Serverless Basics: Cloud Computing
- June 14, 2022
In the simplest of terms, what is cloud computing can be answered like this: the delivery of IT services through the internet. It is everywhere: we use it at home to watch Netflix on a personal level. All your favorite movies and TV shows available aren’t stored on your hard drive: instead, they exist on the cloud, and you are granted access.
On a professional level, services go beyond mere enjoyment one click away. Cloud computing offers a wide range of options such as servers, databases, data storage, flexible resources, etc. Usually, they function on a pay-as-you-go basis. This allows companies that utilize these services to bypass the expensive and arduous process of constructing and maintaining IT infrastructure and focus on the job at hand in the cloud environment.
How Does Cloud Computing Work
As the data is stored remotely and accessed through the cloud, we can understand the critical division into the front-end and backend.
The users, be they individuals or organizations, access these services through their browser. On the backend, however, is where the magic happens. Here we have the central server, which facilitates the operations through protocols. Thus cloud computing software links users to the services, allowing seamless connectivity between devices. The data is also better secured, as the service provider usually keeps multiple copies of data to reduce threats and data losses, among other things.
Cloud Computing Services
Four broad categories of how this technology is implemented are the following:
Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, Software as a Service, and serverless computing.
- IaaS: the most basic of services as it offers compute, storage and resources on a pay-as-you-go basis
- PaaS offers the development, deployment, and testing through a secure network. This cloud computing is a bit more advanced as it is intended to support application development, testing, deployment, and updating.
- SaaS: this option allows users to connect and use apps over the internet without installing and maintaining IT infrastructure. It is just using applications through the internet as a service provider offers.
- Serverless Computing: a method of providing backend services without worrying about the infrastructure. Paying only for the computation, the charges of reserved bandwidth or servers are dropped, resulting in a significant cost reduction for companies that utilize these services. Thus we have answered the question of what is cloud computing. What remains is to address its benefits.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
We have already briefly touched upon what you gain from utilizing these services. However, it is important to highlight how easier it is to focus on the job, app development, and code writing without worrying about infrastructure or maintenance. Therefore, some of the more pressing issues of the industry can be answered through the benefits of cloud computing, listed below:
- Improved Scalability and Speed: as the amount of data increases and the necessity for interoperability, integration, scalability, cost savings, and speed increases, applications built on serverless infrastructure scale automatically, radically changing all of the above.
- Cost Reduction: operational and fixed monthly costs are borderline removed: everything is done through the cloud, which means that IT resources cost will significantly drop.
- Modernization: easier maintenance, ongoing scalability, and increased connectivity are only some of the advantages of building a system with increased interoperability: a benefit that is quickly taken advantage of through different types of cloud computing.
- Transformation of Care: with the increased use of healthcare technologies, it is natural to expect that there will be numerous changes to the industry itself. These include the overall betterment of the health of populations, experience of both patients and care providers, and reduced costs of delivery of these services. This will introduce new care delivery models and improve the industry itself.
Cloud Service Providers
To define cloud computing is one thing. Understanding how to implement it is another. Choosing the right service provider is a challenge in any industry, and healthcare is no exception. The first step would be identifying the specific needs and determining which provider offers the best options.
As listed above, the three primary services offered are IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS are the three primary services offered. The leading providers are Amazon (AWS) and Microsoft (Azure), followed by Google, Alibaba, and IBM. Cloud services they offer range from but are not limited to, the main three, better protection, data recovery, automated updates, and more.
Of course, knowing which provider to utilize is an entirely different topic.
The Future of Cloud Computing
While cloud migration has its downsides, all the above benefits make it a likely move, especially as companies become more trusting of having their data off-site. The transition itself can help companies change their business models, accelerate their processes, and ultimately allow them to take advantage of everything cloud computing has to offer.