What are the benefits of cloud computing?
Cost - Cloud computing services are usually paid for on a subscription basis of per user per month. This makes your IT spend controllable and predictable. The other financial benefit of cloud services is that it removes the capital expense that comes with buying hardware, software, servers, on-site data and the energy needed to power all of these.
Speed - Large volumes of computing resources can be provisioned quickly with cloud computing services.
Scalability - Using cloud computing services lets you scale however you need, adding more or less computing power, storage and licences as you need. This also means you only ever pay for what you use.
Productivity - Companies with datacentres and servers on-site need hardware to be set-up, software patching and also bring with it
Security - Good cloud service providers have robust security policies and measures in place which enhance your existing security systems and protect your entire infrastructure from malicious threats.
Performance - Many cloud computing services run on the latest generation of computing hardware, giving you reduced network latency and increase performance.
Types of cloud computing
More than one type of cloud computing exists, and not one kind of cloud computing is right for every organisation.
There are different models, services and types available to suit most business needs.
The first step in using managed IT services based in the cloud is to establish which type of cloud deployment is right for your organisation. There are three different types of cloud through which services can be provided. They are private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud.
Let’s look at each of the clouds a little more closely…
Private cloud - a private cloud is a cloud computing resource that is used exclusively by one organisation. This kind of cloud can be located on-site, in the company's datacentre, or provided by a third-party service provider, who will host the customer's cloud. The services and infrastructure of a private cloud are maintained on a private network.
Public cloud - a public cloud is owned and operated by a third-party cloud service provider. They deliver resources like servers and storage over the internet. An example of a public cloud is Microsoft Azure. All hardware, software and the infrastructure in a public cloud are owned and managed by the cloud provider. You can access these services using a web browser.
Hybrid cloud - as the name suggests, hybrid cloud combines public and private clouds. The two kinds of clouds are bound together by technology which lets them share data and applications. Using a hybrid gives you more flexibility and lets you optimise your existing IT setup, including security and compliance.
IT services based in the cloud
Desktop as a Service - Desktop as a Service lets users access their full-featured desktop from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. This makes it an important part of helping organisations stay agile.
Managed Security - your entire IT infrastructure can be protected from malicious threats and data leaks with a Managed Security service. Mobile devices are also secured against data leaks. Identity and Access Management plays a vital part in your Managed Security, as it ensures that only authorised people can access certain documents and data.
Identity and Access Management (IDAM) - IDAM technology is a critical part of an organisation's IT security and lets you effectively manage user rights and access. Having the right IDAM measures in place means that only certain users can access certain documents and data. This means your most sensitive data can't be accessed by unauthorised users. It helps you take control of your systems and users.
Managed Hosting - Managed Hosting lets you scale up or down your IT environment and makes it more versatile than on-premise infrastructure. Managed Hosting is a great way to effortlessly extend your current IT infrastructure.
