Many people think of the cloud as social networks, mobile applications, or some general idea of data magically floating above us. While most consumers have reached some definition of what they think the cloud is, most consumers, if asked, could not define cloud computing or the layers that comprise it.For that reason, this article is going to touch on cloud technology basics and provide a foundational understanding of its layers: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS.CLOUD BASICSIn the simplest of terms, cloud computing is the ability to access data stored on remote servers via a stable Internet connection. That's it. The cloud allows consumers, businesses and organizations to access data stored on a remote server. Typically, providers hold the server within a data center of varying tiers. Users gain access to the server through a stable Internet connection with a device of their choosing (e.g. laptop, smartphone, tablet) for a reasonable, sometimes free, monthly charge.The benefits of the cloud are pretty straightforward:
- Local hard drive is free to take on heavier computing tasks
- The provider host the Cloud-based software.
- The provider updates, maintains, and rolls out new versions of the software to consumers. Thus, consumers no longer have to purchase every new release of the software.
- Low monthly cost. Companies offer cloud-based solutions at a low monthly cost model of payments. For example, instead of paying $1250 for the Adobe Suite of products, a consumer pays monthly installments of $15 for full access to the AdobeCC (the principle applies to other cloud providers)