Tag: Cloud Computing

How can businesses transition to the Cloud Services?

The cloud computing exhibits desirable features that businesses are findings attractive. For example, the providers of the cloud services can quickly deploy the technology, and businesses can benefit by saving on the costs of setting up an IT infrastructure, and by securing their data. While a business may move to the cloud platform in order to accrue the aforementioned benefits, there are various factors that may drive the business’ decision in this case. Examples of such factors include the need to scale up IT operations, and to distribute infrastructure.  For a business that may want to transition to the cloud platform, the main concern can be transitioning smoothly without interrupting certain aspects of its operations.

A business seeking to transition may grapple with a wide range of concerns, ranging from employee resistance to the lack of compatibility of the apps. The main problem could be employees lacking knowledge or skills of using the new cloud system. Moving to the new cloud system without training employees can cause a loss of morale among workers. Additionally, an organization that is shifting to using the cloud services may have to make changes to the apps so that that they adapt to the cloud system. Still, come companies may struggle with finding the right cloud service provider because there are multiple companies that offer cloud computing solutions.

Therefore, a business that wants to transition to the cloud platform should adhere to the effective practices. Involving everyone when transitioning into the cloud is one way in which an organization can beat the resistance from various stakeholders including employees. This can take different forms including letting them share their thoughts on how to manage the movement towards the cloud platform. Conducting comprehensive research about the various cloud platforms that are available can help an organization resolve the problem involved in choosing the right provider. It is equally imperative that the organization identify the security issues that may arise when using the cloud services. The most important thing, however, is coming up with a concrete plan on how to implement the technology.

A business that wants to outsource its IT operations to the cloud company needs to understand the basics involved in moving into a new cloud infrastructure.  It is equally important for the business to prepare by identifying the challenges involved, and coming up with a solid plan on how to navigate the challenges that might emerge as it transitions to the cloud operations.   

How Cloud Computing is used in Education

We are in an era in which technology is having an impact on how people perform certain activities, and one area where technology is exerting the greatest influence is education. One technology that is becoming important especially in the field of education is cloud computing. This technology, for instance, is resourceful when it comes to improving learning because it is supporting students’ learning. One way in which this technology is aiding learning is that it is making it possible for students to access academic resources anywhere anytime. With constant access to the course content, students can seamlessly study, and develop their knowledge.

It is also making teachers’ work easier by providing the platform for them to deliver course content. Using the technology, for instance, an educator can come up with virtual classroom, and one example of the platform they can leverage for this particular purpose is Zoom. This can of a platform is particularly important where some students cannot physically attend the classroom because of the reasons such as imposing of restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of a contagious viral infection. Other than the virtual classroom, a virtual space can be created by the teacher so that students can collaboratively work with each other from remote locations as long as they have internet access.

The whole school or the school administration can benefit from the cloud technology. Schools have massive amount of data, and storing this data in a safe location is important because it ensures the integrity of the information. One desirable attribute about the cloud technology is that data stored in the cloud is likely to be safe because the cloud technology incorporates advanced security features. Given this positive attribute of the cloud, the chances of the data being doctored when the data is stored in the cloud servers are slim.

However, there are other numerous benefits that schools can derive from the cloud technology. When a student uses the cloud to access resources, they don’t have to spend money on books or other printed resources. Therefore, the technology provides cost relief to the students using it to access study resources. For its part, the school that uses the cloud services does not spend money putting up a new IT infrastructure. Furthermore, students and their teachers can access information wherever they are. Therefore, cloud technology is playing a vital role in terms of helping schools and students advance education objectives.  

Green Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a broader subject that encompasses a wide range of operations including hosting of certain computer servers. One of the areas that have emerged out of the cloud computing is the green cloud computing.  Sustainability of the cloud computing is a matter that cloud engineers need to consider when developing the cloud infrastructure. Countries are moving towards the use of energy efficient technologies because the overreliance on the energy derived from carbon sources including fossil is not only unsustainable but it is also threatening the ecological systems. As more customers become environmentally conscious, they will want to do business with businesses that prioritize sustainability.

Cloud computing requires a significant amount of energy for it to operate effectively, and this underscores the need make the technology energy efficient. Efficient power practices can help cloud companies spend less on energy because spending too much on energy can affect a company’s financial bottom-line. Generation of the energy from the renewable sources including solar and wind is becoming more and more important now that scientists have been warning about the growing global temperatures.

As businesses move to cloud computing, they need to prioritize cutting down their carbon imprint. Adopting power management practices that are efficient is one of the measures businesses can pursue to help reduce negative environmental consequences linked to poor power management practices.  For example, it can have a carbon-conscious cloud provider host its services. Optimization of the company’s cloud environment is also a practice that can put a company to the path of reducing energy costs. In order to know how well these practices are contributing to improving energy efficiency, businesses need to have proper energy measurement frameworks to identify how much energy they are consuming.

Effective green clouding practices requires collaboration of the companies that offer cloud services, the vendors of the IT systems, and the businesses that use the cloud services. To succeed in coming up with effective green solutions, cloud service providers should constantly conduct research potent methods that can reduce the amount of energy used by the cloud systems. Cloud companies should focus on investing on wind power and other green energy to avert environmental calamities that might be triggered by the surging global temperatures.   

