A convenient delivery model for IT services, cloud computing enables on-demand network access to a shared pool of computing resources, such as applications, networks, servers, services, and storage that can be quickly provisioned and released, minimizing management effort or interaction with the service provider.

Five Characteristics of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing services come with five standard characteristics.

1. Broad Network Access: Gives customers the ability to access computing resources via networks like the internet from computing devices such as computers and smartphones.
2. On-Demand Self-Service: Involves customers utilizing a website or comparable control panel interface for provisioning computing resources like more bandwidth or email accounts without requiring interaction between customer and vendor.
3. Pay-Per-Use Measured Service: Involves customers paying only for computing resources used while being capable of monitoring usage.
4. Rapid Elasticity: Users can quickly and automatically increase and decrease the amount of computer processing, network bandwidth, and storage as needed.
5. Resource Pooling: Vendors utilize the sharing of computing resources for providing cloud services to several customers.

Three Models for Cloud Services

There are three typical models for providing cloud services as summarized below.

1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Vendor provides computer hardware, such as CPU processing, data storage, memory, and network connectivity. This hardware may be shared among several customers through virtualization. IaaS allows customers to implement their own selections of operating systems and software applications.
2. PaaS (Platform as a Service): Vendor provides IaaS as well as operating systems and server applications like web servers. PaaS allows customers to utilize vendor’s cloud infrastructure for deploying web apps and other software developed by the customer with vendor-supported programming languages.
3. SaaS (Software as a Service): Vendor uses their cloud infrastructure & platforms for providing customers with software applications. An example is Microsoft 365.

Part 2 will discuss the ways your business can benefit from cloud computing.

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• 24/7 Managed Services for Business Computing Systems

• Network and Mobile Computing Support

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For affordable client-focused network consulting services and solutions, please call Alpha today at (410) 295-9500.