Disaster Recovery Journal

You may have been researching the process of incorporating a cloud hosting solution into your business practice, or you may just be curious about this relatively new phenomenon. Either way, you will soon see that there is nothing but love for the cloud.

Traditionally, running a server required paying monthly subscription fees for chunky, lagging systems that you could either maintain on your own premises or pay even more for it to be occasionally maintained by a data center staff member. No more! The new technology of the cloud allows customers to pay for what they need, and only what they need.

You may have heard the terms “public cloud” and “private cloud,” but what does it all mean? What happens when you combine the two to create the mysterious “hybrid cloud?”

Large corporations with the monetary resources available to build, develop and manage a server infrastructure most often use private cloud services. While obviously more expensive, a private cloud gives the builder complete control over the infrastructure and surrounding environment. It is important to note that those in charge of such a solution must be extremely skilled and confident in running a massive environment.

The phenomenon of cloud computing has been a trending topic for the past few years. As the technology improves, companies are increasingly coming to rely on cloud hosting capabilities and the countless benefits it offers. You may just be surprised by the various industries that have much to gain by adopting the cloud.

The need and demand for education will never decrease, and is actually one of the fastest‐growing industries in the world. By incorporating cloud services into the everyday business routine, educators will be able to host classes remotely, interact on a more personal level in online classes, and collaborate with peers and students with greater ease.

If you are new to the cloud hosting industry, you may be slightly confused by the variety of options available regarding cloud storage. You may keep hearing the term “cloud computing” and not quite understanding what it means. You may not even be sure if the cloud is just hype. Choosing a cloud hosting provider can be difficult, but with just a few tips, you will be fast on your way to your new host.

The business world today is all about staying current and competitive in your industry. As your small business looks to the future, consider these tech upgrades to help your business remain up to date and competitive in today's market. The following suggestions are relatively easy and affordable for most small businesses to implement:

Ensure Your Internet Speed is Up To Par

For both small- and large-scale businesses, there appears to be a growing trend: executives are adopting cloud computing into their everyday activities with little to no aid from their in‐house IT departments.  In fact, the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) is changing at a rapid pace due to the quick evolution of cloud computing and cloud hosting. 

Since the introduction of the computer, IT departments have been tasked with fixing various infrastructure issues regarding storage, email and accessibility.  As cloud technology evolves, it would appear that these positions are also evolving; the use of applications such as Dropbox and Google Apps have virtually eliminated these issues, allowing IT employees to work on more critical problems.

When it comes to cloud computing, expectations are high for 2013. Businesses of all sizes—from garage-based startups to multinational corporations—are putting their resources into utilizing cloud computing technologies and services to help them deliver products and services, while reducing overhead operating costs. 

Nearly 50% of all enterprises in North America and Europe are predicted to set aside budgets for cloud investments this year. Additionally, 50% of software development companies are planning to deploy applications in the cloud. According to a research report by 451 Market Monitor, the cloud computing marketplace will reach $16.7 billion in revenue this year, compared to a revenue of $8.7 billion in 2010. 

The term “cloud computing” refers to any activity or service that involves the “cloud.” No—not a literal cloud! This metaphorical cloud is a virtual system that is accessible online, where users can perform a wide variety of IT tasks. Cloud hosting is just one of the many utilizations of this technology. 

Cloud hosting allows a website to no longer be limited to a single server, as previously seen with dedicated and VPS hosting. A cloud-hosted website will have access to multiple cloud servers. One of the greatest benefits of cloud hosting is the virtually unlimited processing power, as users can always scale up if necessary. 

In an article published last week, Forbes predicted a substantial shift to the cloud by corporate IT in 2013, saying “whether it is public, private or personal clouds, we will undoubtedly look back on 2013 as the year that cloud computing became an integral part of IT.”  With the rise in cloud adoption predicted for the coming year, it is imperative that IT managers make a conscious effort to become better educated on cloud best practices, data security, trends in cloud utilization, and new cloud-enabled technologies so that they can help their businesses leverage all the appropriate benefits of the cloud.

Forbes predicts that soon, enterprises will no longer think of themselves as strictly 9 to 5 businesses, but rather embrace the notion of being a 24/7 entity because, thanks to cloud computing, not everyone must be chained to his or her desk to get work done.  Cloud computing allows employees to access data via any device connected to the Internet and in turn, enables them to complete work, manage projects, communicate with clients, share files, and more without needing to be physically present at the office. 

Desktop as a Service is a relatively new concept in the cloud computing industry.  It is similar to Software as a Service, except it’s not only the software, but the entire desktop environment that is provided as a service.  In essence, the desktop is made available as a service to users, regardless of location or environment.  For example, an employee could work on a client database using his desktop computer and then later, access this same information through his laptop, tablet, or smartphone when he leaves the office.

Desktop as a Service, also known as desktop virtualization, lets users sync their data using a client-server model with all of the computing power coming from the cloud server.  The monitor, laptop, phone, or tablet is simply there to display the information resulting from the processing and to relay information to the server regarding simple control signals, such as the click of a mouse or typing on a keyboard.