Governments can also play an important role in pushing for the shift towards the adoption of the green energy solutions in the cloud computing industry. The government may reduce tax on cloud products that are energy efficient to fast-track the development green cloud computing landscape.             

Why should we use Cloud Computing

                        A growing number of businesses are embracing computerization and automation of manufacturing to optimize performance, and lower their costs of operation. At the center of the growth of the automation is the cloud computing which enable device-to-device connection, thus facilitating exchange and sharing of data. Although cloud computing is a concept that has been there since 1960s, its popularity has grown with the fourth industrial revolution, and one cannot talk about industry 4.0 without mentioning cloud computing considering the important role the technology is playing in terms of enabling the communication across multiple devices.

                        We are in an era in which data is a valuable resource, and this therefore warrants the need for individuals to safely store data. With cloud computing, individuals and organizations can rent spaces where they can story data, and the advantage of this technology as a data-storage platform is that one does not have to carry their data on storage devices wherever they go. The fact that data is stored in a cloud system means one can travel anywhere in the world, and they can still access their data. Because the technology replaces the hard disk and other storage devices, it is safe and it improves the portability of the data.

                        The world is moving fast, and people want better services and better products. Cloud computing holds the key to businesses meeting the needs of their customers because the data stored in cloud computing can be analyzed, and be used to inform decisions such as the specific types of products to produce in plenty to meet the market demand. The idea of products being delivered at the door is gaining popularity among consumers, and the success of this idea depends on the businesses’ capacity to leverage the cloud computing technology to expand their scale of operations to include door-to-door delivery of goods.  

                        As the auto manufacturers shift to the production of the driverless cars, the need for the cloud computing is growing. The success of these new developments will depend on how well governments and private companies are willing to invest in cloud computing because this technology will be needed for vehicles to communicate with each other to prevent accidents. The effective control of the traffic will also depend on how fast the technology is integrated into traffic control system. However, the input of the public and the consumers in general is necessary for the cloud technology to drive desirable change.   

Cloud Computing services

Cloud Computing is a global server network that acts as a massive hard disk. There are many companies offering Cloud services but some of the biggest ones are Google, Amazon and Microsoft. Cloud Computing is used by all people, but most of them use it without realizing it. Even if you log on to Netflix to watch a movie you are using the Cloud. Every time you sign in to your Gmail account you are still using the Cloud. If you are an iPhone user you definitely have an iCloud account. So even in this case you are using Cloud.

Cloud is an internet technology that serves people to store their data and materials. Data stored in the Cloud brings an advantage to people because even if your mobile phone or computer does not work with the data stored in the Cloud you can open it on another phone or computer. Cloud offers many services for which you have to pay to take advantage. In some services you can pay for a certain time while in some other services you pay for as many services as you use. Examples of this are Netflix in which you have to pay monthly to watch movies. Cost is another advantage of Cloud Computing is savings. The cost is lower when you pay to store data in the Cloud than when you store it on cell phones or USB and disks. You can benefit from Cloud Computing services by having access to the Internet.            

Cloud Computing has many users from both individuals and companies. Companies and businesses are the ones that need to benefit the most from Cloud Computing services because Cloud Computing brings advantages such as: saving time, reducing costs, etc. Cloud Computing also has disadvantages, but they are many times less than the advantages.

Use of Cloud Computing

The development of the cloud computing technology has seen a high number of businesses embracing cloud computing to store data. With the storage of data being easier with cloud computing, companies are shifting away from physical storage, or otherwise known as local storage. Cloud has become a cheaper option for businesses that do not want to spend a significant amount of money to establish IT infrastructure. Additionally, it offers convenience that a local storage may not provide, and a business can therefore benefit immensely by choosing to use cloud storage.

Unfortunately, an organization may lay-off its IT staff if it moves to using the cloud. As companies continue embracing cloud, certain IT jobs will be automated, leading to massive job losses. The database and network administrator role, for example, will not be required in firms that shift to using the cloud because the technology allows centralized administration and control of the applications and other devices linked to the entire IT system of a company. This is also affecting the staff in companies that sell the IT products. Recently, CISCO downsized by laying-off more than 5,000 members of its staff because it could no longer afford to pay them salaries. CISCO’s case is not a selected case because thousands of IT workers have lost their jobs as organizations shift focus towards cloud computing.

The other issue that is seen with the cloud is that it may take time for one to learn how to use it, which may inconvenience the organization. For an organization that is used to operating the local storage, shifting to using the cloud may mean training of workers, and this may come with additional expenses, and the process can take time. If an organization does not have people with adequate skills to manage the cloud system, it may face challenges performing administration and database management functions.

An organization may still be able to access data when offline if it uses local storage as opposed to the cloud storage. The dependency on the internet connection is a characteristic seen with the latter, and if the connection is unavailable, there is limited chance one would be access to the data. If the connection is lost for long, it may paralyze certain IT operations such as database administration. Therefore, an organization that is considering adopting the cloud computing should examine the risks and opportunities associated with the technology, and make decisions it deems can lead to effective running of the IT operations.