The turn of the century brought with it a new way forward in the technology space: the cloud. Although network computing can be traced back to the 1960s, many believe that the first time the phrase “cloud computing” was used was in 2006 when the then CEO of Google said at a conference “data services and architecture should be on servers…they should be in a cloud.”
Since then, cloud computing has revolutionised the way the world conducts business.
So, what is the cloud?
The cloud is an on-demand self-service, sort of like streaming a TV show from Netflix. The computers or servers running this service are someone else’s, so you don’t need to worry about those costs. You just access what you want. Running at very high speeds, the cloud can be accessed from anywhere in the world. There are different types of cloud services. Businesses can use a cloud service to access applications or to store their data. There are public and private clouds, and companies can even choose to outsource their cloud technology infrastructure, keep it on-prem, or even have a hybrid – a mix of both.
Deploying to the cloud
When we talk about deploying to the cloud, it’s important that the technology requirements of the business are established early as there are various deployment models.
Does the business want to use their own applications or applications provided by external technology companies, like Microsoft for example? The term for this is software-as-a-service (SaaS). The downside to SaaS is that users are at the whim of technology companies that are likely to make changes without consulting their users.
Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) allows businesses to outsource all hardware to a third-party provider, such as storage and networking, but the business manages the rest. Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) like Azure, provides all the infrastructure and operating systems and the business manages its own applications and data. However, Azure can also act as IaaS and SaaS.
With each deployment method responsibilities and controls change it’s critical to the business to understand these limitations to choose the correct path forward.
How fast and secure does it need to be?
There are public clouds and private clouds, community clouds and hybrid clouds. Factors such as speed and security must be considered when choosing the right option for a business. How fast does the cloud service need to be for the business to carry out their work efficiently and effectively? What’s great about cloud technology is businesses don’t need to have an all-or-nothing approach. They can cater their cloud solutions to their needs.
Microsoft invest one billion dollars every year securing their Azure infrastructure from malicious actors. Keeping their customer’s clouds protected is their core business. Moving data to the cloud from on-prem eliminates the single point of failure that businesses often worry about. Reputable cloud providers like Microsoft provide state-of-the-art security. Coupled with the experience of managed service providers who can set up the appropriate rules surrounding access and authentication, the cloud becomes an appealing option. MFA (Multi-factor authentication) as an industry standard also provides another layer of security.
Handing over the management of cloud solutions to a company that specialises in just that removes the burden of deployment, security, and ongoing maintenance. Managed service providers live and breathe cloud solutions. They’ve seen it all. They know what works and what doesn’t. They know how to effectively deploy and secure your technology to the cloud. They can analyse your business model and provide a custom-based solution backed by experts in the field, eliminating the headache from businesses that would otherwise cost of fortune if they had to manage it on their own.
If you’ve been looking for comprehensive cloud solutions from a team of cloud experts, then contact Linktech Australia today.