The Cloud is a fun and provides an easy way to store and retrieve your data from almost anywhere. However, following the scandal of the unveiled photos of some Hollywood stars, Cloud hosting is gaining a bad reputation. Many users indeed doubt the protection of their personal and professional data. Yet few people really know what Cloud Hosting, and Cloud Computing are.
So, “do I need cloud hosting?”
In order to give a clear and concise answer to that question, I would start by explaining what the cloud is, and what it brings to the table.
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What is the “Cloud”?
Many providers give their customers the ability to save (and more broadly host) their data. This data is then stored not on a hard drive or on a physical server on-site, but on a farm of servers provided by the cloud provider. Thus, the user has the impression that this digital infrastructure is distant (as if it were covered by a “cloud”).
Access to the Cloud is via a network such as the Internet for example. The advantage it brings is that the user can download their recorded data from anywhere.
Streaming music services such as Spotify or Deezer for example are based on these cloud technologies. They allow the user to listen to music from anywhere and at any time.
Some companies prefer to use a private cloud which is accessible only from their Intranet network.
What are the possibilities for using the Cloud?
There are in principle two different kinds of Cloud. By using online storage or streaming services such as Dropbox or Amazon Prime, the customer only acquires recording space and access to cloud content. It is different when users want to use a cloud technology to host their data.
In this case, a supplier will provide a Cloud server that the customer can adapt to his IT project. Whether it’s a website or an online store, it doesn’t matter. Server resources can also be used for the management and common use of applications.
The particularity of cloud hosting is that it works without any physical servers on your end. Unlike traditional forms of hosting linked to physical servers, processes are filtered through central software and redirected to appropriate hardware. A defective component can be replaced without any problem and without causing failure either on the website or on the server.
Do I need Cloud hosting?: Pricing
Even though the resources are intangible, cloud hosting is not immune to all problems. Most importantly, it allows customers to set the performance they need at all times, without requiring a complete server replacement. This can increase or decrease the performance of its processors, its memory capacity, or disk space as it sees fit. The user only has to pay for what he has used, counted in seconds or even hours.
It is this principle of “Pay-as-you-use” that makes the Cloud so flexible and inexpensive, unlike other server solutions. Instead of having to pay the price for a large server, the capacity of a cloud can simply be increased during peak traffic. Administrators of online stores whose traffic vary seasonally don’t have to worry about the cost of their hosting all year round. Their amount resources can be reduced and consequently, their expenses.
Is there a difference between cloud hosting and cloud computing?
It is by learning about Cloud hosting that we come across the concept of Cloud Computing. Simply, we can say that the first is only a part of the second. The possibilities of Cloud Computing go well beyond the installation of a server. However, what is Cloud Computing, and what are the benefits?
Here are the definitions of three different Cloud Computing services highlighting the functioning of a Cloud server:
- SaaS (Software as a Service): this Cloud Computing model is considered the most important. The user can have access to a software made available and does not have to manage the updates, nor the functionalities.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service): the supplier provides the user with a software environment in the form of “frameworks” (software structure) and takes care of its maintenance. The user can develop and manage his own applications on this platform.
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): the user receives through the Cloud access to a material resource such as a computer, a network or even a backup space. He is free to use the software and is responsible for installation and monitoring.
How secure is the cloud?
Two points must be taken into account with regard to data protection in a Cloud: the geolocation of the server and the headquarters of the service provider. If the cloud service server is located abroad, the law of the country will be applicable. American laws, for example, are much less strict than in Europe.
The European regulation imposes transparency on online services, requiring them to inform users of the use that will be made of their personal data. This is why it is important to learn about Cloud server standards before accepting a contract.
Do you need cloud hosting?
Of course, hosting involves risks of data theft, but this also applies to other servers. Cloud Computing has many advantages, for example, an Internet connection makes it accessible from anywhere. Both on the train and in the waiting room of an airport, the user can work on his projects, can load music and even films. With a simple connection to the Internet, the data is continuously updated.
The Cloud server, because of its immateriality, ensures high operational security. It is, therefore, an excellent choice for hosting a website or an online store whose essential needs are memory capacity and traffic.
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The most important advantage of Cloud hosting is its economic model: unlike conventional server solutions, the user does not pay a fixed price every month but an amount varying according to its use, counted in seconds or even in hours.
