A lot has been made in the past few months about the power of Cloud Computing and how the Cloud has the ability to change the IT world as we know it. The only problem with the marketing of Cloud solutions over the past year is they have only gotten as far as trying to make “Cloud” a buzzword on the marketplace. This marketing strategy has left most consumers understanding that there is such a thing as the “Cloud” however they have no idea what it is, if they use it, how they can use it or what it is made of. Essentially, instead of educating the public on Cloud Computing, Cloud marketers have left the marketplace awash with buzzwords and no meaning.
Searching for that meaning and finding no answers has left the marketplace annoyed with the Cloud. Most consumers, like what is currently happening with “Big Data” understand that the service exists on the market yet overall, views it as a marketing gimmick as opposed to a vital tech solution. And therein lies the major issue. The Cloud, like Big Data, holds with it the possibility of truly transforming how businesses and consumers conduct their everyday affairs. From reducing overall IT operating costs, to increasing compute resources (RAM, Disk, Bandwidth and CPU Cores) in a scalable environment, to connecting remotely to a private encrypted network via a VPN and to providing “as a Service” solutions for one low monthly fee, Cloud Computing carries with it the ability to wholly change how we conduct daily affairs.
We mention the “as a Service” solution model because unlike the buzzword the marketplace is growing annoyed with, the “as a Service” model offers concrete avenues in which consumers can both save money and streamline their IT needs.
The Importance of “as a Service”
The importance of the “as a Service” model of the Cloud is that unlike the amorphous definition of “Cloud Computing”, the “as a Service” model provides real world benefits in a defined manner. To prove this, let’s look at the most known “as a Service” offerings: Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service and Software as a Service. All three platforms provide consumers with the ability to utilize powerful tools without having to purchase them.
IaaS allows for companies to lease the hardware (servers, nodes, storage etc.) needed to run a full-fledged IT department without having to carry the ownership cost associated with that hardware. IaaS cuts down on monthly expenditure and investment in IT staff.
PaaS allows programmers to lease the tools they need to create applications, programs and software. PaaS means programmers no longer need to purchase an entire suite of products. Rather, they can lease those products in an online environment at a low monthly cost. Like IaaS, PaaS allows users to build the applications and programs they need without having the shoulder the full cost burden. This gives programmers and organizations flexibility.
Flexibility. SaaS, above the aforementioned Cloud based “as a Service” model, allows for flexibility. SaaS enables consumers and business to pick and choose the software solutions they need, access them via a stable Internet connection, pay far less for them and experience automatic software updates without having to purchase a new software bundle every two – three years. SaaS provides companies the ability to utilize the software they need while also providing them with the financial low overheard allowing them to maximize their choice in applications.
This is the meaning of the Cloud. It isn’t a buzz word. It isn’t a trend and it isn’t a gimmick. The Cloud is the power to transform the business and consumer marketplace for the better. Through flexibility, the Cloud based “as a Service” model empowers companies with real world solutions designed to change the way they conduct business on a day-to-day track.