Client computing is the latest way of delivering computing resources. It runs on the established convention of the internet where clients and servers interact remotely and on demand. In fact, the working as well as the revenue model is so similar that it can be referred to as 'Internet as a Product.'
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Cloud computing delivers services ranging from data storage to end-to-end computing. One can run the entire SAP or kindred application suit, share files, store videos, run email clients or use the platform to collaborate in real time from anywhere in the world through even the most basic computing devices.
Cloud computing takes away the task of infrastructural deployment and makes technology, platform or just software readily available commodities just like electricity. One pays as per the usage besides other set up costs, which when combined, are far less than the conventional ways of acquiring technology.
Economics of Cloud Computing
From being free to an on-demand solution, it (cloudcomputing) has the innate quality of adapting itself to the requirements of the user. Following the 2007-2009 recession, when cost cutting became a prominent part of business best practices, cloud computing offered a new economic model for enterprises to exploit.
According to IDC's analysis, the forecast for 2013 amounts to $44.2 billion. The reason for such a new economic order is the flexibility and cost efficiency offered by cloud computing. Massive investments are being made to concentrate the hardware and the architecture is being revamped to offer global capabilities.
Cloud Computing Service Model
The real highlight of cloud computing is its versatility and adaptability. One can categorize the service provided by cloud computing in three classes:
Software as a service (SaaS): It is software, available on demand and offered by a third party provider, configurable remotely via the internet. Best examples are online spreadsheet tools, word processing and web content delivery services (SalesforceCRM, Google Docs, etc) and CRM services.
Platform as a service (PaaS): It allows customers to use the platform to develop new applications using APIs, which can be deployed and configured remotely. The platform offers development tools and configuration management. PaaS examples are Microsoft Azure, Force and Google App engine.
Infrastructure azure cloud certification as a service (IaaS): This provides abstracted hardware, virtual machines and operating systems, which are controllable through a service API. IaaS examples are AmazonEC2 and S3, Terremark Enterprise Cloud, Windows Live Skydrive and Rackspace Cloud.
Challenges
As cloud-computing is a centralized way of operation, clouds can be easily tracked and attacked. Also, as access remains global, monitoring intrusion becomes a challenge as well. Though deploying safe practices at the client's ends can check trespassing, the multitude makes the task bigger.
Another big challenge is the easy access of cloud computing platforms to the user's data. Moreover, many public cloud-computing platforms are not open to auditing of their security measures.
Cloud Computing Security Measures
With the peril of attack on the centralized setups of clouds, cloud computing providers have responded by a security practice that includes:
In August 2016, Gartner's Magic Quadrant selected Microsoft Azure as an industry leader in Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 companies are using cloud services provided by MS Azure 2016. Among the prominent companies using Azure for cloud computing are Oracle, SAP, Rolls-Royce, NBC News channel, BMW, and GE Healthcare, to name just a few. The main reason behind choosing Azure is its effective management of physical servers and datacenters on the cloud. Interested? Join the MS Azure Training and get acquainted.
Here's what's trending with Microsoft Azure for the year 2016:
Azure supports up to 32 TB for the SAP HANA database server
Microsoft has built a working partnership with SAP, providing an enterprise-proven platform for executing and managing SAP resources. Whether working in a development or a testing environment, with Microsoft Azure 2016, users can get the benefits of high scalability and reduced costs on SAP HANA workloads. In November 2016, Microsoft announced up to 32 TB storage for SAP HANA tuned Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) software programs and up to 4 TB for Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) programs. Each developer and testing engineer will now have the flexibility and power to work on software applications requiring a huge volume of data in real-time scenarios.
Microsoft announces availability of Azure N-Series
With overwhelmingly positive customer feedback about the Azure Virtual Machine Series, including A, D, Dv2, F, G, and H, Microsoft Azure is now ready for the December 2016 global release of its N-Series. The Azure N-Series provides virtual machines with Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) capabilities featuring the NVIDIA® platform. To meet fast-growing demands, workloads and data centers need to be equipped to handle artificial intelligence, remote and 3D visualization, advanced research, graphics rendering, and so on. Azure N-Series provides the power to drive the high-performance computing necessary for in-depth medical research, learning and training models that are GPU enabled, and so much more.
Microsoft Hybrid Use Benefit is cost-effective
Purchasing cloud computing services for major enterprises is always an expensive task. To mitigate this cost burden, Microsoft introduced the MS Azure Hybrid Use Benefit (AHUB). With the help of AHUB, customers can use their on-premises Windows server license (with software assurance) to work with MS Azure. Immaterial of the workload's and data center's storage space, AHUB provides support for Windows Server Virtual Machines at reduced pricing. With AHUB, users can save up to 44% of their annual expense on a single virtual machine.
