What is the benefit of a cloud computing system over a traditional infrastructure?

Choosing an efficient IT model is essential for any business in this day and age. For any business, it is vital that they select an IT framework where applications can easily and quickly be accessed in a completely secure way.

Although it hasn’t been around for long, the cloud is rapidly overtaking traditional in-house infrastructures as a more reliable, scalable and cost-effective solution for their computing needs. With the rise in wide-spread use of cloud computing services, we’ve seen a significant decline in the number of companies deploying their software and applications on traditional physical IT infrastructures. However, many businesses still aren’t fully aware of the advantages of distributed computing over conventional IT foundations. 

First things first, what is cloud computing? 

Simply put, cloud computing is the term used to describe data storage and computing done entirely on a distributed network of servers under the governance of a cloud technology provider. Today, some of the top cloud computing service providers include Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Alibaba Cloud and IBM Cloud. 

So, why is cloud computing still so difficult a concept for many to fully grasp? 

This could be because the cloud is a lot more abstract in nature than traditional IT infrastructures. There is no physical hardware involved and all software and networks are hosted in a real-time virtual environment and the pricing structure is based on a pay-per-use model.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the primary benefits of cloud computing solutions over traditional IT infrastructures for businesses: 

Less time before service can be accessed

Once the cloud computing environment is set up, you can gain access faster (within hours). In traditional environments, longer lead times are needed for the process of installation, set-up, configurations - it could take days (or even weeks) to get the system up and running.

Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)

The pay-as-you-go model for cloud computing reduces (and often eliminates) the large upfront costs required to procure hardware, software and cover deployment of traditional IT environments. With the cloud, you just have to pay for what you use, whether that’s the amount of storage space, computing power or any other resources.

Economies of scale

Not only does cloud computing provide cost advantages in the procurement of hardware and software, but it also provides savings due to the increased productivity it offers. Traditionally, lessons learned from one environment must be duplicated in other environments. With cloud computing, once the best practices are applied, they benefit all consumers.

Cost-efficiency

The pay-per-use subscription model that cloud computing providers offer makes it a more cost-effective option. You can get as much storage space and computing power as you need, rather than having to invest in expensive physical IT infrastructure. This can result in significant cost savings for businesses.  

On the other hand, traditional IT infrastructure limits you to the physical hardware that you’ve got, which also requires maintenance and upgrading. It can get costly for a growing business to constantly invest in new infrastructure to keep up with growing needs.  

Elasticity

As all your content in the cloud is stored on a network of servers, you don’t run the risk of losing important information in case of damage - even if it affects a number of servers in the network. With traditional infrastructure, all your most important data can instantly be lost if a piece of hardware is damaged and relevant security measures aren’t immediately taken. This can be another expensive and time-consuming issue to fix, giving cloud computing the edge over traditional infrastructure yet again. 

Scalability

Cloud computing resources can be scaled up or down automatically, whereas human intervention is usually needed to add hardware and software in traditional IT environments.

Security

Over the last few years, major cloud computing providers have taken measures to amp up the security levels of their services. If you choose a reputable provider such as Google, Amazon or Microsoft, your information is likely to be a lot more secure than if you used a traditional IT infrastructure which you would need to secure yourself.

Cloud computing is still a relatively new technology, and those who are used to working with traditional IT infrastructures may be hesitant to move on to something different. However, if you’re looking for a low-cost, flexible and easily scalable hosting solution, now may be the time to seriously consider moving to the cloud.

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