Many of us hear this word “Cloud Computing” many a times in our daily or weekly life. Especially people related to software industry or people who interacts with software applications regularly, often aware of this. In this article, we would try to understand “What is Cloud Computing?” and “How Cloud Computing Works?”

Before exploring “How Cloud Computing Works”, let’s first understand the basics of cloud computing and three cloud computing or cloud technology deployment strategies, it’s types and categories. This helps us in getting a better understanding of how cloud technologies works and operate.

Table of Contents

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is like hosting everything on cloud means on web or internet. From where, any user with valid permissions can access it and use it using internet. Either these are documents, files, software apps, music, videos and others.

Before the introduction of cloud computing, user has to store everything on his/her computer, mobile or any other device. Which destroy the performance of systems and user has to upgrade storage capacity frequently. It also made bigger files or apps inaccessible because of overload on system processor and CPU.

Cloud computing solved this problem of hosting and running everything on local systems. Now, users can access mostly files and apps on the web, which improves the performance and efficiency of their work by optimizing the system’s performance.

Types and Categories of Cloud Computing

Here are the three types of cloud computing frameworks or delivery models, by which cloud service providers offer their products and services to the end users:

1. Public Cloud

Public clouds are the most common, prevalent and liked ones. Cloud service providers give their clients with this product, and the resources are available on the open internet. The service providers handle all infrastructure-related matters. Most common examples are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform. You can access their platforms from anywhere on the web, but with the valid login credentials.

2. Private Cloud

This cloud service is more secure as everything is hosted and work in the company’s private infrastructure such as data, systems, hosting, staff and more.

This kind of set-up cab be compared with the internal data center. By using virtualization, the companies pays for their own cloud infrastructure and manages it smoothly. This also helps them in enjoying cloud technology benefits like scalability and shared resources.

3. Hybrid Cloud

By connecting the public and private cloud models with the internet and virtual private networks, the hybrid cloud mixes and is the combination of above two clouds. The hybrid solution is appropriate for firms who wish to have an offshore virtual backup for catastrophe mitigation or if they need more computing capacity since they have used up all of their internal resources.

When a business has data on a public cloud, hybrid works especially well since it frees up storage space in the private cloud for private and secret data. Whatever the model they choose, consumers look around for the best cloud provider and select the services they wish to employ (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS).

You can perhaps already be using a SaaS without being aware of it! You are utilising SaaS if you utilise programmes like Slack, Dropbox, Microsoft Office 365, or DocuSign.

Since cloud service providers sell subscriptions, customers choose their usage level (many provide escalating user tiers) and pay a monthly or yearly charge to access the relevant resources.

How Cloud Computing Works?

The working of cloud computing is not very complex to understand. As we stated earlier, in cloud computing: everything is connected online (through internet) and communicates with each other in a two way communication.

Two way communication between the user (front end) and the cloud servers (back end). User requests a file, application or any other request online from a company’s server (by entering it’s URL in the browser). That request then goes to the server (located on the cloud or web) through internet and serves the request response back to the user. This is how the free flow of information (communication) happens between user systems and the cloud servers.

Cloud Computing Steps: How it works?

Below is the outline of steps demonstrating working of cloud computing:

1. Everything is stored on the Cloud (Remote Servers):

In cloud computing, everything is stored on the remote servers (which is called “Cloud”). For example: Images, documents, apps, videos and everything else is stored on the remote servers.

2. Internet Access Required:

To access these files, you need an internet connection on your device. This is required to access these files placed on the remote servers.

3. Data Centers and Servers:

The cloud ecosystem or infrastructure is made up of servers, which are high performance large computers. These servers store all files and processes the data requested by the users. These servers are located in the remote data centers which are highly secure.

For example: Big companies like Google, Amazon (AWS) and others have massive data centers that give cloud services across the world.

4. Cloud computing uses Virtualization:

To offer cloud services to million of users across the globe, these data centers use virtualization technique. This technique makes one physical server to work like many servers. This allow these servers to share computing sources efficiently and fulfill many requests simultaneously at the same time.

