Cloud computing is the technology that powers the applications you use to stream your favorite music or shop online. It allows businesses to rent storage, software and computing power over the internet instead of buying and maintaining their own servers. It’s also a key enabler of artificial intelligence (AI), remote work, and other innovative applications, and is a central part of many companies’ digital transformation initiatives.
The cloud is made up of powerful servers located in data centers around the world that can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Moving to the cloud can save businesses money and add convenience for users. It’s important to understand the different types of cloud computing before implementing it in your business.
There are four primary cloud platforms: infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), software-as-a-service (SaaS) and serverless computing. IaaS gives you full control of your IT infrastructure, PaaS simplifies application development and deployment, SaaS offers ready-to-use software, and serverless computing breaks applications down into smaller components that only run when they’re needed.
The most common cloud services are storage and applications that can be accessed from web browsers on any device. They’re easy to manage, offer automatic updates and can be backed up for disaster recovery. The cloud is a key part of most companies’ digital transformation strategies, and has the potential to boost business productivity and growth.