Cloud Computing: A Revolution

Intro:

In an organisation where a number of employees work on same platform, we need a system for each and so have to buy a licensed software for each new computer purchase. This in turn is very lossy to the administrator, since its a huge expenditure. A small thought raised in such situation, 

"Why to buy a cow, if we need milk?"....

This thought gave birth to a new era of computing architecture, a centralized architecture where a number of people utilize the same single software deployed in a server, with the help of an internet connection.

This new architecture is called "Cloud Computing"....

Into the Topic:

What is it??? 

                             Cloud Computing is a technology that uses Centralized servers and internet to make use of data which is shared among many users. The user need not install the software he is working, he can access the files and data using the internet connection.

One of the best examples of this technique is the internet mailing: we use G Mail or Yahoo mail to send or receive mails, but do we install them in our PC? we just access them through the network connection, the processing will be taking place at the server it self.

Cloud Computing: Its Working

How it Works???

                             Cloud Computing architecture involves two things in main: 

                                                  the Front End that consists of the user's side components like web browsers, or any other applications that are used for Cloud Computing. 

                                                  the Back End that involves the computers, Servers and other Storage that are used for processing the requests. this is the Cloud section of the system. 

                                                                                   the two components communicate through internet connection. the whole system is controlled by a centralized server that handles the transactions by multiple users smoothly. The Server uses a set of protocols to control its activities and uses a kind of instructions called middleware that controls the communication between the computers in the network.

Cloud computing also requires at least twice the amount of storage, in order to maintain a back up so that data wont be lost if the server crashes.

What are its benefits???
                            Cloud computing is one of the advantageous technologies that reduce the organizational problems regarding the data management and handling. The benefits offered are countless.

• Data can be accessed at any time, from anywhere since the communication is through internet, and also the data is independent of the storage since anyone can access it.

• Hardware costs will be reduced since the load on the client side is low, all the client need is an internet enabled computer with simple I/O devices and processing capacity enough to handle the middleware.

• Companies need not buy licensed software for each and every system, it can only pay for a single software which can be shared by several systems.

• The user can utilize maximum of the processing power, if the back end system is a grid system. This enables complex tasks that cannot be done by a single computer, can be done easily.

Does it has only Benefits???

                                             Every coin has both the sides, so as every thing in this world. Cloud Computing too suffers from two main issues that make the companies think about it. they are Security and Privacy.

                                             Security issue is that cloud computing system cannot be secure, since we are handling the data to another company that owns this system. Many companies feel that handling such precious data to another company for adopting this technology is a thought provoking one.

                                             Privacy issue is mainly concerned with the client side. Since Cloud computing is a portable thing, i.e., user can access data at anywhere, this implies that the external conditions of the user can damage the privacy of data.

My Word:

                               Keeping the issues aside, Cloud Computing is a really a good revolution in computer technology with wide range of benefits and applications. 

                               Even the present day smart phones' applications and internet mailing systems make use of this architecture.

                               Thus, Cloud computing has got its own reputation and importance as a Computer Technology and Data Management Architecture. 

Sources: HowStuffWorks.com and wikinvest.com