6 Important Characteristics of Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is a technology that uses computing resources like storage, applications, databases, networking capabilities and service providers that also include software and hardware by offering services through the internet to their clients. Instead of a hard drive, cloud computing stores or accesses applications or data over the internet. This article provides you with information about six essential characteristics of Cloud Computing.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing:

The six essential Cloud Computing characteristics  are:

  1. On-demand Self-Service
  2. Resource Pooling
  3. Broad Network Access
  4. Rapid Elasticity and Scalability
  5. Measured Service
  6. Security

1. On-demand Self-Service:

It is one of the important characteristics of cloud computing that  delivers on-demand service and provides the feature of server monitoring uptime with computing capabilities for the end users and allows the client to track the server’s uptime, storage space availability, and capabilities. According to the customer requirements, it will enable the computing resources, which is one of the significant properties of cloud computers.

These services are available on-demand and do not require human interaction, as the users themselves can monitor and manage computing resources as required. Customer can create service on his own such as creating a new mailbox etc.

For example: In a travel portal, the passenger books his ticket by himself without the interaction of humans. The entire process is automated ie. from choosing a flight to a particular class no person is required in-between.

2. Resource Pooling:

One of the essential cloud computing characteristics is the ability to pool resources. Resource Pooling refers to the power of cloud service providers to share resources among many customers. Based on specific needs, everyone receives a unique set of services. To serve multiple customers by separating the resources securely on a logical level using a multi-tenant model that allows many customers to share the same application by retaining privacy and data security.

It is similar to that of an apartment building, the same building infrastructure shared by many people in the apartment but still has the privacy of their apartment.

3. Broad Network Access:

Cloud’s widespread availability is one of the important characteristics of cloud computing. A major part of cloud utility is its universality where data can upload and accessed from anywhere using an internet connection. Users can work from any of the locations. For most of the enterprises, the cloud is an attractive option.

We can access private cloud services from anywhere within the enterprise.Heterogeneous devices like laptops, mobile phones, tablets, office computers, etc. provide these services.Cloud computing functions across multiple geographies via breaking barriers and boundaries.

For example: A passenger books his ticket via the internet from any one of his devices like a smartphone, laptop, tablet etc. that have access to the network.

4. Rapid Elasticity and Scalability:

The capabilities of cloud computing can release elastically. The capacity of cloud computing is to rapidly grow and shrink, it is a significant benefit and characteristic. This cloud feature enables cost-effective operation of workloads, because of rapid elasticity in cloud computing customers who have workloads can perform cost-effectively at low cost.

To cloud technology, scalability adds the aspect of cost-effectiveness. More servers are added to that particular period when the workload or demand is high. Scalability describes longer-term plans of cloud infrastructure while rapid elasticity is a short-term characteristic.

For example: In airlines, if the demand for the number of passengers is higher, the airline increases the number of flights for a particular time and vice versa.

5. Measured Service:

One of the important characteristics of cloud computing is the availability of reporting services. Cloud system offers the capability of metering to monitor, control, and optimize the use of cloud resources, this feature is defined as Measured Service. Cloud service measuring is useful for cloud providers and their customers. Both the provider and the customer monitor and report on the resources and services like storage, VMs, processing, and bandwidth. 

At some level of abstraction of the applicable services, metering capability is placed. For each occupant, the utilization of resources tracked, monitored, controlled and reported which gives transparency to both the service provider and the consumer.

For example: When a passenger travels in a train he/she has to pay only for the distance traveled and not the entire journey which the train takes.

6. Security:

Security is one of the most important cloud computing characteristics ie. protecting personal data. Best security experts employed by cloud vendors and generally equipped to handle threats. Even the biggest financial firms say that the cloud is a security asset.

To avoid data loss, cloud computing services make a copy of saved data. If the server loses data, a copied version used to recover the data. In real-time when several people work on a single file this capability comes in handy simultaneously the file becomes corrupted. Because of security fears, many enterprises refuse to migrate workloads and those concerns subsided because of the benefits of cloud computing characteristics.

The above-mentioned characteristics are the most important characteristics of cloud computing.

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Conclusion:

Nowadays, everything is either stored on the cloud, running on the cloud or accessed from the cloud as cloud computing is the most in-demand technology in the economy and business sectors. The essential characteristics of cloud computing are useful for both hosts and customers. Cloud computing has become the choice for enterprise technology development, large applications and data storage. The above mentioned cloud computing characteristics are popular options among enterprises across a broad range of sectors.

Recommended Reads:

Top 10 essential Characteristics of Cloud Computing You Should Know (henryharvin.com)

FAQs:

Q.1: What is cloud computing?

Ans: It is defined as a process of providing computing resources like applications, databases, storage, services , software and also includes networking capabilities which are done on-demand self-service basis.

Q.2: What are the uses of cloud computing?

Ans: The uses of cloud computing are:

  • File Storage
  • Big Data Analytics
  • Data Backups and Archiving
  • Disaster recovery
  • Software testing and development
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  • Communication
  • Social Networking
  • Business Process

Q.3: What are the major cloud service models?

Ans: The three major cloud service models are:

  1. Software as a Service (SaaS)
  2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Q.4: What are the types of cloud computing?

Ans: The main types of cloud computing are:

  1. Public cloud
  2. Private cloud
  3. Hybrid cloud

Q.5: What are the key components of cloud computing?

Ans: The key components of cloud computing include:

  • Front end platforms
  • Back end platforms
  • Cloud based delivery 
  • Network
  • Client Infrastructure

Q.6: Does cloud computing require coding?

Ans: Coding skills are not required to learn in cloud computing, but some roles may require coding skills in cloud computing.

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