In one of the post on our portal, we gave you a brief overview about Cloud Computing and the threats it poses to our security. Cloud Computing is everywhere, but precious few people understand exactly what it is, or the incredible power it has to continue to revolutionize our Digital Landscape.
In the words of Larry Ellison of Oracle:
“Cloud Computing is not only the Future of Computing, but the Present and the Entire Past of Computing.”
In simple terms, Cloud computing is an act of using an interconnected network of internet-hosted remote servers to manage, store and process data. In cloud-computing the data is stored, accessed and shared over the Internet through Internet-connected devices from the one central location, rather than from the Hard disk.
Cloud Computing Service could be divided in the below 3 categories:
- Software as a Service
- Platform as a Service
- Infrastructure as a Service
Some basic examples from everyday life to explain the use of Cloud in its 3 types of services is as below:
From the above picture it is clear that the cloud computing is used for everything from banking to data sharing and people spend a great deal of money creating, managing and upgrading their cloud computing systems.
Here are some fascinating facts you need to know about the Cloud which would surely force you to move your Hard Disks’ files to the Cloud.
36 Fascinating Facts about Cloud Computing:-
- It’s not actually a Cloud. It is not the cloud we see in the Skies. It simply means that we are using the internet to store data on remote servers, rather than storing them locally on our hard disks.
- Many types of Cloud Computing Applications Exist. Depending on the need of your IT the type of cloud solution may vary. The 3 types of cloud solution are Public Cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud.
- The Cloud is Safe. Cloud enables redundancy, simple data transfer and backups, so you’ll never lose your information while using this technology.
- The Cloud is the Way of the Future. Cloud has more good than just storing Data. Big names in the industry are currently ogling at all the possible benefits that we could derive by storing the data on the Cloud and its other benefits.
- Cloud providers have increased personnel from nil in 2007 to over 550,000 in 2010.
- Banking produces the most activity within the cloud.
- 2014 represented the first year when the majority of workloads were on the cloud.
- Some Statistics about Cloud.
- In 2016, 77percent of companies planned to increase cloud security expenditures for mobile and cloud-based services.
- It was expected that by 2016, 36% of all data to be stored in the cloud. Up from 7% in 2013.
- By 2018, at least 30% of service-centric companies will move the majority of their ERP applications to the cloud.
- Experts predict that 40 zettabytes of data will be held in the cloud by 2020.
- By 2020 cloud computing will cross the $270 billion mark.
- By 2020, it is expected that the public cloud will experience a 44 percent growth.
- 50 percent of US Government agencies use the cloud at present.
- More than 2% of electricity in the US is consumed by data centers
- The US Federal Government saved $5.5 Billion per year by shifting to Cloud Services.
- 60% of U.S. IT decision makers trust the security of the cloud.
- It’s predicted that 78% of U.S. small businesses will have fully adopted cloud computing by 2020.
- 90 percent of Microsoft’s R&D budget in 2011 was spent on cloud computing strategy and products.
- 62 percent respondents of a Microsoft survey said their levels of privacy protection increased as a result of moving to the Cloud.
- Cloud Computing is up to 40 times more cost-effective for an SMB compared to running its own IT system or department
- More than 90 percent of all companies saw at least one area of improvement in their IT department since they moved to the cloud.
- Small to medium business that have adopted the cloud for increased mobility saw a 40 percent growth in revenues after a year compared to those that did not use the cloud.
- 82 percent of all companies saved money in their last cloud adoption project.
- 94% of managers say their business security has improved after adopting cloud applications.
- 75% of businesses report that service availability improved since moving to the cloud.
- 64 percent of the companies have reduced waste and lowered energy consumptions after shifting to the cloud.
- 94 percent SMBs have experienced security benefits in the cloud that they didn’t have with their on-premises services
- Recovery times for SMB are four times faster for businesses using cloud computing when compared to those not utilizing cloud services.
- 70% of businesses report that they’ve been able to reinvest funds back into their business as a result of moving to the cloud.
- For SMB, energy use and carbon emissions could be cut by 90% by using cloud computing, saving the environment and energy costs.
- A new cloud server is added for every 600 smartphones or 120 tablets in use.
- 56% of organization are seeking to hire staff with cloud expertise.
- There is no need to upgrade. For using the cloud-based applications you don’t need to upgrade your outdated IT infrastructure and hardware.
- You’re reading this on the cloud right now. Since this blog is not in the server of your building means you are reading this blog using the Cloud.
With these facts the picture of the future of the Cloud Computing Technology seems to be very bright and the companies that choose to adopt the cloud are seeing incredible immediate benefits. There is no doubt that the cloud has gone from being considered the “cool kid in class” with questionable substance to a fully recognized credible technology solution for businesses. And this is the reason it’s high time for us to adopt the Cloud as soon as possible.