcharts and diagrams.
Cloud computing has revolutionised the IT world in the last few years. Being able to store data in the cloud has been life-changing for many businesses and usage of cloud services and products is on the rise.
Essentially, cloud computing relates to anything involving hosted services on the internet. Most cloud services can be put into one of three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS); Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
SaaS is rising fast in popularity, with companies increasingly using the software licensing and delivery model. Sometimes referred to as on-demand software, SaaS is also usually accessed via a web browser.
Many areas of operating a business can now be covered by SaaS applications, such as payroll processing software, office messaging software and customer relationship management, which is currently the biggest market for SaaS.
Lower costs, integration and scalability are among the benefits of adopting SaaS for a company.
IaaS is the most basic of the three subsections of cloud computing. It involves using online infrastructure, such as servers, networking and storage. The benefit of Iaas for companies is that it is flexible and easily scalable, making it an excellent choice for new businesses or those that are expanding quickly.
Using IaaS also allows organisations to avoid the need to invest in costly overheads for facilities such as physical servers. The idea behind IaaS is that it works as a pay-as-you-go model, to ensure it is cost-effective.
PaaS is focused on applications that are hosted in the cloud, with the hardware and software tools hosted on their own online infrastructure. Businesses do not need to transfer their entire infrastructure over to a PaaS-based system, they can use elements such as Java development and application hosting as part of their existing plans in this area.
Among the many top benefits of using PaaS is that system features can quickly be improved and upgraded by software developers, ensuring that the technology being used is always cutting-edge. PaaS apps are typically accessed via a web browser and are charged for on a per-use basis.
Integrating cloud computing
There is no doubt that cloud computing will continue to become more popular among firms. Partnering with our cloud computing specialists here at northCloud can help your company to get up and running using online infrastructure, cut costs and improve the efficiency of the business. Get in touch with our experts today to find out how cloud computing can boost your company.
