SMARTTHINK LTD CAN HELP YOU GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THE CLOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What’s this cloud thing all about? We’ve all heard about it, we’ve all read about it, when it’s being discussed in meetings many of us nod along at what we think are the right places, but what is the cloud exactly and how can it benefit SMEs? Public cloud, private cloud, co-location, software-as-a-service, infrastructure-as-a-service, utility computing…these are all terms used by various people in the context of “cloud”. What do they all mean, what ties them together and how can you tell them apart? In this series we will walk you through each of the different types of cloud computing. We will explain the benefits and drawbacks of each and in doing so provide you with the insider’s knowledge you need to really get your head around the cloud. As with any new technology it is essential that everyone, from procurement manager to CEO, is brought up-to-speed. As a result you’ll be making sure you’re spending the right money on the right services, without falling for IT jargon. First, let us outline the different types of cloud and take stock of their key differences. SaaS Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is the most common type of cloud. You probably use some form of SaaS already –such as Gmail, Hotmail and Salesforce. They are services that are provided over the Internet rather than through local installation. Recently we have seen an expansion of SaaS to include basic Office applications, such as word-processing and spreadsheets. The most popular of these services are Google’s Apps and Microsoft Office 365. Public Cloud A public cloud sees a set of applications (such as email, word-processing and collaboration) being delivered as a complete service. The software and hardware are owned and managed by the provider and then used by many people. However, despite the connotations of the word public your data is kept private. Private Cloud Private clouds appear much the same as public clouds – applications are provided using the host’s hardware and software and they are still accessible from anywhere. However, they are more secure and arguably reliable because the hardware and software resources are solely dedicated to your business. Co-location Cloud This essentially means to host part or all of your company’s IT system within an external data centre. The data centre will provide the accommodation, power, cooling and (usually) bandwidth for your system, leaving you to remotely access it whenever you like. Utility Computing This is what the term ‘cloud’ once represented – computer capacity (RAM memory, storage, processor etc.) rented from a network of connected systems. Your data and processing constantly changed geographical location to find you the best price for your service. The best examples of utility computing services are Amazon Web Services and their Elastic Compute Cloud, and Microsoft’s Azure platform
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 14:23:22 +0000
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