“Cloud computing” has become an industry buzzword in recent years, but many are uncertain about what cloud computing entails and how this technology can provide a competitive advantage to companies both large and small. So what is cloud computing and how can the cloud take your business to the next level?
What is Cloud Computing? – Meaning and Definition
Cloud computing involves computer-related processes that occur in the cloud. “The cloud” is comprised of thousands of servers that can be used for storage, computing and hosting for mobile apps, software applications and even websites. Cloud computing services are marketed as an on-demand service, whereby you pay for only the resources that you utilize in a given timeframe. What’s more, the cloud is very scalable — in both directions — making it a great choice for companies with changing or evolving needs.
Many use the term “cloud computing” to refer to a variety of cloud-based services. But technically, cloud computing encompasses the actual processes that are performed in a virtual cloud environment. For instance, a weather forecasting agency might use cloud computing services to run their forecast models. These weather models can be extremely complex, as the algorithms involve countless variables. As such, a significant amount of processing power is required to run the models, so the weather agency can benefit from the availability of on-demand computing resources.
Cloud computing is especially advantageous for this sort of business, as the need to run these forecasting models will rise and fall depending upon the time of year and the unique weather patterns that happen to play out. So instead of paying to maintain a massive and very pricey on-site data center that’s capable of supporting the weather forecasting agency’s peak demand, the agency can leverage cloud resources that scale to meet the organization’s current needs. This results in tremendous agility and significant savings, since you’re paying for actual resource usage instead of paying for resources that you may or may not utilize in a given timeframe.
The Cloud Computing Advantages
Cloud computing has many advantages and benefits, primarily rooted in the scalability and pay-as-you-go nature of these technology resources. The cloud is especially beneficial for companies that see a large variation in the amount of computing resources that are required at a given time. This is true whether you’re in the business of stock market and sports betting predictions, weather forecasting or data analytics. If you require computing power and server resources, the chances are good that you can benefit from cloud solutions.
The benefits of cloud computing include the following.
- Scalability — The cloud will meet your exact computing needs at any given time, allowing for tremendous flexibility.
- Affordability — You pay for only the resources you actually use — no more and no less. The savings are even greater for large companies that would otherwise be forced to maintain their own data center.
- Consistency — Large companies such as Amazon AWS maintains data centers across the globe, which means that a disruption in one region has little or no impact on customers since the other data centers can pick up the load.
- Accessibility — Cloud computing resources are accessible from any location with internet access. With rapidly growing high-speed internet and cell phone data coverage, there are very few scenarios whereby your cloud resources would be inaccessible.
Some may be concerned with the prospect of processing or storing sensitive data off-site in a far-off “cloud,” but industry leaders such as Amazon AWS have implemented some rather remarkable measures to ensure that client data remains secure at all times.
Additionally, an increasing number of companies are opting to host business apps in the cloud, as they enjoy the same advantages.
Cloud Migration Benefits for Business
Migrating your data and computing processes to the cloud can require a bit of expertise, but the long-term benefits tend to far outweigh any inconveniences and cost associated with cloud migration. In fact, we’ve explored this topic at length in a relate article on the advantages of cloud migration for business.
At 7T, we specialize in Snowflake Cloud Solutions and we also offer our clients cloud-based hosting for the mobile apps and enterprise software platforms that we develop. As a top Dallas custom software development company focusing on enterprise development projects, 7T strives to solve problems and boost ROI through digital transformation. A large portion of our mobile app and custom software development work involves enterprise clients, who are seeking to expand, augment or streamline their operations with purpose-built technology.
Our innovative team integrates cutting-edge solutions into virtually every development project, whether it’s mobile app development, custom software projects such as CRM platforms and ERP development, or Snowflake data solutions, we’re ready to deliver collaborative, multi-phased software development services to clients in all business sectors.
7T has offices in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and Austin, but our clientele spans far beyond Texas and the midwest. If you’re ready to harness the power of an enterprise mobile app, custom enterprise software platform and today’s most innovative technologies, contact 7T. We invite you to call our Dallas area offices at 214-299-5100.