Cloud technology is an important innovation in the way computer resources are used and services are provided. Cloud technology refers to using virtualized computer systems on large-scale servers to provide scalable services that can be accessed remotely.

How The Cloud Works For Businesses

There are various applications of cloud computing. The most common use is for providing third-party hosting infrastructure to businesses. In the past, hosting a website and email servers required in-house hardware that had to be maintained by a company’s staff. Cloud computing, however, allows these types of services to be outsourced to a company that has massive cloud servers that can handle these tasks for many clients.

Obvious advantages are:

• Security, HVAC and backup power are handled offsite.
• Clients don’t need to purchase hardware and configure it.
• Solutions are quickly scalable if a company’s needs change.

How The Cloud Works For Users

Users benefit by increased mobility offered by cloud technology. Traditionally, every employee in a company had to have his own computer with their own copies of software installed locally. If the user had to work from home, they might have limited access to his tools. When employees are on the road, they’d need a laptop with additional copies of both the software and the documents needed to use.

With cloud systems, users access systems through a “thin client” interface, similar to a web browser. In a cloud system, both the applications and the data resides on a secure server that can be accessed via laptop, PC and even smartphones. This offers numerous advantages in mobility and protection.

A few benefits are:

• Software can be updated without touching user’s computers.
• Software and documents can be accessed anywhere.
• New installations are instantly available.
• Less important data stored on local machines where they could be lost.

Getting Started With Cloud Technology

Companies can easily start using cloud technology to provide hosting or software to their users. Many cloud computing solutions offer basic functionality like email, word processing, collaboration tools and other day-to-day needs for very low monthly fees. Since cloud technology is highly scalable, adding more users for increasing workload only takes a moment. Many of these solutions can be used on existing hardware and may only require a quick phone call to initiate.

Cloud hosting is perfect for companies who have sites with unpredictable workloads. Since virtual machines can create new instances of a web server when traffic becomes busy, a cloud solution can help websites stay available all the time without investing in lots of hardware.

Cloud technology is definitely the way of the future. Over 70 percent of all companies have already begun implementing cloud systems. Wise organizations will look at the big picture for how virtualization can change the way they spend money on infrastructure.