What Are Some Examples of Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is behind many internet technologies that consumers and businesses alike take for granted. From email and online shopping to file storage and social media, cloud computing powers many of the world’s most widely used online services.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how cloud computing works and explore some examples of cloud computing in action.
Cloud Computing in a Nutshell
Put simply, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services or resources such as storage space through the internet.
It’s called the cloud because data and applications are stored remotely, on servers managed by different providers rather than physically on your mobile phone or computer. This means you don’t have to take care of server maintenance yourself, which makes cloud computing very convenient.
At its core, cloud computing is an infrastructure for making computing resources available in an easier way and at a lower cost.
Examples of Cloud Computing and Uses
Next, let’s zoom in on some of the most popular cloud computing uses—for both consumers and businesses. Here are examples of cloud computing:
Productivity
Microsoft Office 365 (now as Microsoft 365) and other productivity suites enable you to draft documents, create spreadsheets, and more. Since your data is stored in the cloud, you don’t run the risk of losing it if your hard disk breaks or you lose your device.
This is can be a major advantage for businesses who need to safeguard their data while also giving them control over it through security controls.
File Storage, Data Backup and Recovery
Gone are the days when businesses had to create on-premise data centers—multiple interlinked computers with beefy hard drives—to store their data. Now businesses can use cloud computing storage services such as Microsoft One Drive or Dropbox Business to store their data on remote servers managed by these companies.
These services provide data encryption, managed access, and other security layers. Cloud computing storage services also simplify and automate data backup.
Enterprise-grade solutions from Amazon, Microsoft, or Google can store almost unlimited amounts of data in the cloud, often at a better cost compared to building a data center.
They also enable fast and safe recovery in case of hardware failure or other disasters by storing data in multiple locations. The cloud makes feasible data recovery strategies that otherwise would be very difficult to implement.
Communication
Cloud-based communication services like Gmail, Skype, Slack, or Zoom make it easier for people and businesses around the world to connect with just a few clicks or taps.
They are a great example of web-based apps that users can run across platforms without having to install any apps on their devices unless they want to.
Messages, photos, documents, and other information that users exchange when using these services is encrypted and stored on the provider’s network. This way, users can connect to their accounts from any device without losing access to it.
Business Processes
From resource planning to customer relationship management, many business applications today run in the cloud. The cloud enables companies to store large amounts of data remotely and access these applications across devices.
It provides high availability and a cost-effective business model since businesses can essentially rent the use of these apps as needed without having to worry about updates or deployment. The cloud app provider takes care of that.
The cloud also makes possible Big Data analytics, or the analysis of huge sets of data to find patterns, improve forecasts, and gain insights. Often, it can draw on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to make the processing of Big Data possible.
Social Media
Much of social media as we know it today wouldn’t be possible without the cloud’s awesome ability to store huge amounts of data.
The cloud is also very important for social networks because it facilitates Big Data analytics and simplifies data backup and recovery.
Most of the data you create and share on social media gets stored in the cloud, from where you can access it across devices.
Application Development and Testing
Cloud services also simplify the process of building apps for mobile and beyond by providing platforms and tools with pre-built code.
At the same time, the cloud makes testing and developing software solutions faster. It does this by enabling developers to set up virtual development environments and scale them as needed.
Examples of Cloud Computing – Summary
As you can see, cloud computing has a lot to offer to both businesses and consumers. No wonder it has become such a pervasive and important technology in the 21st century.
