CLOUD COMPUTING - SEE COMPUTER SCIENCE 2081

  

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a technology that allows users to access and manage computing resources such as servers, storage, and applications over the internet.

Some of the cloud providers are Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, VMware Cloud, Oracle Cloud and Alibaba Cloud.

 

Examples of Cloud Computing

Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, Dropbox

Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel online)

Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines

Netflix , Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Zoom, Google Meet, YouTube

 

Advantages of Cloud Computing

Access data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection

Improved data backup and recovery capabilities

It reduces hardware and software maintenance costs for organizations.

Data is stored and handled securely.

 

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Storing sensitive data on remote servers raises privacy issues.  

Uploading and downloading large volumes of data can be time-consuming.  

Switching providers or platforms can be complex and costly.  

Cloud services can experience outages, leading to disruptions in business operations.

 

Types of cloud computing services

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet like processing, storage, and networking. E.g. Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines and Google Cloud Compute Engine.

Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers software applications over the internet. Services like Gmail, Google Drive, Office 365, Dropbox

Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers a platform for developers to build, run and manage applications over the internet. E.g. Microsoft Azure App Service, Google App Engine, Heroku etc.

 

Types of Cloud

Public cloud - A public cloud is a service that provides computing resources over the internet. Example: Google Drive for storing files online.

Private cloud - A private cloud is a computing service used by single organization. Example: A bank's own secure system for storing customer data.

Hybrid cloud - A hybrid cloud combines public and private clouds.

Example: A company using public cloud for email and private cloud for sensitive financial data.