Cloud computing’ is the not-so-modern practice of using the internet as a sort of hard drive on which data of all types is stored and accessed by various types of consumer pc devices. The internet is full of information on the benefits of the ‘cloud’, descriptions of it, and ways to use it. However there is very little information on cloud computing deployment models.

Computing deployment models is a term meaning the way in which access to the cloud is dispensed or allowed. So far there are three major ways of doing this – these are Software as Service (SaaS), Platform as Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Although the word ‘cloud’ evokes a dreamy, carefree image, the fact is access to these ‘clouds’ are provided by the no-nonsense business world. Vendors or companies own and supply the servers on which the information is housed and, in exchange for money, grant customers or users various rights and freedoms of their use.

SaaS (Software as Service) allows computer applications to be stored on remote servers and accessed on the internet. Therefore, Word files, calendar dates, appointments, art, and presentation files are stored on the cloud instead of on the computer themselves. The benefits of SaaS access is that it allows the files to be accessed and changed by the group, even simultaneously. SaaS provides real-time collaboration and this is shown by the popularity of SaaS programs such as Google Docs. The disadvantages are that in general the applications provided by the vendor can be used, and it is often difficult to install or create an application of one’s own. It excludes programs that are not the property of the vendor.

PaaS (Platform as a Service), on the other hand can be used to innovate. PaaS users can use basic building blocks to create a program that suits their own needs, rather than relying on pre-set conditions of other programs. An example of PaaS is the Google App Engine. The disadvantage of PaaS is that users are confined to using only the programming language that is endorsed by the vendor. Therefore Google has its own preferred programming language and use it to the exclusion of everything else. The onus is on the user to learn, understand and apply the language accordingly, and find out if the language is even appropriate for the task in mind.

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a bit of both SaaS and PaaS: users can store data and can also develop applications. Yet within IaaS, too, there are choices. There are four types of IaaS, these are: private clouds, dedicated hosting, hybrid hosting and cloud hosting. Private clouds allow users to rent physical servers located in one center. However they are the most expensive and are restricted to that single customer’s use.

Dedicated hosting is where a random set of physical servers are assigned to a customer and can be scaled according to need. It is more flexible than private clouds. Hybrid hosting is a mix of cloud and server hosting and again is more flexible arrangement than the previous two. Cloud hosting is total virtual server hosting and is used on demand. The servers are not monopolized and more than one customer may share the same server. There is some risk involved in this method, but it is by far the least costly of the four.

There are many innovations going on in the world of cloud computing, but it is up to the user to determine which one is right for them.

Ancoris is a UK partner for Esnatech. Ancoris offers a full Unified Communications implementation for Google Apps for Businesses with no need for a new phone system or changes to your office hardware.

Ancoris is a UK partner for http://www.ancoris.com/products/esnatech.html Esnatech. Ancoris offers a full http://www.ancoris.com/solutions/unified-communications-for-google-apps.html Unified Communications implementation for Google Apps for Businesses with no need for a new phone system or changes to your office hardware.

Author Bio: Ancoris is a UK partner for Esnatech. Ancoris offers a full Unified Communications implementation for Google Apps for Businesses with no need for a new phone system or changes to your office hardware.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: Cloud Computing,SaaS