Cloud computing is not a new concept, but each day businesses around the world are finding benefits from using the technology in their day to day activities. For users of managed services in Ottawa, there could be many benefits such as streamlining of processes, easier project initiation and of course fewer overheads. But what exactly is cloud computing? And what does it have to offer companies in Ottawa that use IT? These questions and many more will be answered throughout this article series to help you decide if your business can benefit with the aid of cloud computing.
Cloud computing services are subscription services that offer computing resources to customers, whether it be email, developer platforms or infrastructure. The idea behind cloud computing is for a user to use resources out on the internet, rather than needing the equipment in their own environment. An example of this would be to use a cloud-based email service instead of having a dedicated mail server in your environment. Virtualization is the technology that drives the success of the cloud, as instead of needing individual machines for individual tasks, each accumulating massive amounts of idle time. You can use a single machine for many tasks, with an operating system dedicated to each task. So what services are available to users of tech support services in Ottawa? Before we mention specific services let’s quickly explain types of cloud services.
Software as a Service (Saas): Saas is where clients use applications that are hosted on servers out on the internet. These are the most commonly used cloud-based services and can include many applications such as word processors, file storage, and customer relations management software. There are numerous software packages out there, so there is almost guaranteed to be a web-based application out there to help boost your business. SaaS can be great computer services users in Ottawa as it translates the capital and operational expense of purchasing and maintaining a server and relevant software, into the generally cheaper monthly subscription fee for the service.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): This one is for the developers, PaaS provides a platform, and usually hosting services, for companies to create a front-end application for their customers to use. PaaS offers the subscriber the tools needed to create and operate web-applications while providing the maintenance of the underlying network hardware. PaaS can allow IT consulting clients in Ottawa to try new application concepts without the need for the up-front costs of server and software packages, while still offering most of the customizability and flexibility of a dedicated software development server.
Infrastructure as a Service: IaaS is a service where subscribers lease the hardware resources out on the internet. This means that the subscriber gets the bare-bones virtualized infrastructure to do with what they see fit. This is particularly great for companies that want extra computing resources during a period of heavy customer traffic, or for those who just want complete control over the developing, and environment. IaaS is the most heavily involved type of cloud-based service as the service provider has interaction with only the hardware and hypervisor(virtualization software) of the server, and the rest is up to the customer.