Cloud computing is a profound yet elegantly simple technology that uses the concept of virtualization. All data and software are stored on a server in a remote location and the users can access all the data as well storage resources without necessarily knowing the physical location or the details of the computer. Its aim is to provide the users with the same service as well as performance that they would get if they used the software locally on their computers.
A server gives the end user control over the resources of the computers. These servers are very reliable and are of high-quality and performance and it is argued that the overall cost is reduced because capital expenditure is transformed to operational expenditure.
Another characteristic of a server is the use of Application Programming Interface which makes applications accessible by allowing machines to interact with the server the way human beings interact with computers.
Centralization is another characteristic of this server and it ensures security as well as infrastructure sharing. It is easy to maintain a cloud server as installation on individual computers is unnecessary and it has multiple access points.
The concept of computing offers two main features, namely, portability and resource sharing. Cloud servers are usually either Windows or Linux based. They give the user the administrative abilities over their own virtual server, thus enabling them to change the environment. There are three main types of cloud servers available in clod computing: private cloud servers, public servers and hybrid servers.
A private server is an internal server that is hosted on the intranet system of a business. The business is the only entity that has access to the server as there is no sharing of resources externally. The IT professionals in the business have full control and it is usually faster as it is used by less people.
In public cloud servers, access is through the internet and the professionals within the business have less control over the services provided.
A hybrid server combines the best of both worlds as resources are shared externally and the business also receives the best in terms of computer technology as well as advancements in software developments. However, control over the overall infrastructure is still in the hands of the IT professionals.
The servers generally give three types of services, namely, platform as a service which involves sharing of software only software as a service which provides access to software as well as other resources such as documents, and infrastructure as a service which provides complete computing infrastructure including software, processing power, memory and resources.\
There are the following advantages:
Cost effectiveness
A cloud server is a cost effective method for businesses to apply IT as it helps them to save money which they would have used on internal computers and servers. One can even save more money with this option by using webhosting companies that offer discounts such as Hostgator which offers discounts through a redeemable hostgator coupon.
Scalability
Technology allows websites to scale up or scale down. Therefore, they can scale down when businesses is off-peak and scale up when it picks up again.
Reliability
Servers do not have downtime and in case the website goes down, you can be assured that it will be up in a few minutes. This is the main reason why more and more companies are choosing it as the webhosting service to use for their websites.
Economic use of resources
This server helps to free up business resources so that they can be used elsewhere. It also gives the business mobility and portability because one of its characteristics is that it is independent of both the location and the device. Therefore, information about work can be accessed from anywhere in computing.
Resource sharing
This is one of the main reasons why businesses use computing technology as it allows them to access the latest developments in software from other companies as well as to share software and other resources with other businesses.
Flexibility
Cloud servers allow for flexibility as users only pay for the resources as well as the time that they use since most cloud server companies have per hour billing. This means that you only pay for the time you use the server as well as the resources that you use.
Fault tolerant
The server is more fault-tolerant compared to other traditional servers because the software can be terminated at any time. This means that in case there is a problem, the software will simply be stopped and another one launched.
All these advantages are what have made most businesses to opt for cloud servers as opposed to traditional servers.
Insecurity has been a thorny issue when it comes to this server but advancements have helped improve security by allowing IT professionals in a business to still maintain control over most of their resources through a hybrid server.
