We all keep hearing the term “cloud” referred to in many ways these days. Today I want to shed some light on the term cloud computing and explain how this new wave in technology is changing the way the a new business operates. Some of the common terms that revolve around this technology are private cloud hosting, public cloud hosting, dedicated servers, scalability, availability, redundancy etc and understaing this concept will help you plan your next move in the hosting world.
How does cloud hosting work?
Hosting is just one part of the range of services that exists on the “cloud”. The principle behind cloud computing is to share availiable resources from a pool of networked computers as if it were one. This greatly enhances response time, dramatically reduces downtime, greater overall server control and provides instant boosts in resources as needed. From many providers the services and server control can be accessed via smartphone, tablet or computer which makes it very handy for the bussiness person that is always on the go.
As you can imagine, this technology offers much greater reliability than traditional hosting. In the past, when a server would crash a business could be brought to a complete standstill as email, web sites, intranets and data were completely inaccessible until the issue was rectified. In a cloud scenerio, when a single resource fails another steps in to immediatly take over.
The key advantages of cloud hosting include:
- Scalability – Instead of having to purchase new servers, set them up, backup old data and restore it the new – resources can be added to the pool in production mode and in many cases unused resources are available at the push of a button. If you are launching a new product and propose triple the site traffic then resources can be allocated on the fly to compensate and then reduced back down once traffic levels off.
- Redundancy – Redundancy is spread out across the pool which means virtually zero downtime as servers can be hotswapped and reimaged within minutes while other resources stand in.
- Availability – Within the pool multiple images can exist providing for virtual platforms that can act as load balancers and virtual servers thus ensuring network availibility
Types of cloud hosting
There are currently 3 types of cloud hosting solutions. They each use multiple resources but have some unique differences:
- Private Cloud Hosting
- Public Cloud Hosting
- Hybrid Cloud Hosting
Private: In this scenerio all resources are dedicated to a single user. This provides greater security and ensures safety of the data while allowing greater control over architecture, design, and user access. This is best suited for business that handle thier hosting in-house and utilize the resources for internal services such as intranet, data sharing and corporate email.
Public: This is a shared hosting environment. Multiple users and lack of control are the main disadvantages of public hosting. This still suits many businesses that hosting applications and services that do not require complete security and in many cases is the most affordable solution.
Hybrid: Combination of public and private and sometimes local network resources.
Secure data centers using virtual servers such as vSphere and Hyper-V provide amazing solutions that ensure security, boost productivity, and decrease overall costs. Companies can upgrade thier services through use of intuitive admin panels on the fly with zero downtime. The service provider handles the difficult technical work leaving you with only the task of configuring your virtual servers on an OS and service level.
How is cloud hosting set to change the local buiness?
Cloud hosting is hugely predicted to be one of the next big trends in the business world but the technology is still rather new and is maturing. There is no doubt that companies can see some significant cost savings and increased computing power by choosing cloud technology but there are still some obvious risks when deailing with new technology. In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the risks – its just imperative that a well reputed cloud hosting provider is chosen.
A business’ needs can fluctuate drastically on a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis and cloud hosting allows companies to scale thier resources to match the demands of the consumer. The scalability is virtually infinite and companies only pay for what they use. In a time a when businesses would have to purchase double the infrastucture to plan for growth while unused and overpriced resources sat idle – now they can optimize thier usage and enjoy the cost savings all while having the flexibility to double or triple thier resources overnight.
A growing companie’s services must be online at all times. Clients will not commit to unreliable products and services. Cloud computing uses multiple servers in various locations around the world which protects the business against blackouts, natural disasters, and technical malfunctions.
Many growing companies do not have a fixed location and often move which could make moving thier hosting infrastucture a nightmare. Cloud computing services are available wherever there is internet so companies can be dynamic and still maintain proper service levels to thier clients.
Amortech Conclusion
Amortech is one of the only Calgary web hosting companies that utilizes full fledged hybrid cloud computing. We scale our resources all the time and add to our pool every time a new client is added. Many hosting companies try to jam as many clients as they can in to very underallocated VPS (virtual private server) or dedicated servers which in turn has a detrimental affect on the client’s service. With Amortech, we can accomodate ANY change in your business growth with over 72GB of RAM and 90Ghz of processing power at the touch of our fingertips. Your business can expand over night and we will be ready as we closely monitor usage and logs to properly allocate the resources you need. You can rest at night knowing our servers are online 24/7 with multiple daily backups and a cloud based technology that almost never fails.
Understanding the new trends in the internet world will help you prepare for growth. We will assist you every step of the way with our indepth expertise there is no hosting challenge too big or too small so please contact us today and find out how we can make your company more available and scalable every step of the way.
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