Disadvantages of cloud computing
Downtime: With massive overload on the servers from various clients, the service provider might come up against technical outages. Due to this unavoidable situation, your business could be temporarily damaged. And in case your internet connection is down, you will not be able to access the data, software or applications on the cloud. So basically you are depending on the quality of the internet to access the tools and software, as it is not installed in-house.
Security: There is room for imminent risk for your data even though cloud service providers abide by strict confidentiality terms, are industry certified and implement the best security standards. When you seek to use cloud-based technology you are extending your access controls to a third party agent to import critical confidential data from your company onto the cloud. With high levels of security and confidentiality involved, cloud service providers are often faced with security challenges. The presence of data on the cloud opens up greater risk of data theft as hackers could find loopholes in the framework. Basically your data on the cloud is at a higher risk, than if it was managed in-house. Hackers could find ways to gain access to data, scan, exploit a loophole and look for vulnerabilities on the cloud server to gain access to the data.
Vendor Lock-In: Companies might find it a bit of a hassle to change the vendors. Although the cloud service providers assure that it is a breeze to use the cloud and integrate your business needs with them, disengaging and moving to the next vendor is not a forte that’s completely evolved. As the applications that work fine with one platform may not be compatible with another. The transition might pose a risk and the change could be inflexible due to synchronization and support issues.
Limited Control: Organizations could have limited access control on the data, tools, and apps as the cloud are controlled by the service provider. It hands over minimal control to the customer, as the access is only limited to the applications, tools, and data that is loaded on the server and no access to the infrastructure itself. The customer may not have access to the key administrative services.
2.3. Types of cloud computing
Generally, cloud computing follows three delivery models:
Public cloud: This is a standard computing model. The computing infrastructure can be shared between organizations having similar requirements. Public cloud service may be free or offered pay-per usage model. The customer has no visibility over the location of the cloud-computing infrastructure. Owned by a third-party vendor, these cloud services are free to use and openly provided to the public. Due to open-ended access, security is not great. It might be risky using this cloud service as anyone can access it, which makes it vulnerable to hacking.
Private: Computing architecture is dedicated to the customer and is not shared with other organizations and managed internally or by a third-party and hosted internally or externally. These cloud computing resources are deployed for a particular organization. It can be located at the company’s on-site datacenter or the vendor’s datacenter. The architecture is maintained over a private network and is dedicated solely to the organization. They are expensive and are considered more secure than Public Clouds.
Hybrid cloud: Hybrid cloud is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together, offering the benefits of multiple deployment models. It can also be defined as multiple cloud systems that are connected in a way that allows programs and data to be moved easily from one deployment system to another. This provides better flexibility and deployment options to an organization.
Community cloud: Community cloud shares infrastructure between several organizations from a specific community with common concerns (security, compliance, jurisdiction, etc.), whether managed internally or by a third-party and hosted internally or externally. The costs are spread over fewer users than a public cloud (but more than a private cloud), so only some of the benefits of cloud computing are realized.
What are Cloud companies?
Cloud companies, sometimes referred to as Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), are companies that offer services or applications on the cloud. These cloud companies essentially host tools and data centers that allow customers to retrieve and utilize information in a flexible, manageable and cost-effective manner. Through cloud companies, customers can easily access their cloud-based data via any network connection.
Service Models: Service Models are the reference models on which the Cloud Computing is based. These can be categorized into three basic service models: software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS).
1. Software As A Service (SAAS): SaaS is the most common cloud service type. Many of us use it on a daily basis. The SaaS model makes software accessible through an app or web browser. Some SaaS programs are free, but many require a monthly or annual subscription to maintain the service. Requiring no hardware installation or management, SaaS solutions are a big hit in the business world. examples include Salesforce, Dropbox or Google Docs.
Benefits of using SAAS
You can access the SaaS software using a web browser, such as Google Chrome from a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
It is easy to use, flexible, and can be scaled up or down. The pay-as-you-go model helps you save costs.
New releases and upgrades are provided to users as soon as it is available. The upgrading costs are minimal.
2. Infrastructure As A Service (IAAS): IaaS provides users with basic computer infrastructure capabilities like data storage, servers and hardware - all in the cloud. IaaS gives businesses access to large platforms and applications without the need for large onsite physical infrastructures. Notable examples of IaaS include DigitalOcean, Amazon EC2 and Google Compute Engine, Rackspace Cloud Servers .
Benefits of using IAAS
It has a pay-as-you-go model that lets you pay only for the services you use.
As all your data resides on the cloud, there is no single failure point. If a data center goes down or a server crashes, the infrastructure remains unaffected.
The infrastructure is scalable as per the storage and processing requirements.
Using IaaS, multiple users or employees can work on a project remotely. This reduces workload and speeds up project completion.
Saves business costs of purchasing and maintenance of hardware.
3. Platform As A Service (PAAS): PaaS is a cloud environment supporting web application development and deployment. PaaS supports the full lifecycle of applications, helping users build, test, deploy, manage and update all in one place. The service also includes development tools, middleware and business intelligence solutions. Notable examples include Windows Azure, AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine.
Benefits of using PAAS
It is cost-effective as you pay only for the services you choose.
The built-in features for data protection and cybersecurity reduce the need for security professionals in an organization.
Applications compatible on multiple platforms can be developed through PaaS. This expands your customer reach and helps in business expansion.
Dynamic scaling allows companies using PaaS to scale up or down as per requirements.
As the hardware and software are handled by the vendor, the need for additional staff or outsourcing tasks is significantly reduced
