subject: Cloud Hosting - A Dream Come True [print this page] Cloud Hosting - A Dream Come True Cloud Hosting - A Dream Come True
Cloud Hosting is a new term for a long-held dream of computing as a utility which has recently emerged as a commercial reality. Cloud Hosting refers to both the applications delivered as services over the Internet, and the hardware and systems software in the datacenters that provide those services. These services are also known as Software as a Service. A Cloud is made available in a pay-as-you-go manner to the customers; the service being sold is Utility Computing.
Cloud computing offers an easy way to deliver complex business applications. Customers access cloud applications via Internet with the help of a Web browser.
The advantages of Cloud Hosting to end users are manifold -
Anytime Accessibility and Better Collaboration
Cloud applications on the Internet are accessible wherever the employee is, so those applications can go with them on mobile devices and at home in a parallel office. Users can access the service "anytime, anywhere", share data and collaborate more easily with each other.
Pay-per-use Model
You pay for only what you need, that is, you pay for the amount of computing resources you or your employees have consumed using the hosting service provider's service every month. Cloud hosting services are more cost-effective for software that you use infrequently paid for on a per-use-basis or that is too complex for a small business to deploy in house.
Fast deployment
You can be up and running with ERP, CRM or e-commerce applications, on a local or global scale, within a few months, rather than the six to 12 months it would take to install and troubleshoot conventional servers and software.
High availability
Cloud software architectures are designed from the ground up for maximum network performance, so they frequently deliver better application-level availability than conventional, on-premises solutions.
Simplified Software Use
Users greatly enjoy simplified software installation, operation, and maintenance; as all this is done by the host. A user has no need to worry about software patches or updates.
Scalability
Applications and resources in the cloud are scalable, so you can easily increase capacity or add users (or vice versa) at any time.
More Technologies for Small Businesses
The benefits of cloud computing for small companies are especially obvious with Software as a Service (SaaS). Applications in the cloud are much more powerful than small business versions of analogous applications, and service providers upgrade them to the advanced functionality much more quickly in comparison to small companies. Cloud hosting services allow small businesses to avail those software that are too complex for a small business to deploy in house. The cloud has enabled a lot of new technologies and capabilities that can be delivered to small business at a price that makes sense for them.
Reduced Expenditure
By eliminating the need for on-premises hardware, cloud computing reduces expenditure. Cloud hosting reduces overall server room electric consumption as well, which can save a mid-size business thousands of dollars per year.
Security and Backup
For many companies, the level of security and availability, disaster recovery and back-up provided by cloud hosting provider far exceeds that which they can provide themselves. Cloud host's data center ensures security and redundancy across its operations to provide high levels of security for both the physical and electronic infrastructure of the network.