For example: Take an example of 30 students working on the same project using Google docs or spreadsheets. They all use the same cloud service but has their own private space, which doesn’t interfere with others.

5. Subscription models:

To use these cloud services or access files on Cloud, companies provide different subscription models. You can use these services on a “pay-as-you-go” basis or different subscription basis and user will only be charged for what they use.

Five Benefits and Trends of Cloud Computing to Watch

Cloud computing grew in popularity as companies adjusted to the worldwide pandemic and work shifted to a virtual setting. This year has been and will continue to be similar to the previous two. Here are a few of the major developments in cloud computing that we should be aware of:

– Put an emphasis on sustainability to increase cloud adoption

Sustainability is becoming more important to businesses all around the world. The majority of organisations are aware that cutting down on the energy used by infrastructure services, computer engines, and larger storage needs would help them transition to sustainability. The majority of the IT behemoths will use 2023 to identify creative cloud solutions to reach carbon neutrality.

– Cloud Computing Will Be Important in AI

Cloud computing has always played a significant part in providing artificial intelligence services, from Google searches to utilising various filters on Facebook or Instagram.

Cloud computing will continue to be crucial in providing these services and in helping to develop the necessary infrastructure in the future as AI and machine learning continue to advance to offer us additional goods and services.

– New Use Cases Will Be Developed by the Cloud

By the end of 2023, Gartner predicts that worldwide cloud expenditure will have reached a startling $500 billion. Almost every digital service will continue to have a solid cloud computing foundation.

We will see more data being streamed in various forms as a result of the development of greater processing speeds and networks like Wi-Fi 6E and 5G. Cloud augmented reality and virtual reality will bring about breakthroughs in a variety of sectors. Companies will only turn to cloud services even more as a result of this.

– The “Functions as a Service” Model Will Proliferate

Functions as a service, often known as “Serverless,” will skyrocket in popularity over the next several years. Companies may choose a service that will increase their server needs as and when their applications demand it instead of investing in massive servers.

Obviously, it won’t be really serverless since there will still be servers, but consumers won’t have to deal with the setups and technical details. This will aid in giving businesses better access to innovation and in developing fresh user experiences.

– The Growth of Hybrid Cloud Environments

In the past, moving to a cloud environment would provide businesses the choice between a private cloud and a public cloud. However, businesses now have the opportunity to test out hybrid clouds, which combine private and public clouds.

Public clouds may be used to store data that has to be swiftly sent to customers and is often accessed, whereas private clouds that employ proprietary applications can be used to store vital corporate data. Utilizing several services from various providers might complicate matters. The user experience will be streamlined and the complicated nature will be made simpler with a hybrid cloud configuration.

Your Career and Future Work is Up in the Cloud

Cloud Computing provides a stable and growing career option. Your ideal and most suitable job may be in the field of cloud computing. There are more professional chances in a subject that is always expanding since the future of cloud computing seems promising. To succeed in a cloud-based job, you must, nevertheless, develop a set of specialized abilities.

A variety of cloud-based training courses and bootcamps are available via Udemy, Simplilearn, Edureka and others, making them ideal for both ambitious beginners and seasoned cloud professionals looking to upgrade their skills.

For the Beginners: Check out the AWS Solutions Architect Certification Training Course if you’re a newbie. You can build, develop, and grow AWS solutions with the help of this course’s more than 70 cloud computing services.

Your career will advance to the cloud and beyond as you grasp the architectural principles and services of AWS, including IAM, VPC, EC2, and EBS. The AWS training is also in line with the most recent AWS exam, which includes best practises chosen by Amazon.

Take the Post Graduate Program in Cloud Computing when you’re ready to advance your cloud computing knowledge. You will become an expert in Azure, AWS, and GCP after taking this course, which was created in partnership with the Caltech CTME. It’s a thorough, career-focused course that aids in your mastery of important architectural concepts and the development of the abilities required to excel in the cloud.