Overall Cloud Computing Cost and Security Makes Cloud Computing a Wise Choice

Several primary advantages exist in relation to the cloud computing model such as IT (Information Technology) cost management, information security and service provisioning. The first item in that list will appeal to the widest audience, while most people understand the remaining two a bit less.

Overall Cost

Cloud computing is just at the beginning of its growth as a part of what is being called "Web 3.0." This is the realization of the fact that some very powerful technologies are being implemented on the web and they offer significant advantage over the traditional hardware server and T-1 line models that most businesses have dealt with in the past. Cost management is, as one would expect, the most referenced benefit of cloud computing. The cost to set up server hardware is a daunting prospect and the outcome has driven the development of cloud computing technologies in businesses.

Software, Internet, email, and other application servers are costly to own and support. Companies looking to establish advanced web-based services generally lease or use credit to buy the hardware and software needed. To use such technologies, controlling the cost with a monthly payment is advantageous to that business. Using a cloud computing model, not only is the time needed to implement these technologies drastically reduced, but the cost is also reduced and typically based on a monthly fee for only the services used. Cost is, without question the single most important factor driving the adoption of cloud computing services.

Service Provisioning

This is possibly the least understood advantage of cloud computing. Setting up the server software needed to provide customers with access to account information, order processing, and other vital services is daunting by itself. To develop the application for use with the web-based services and insure that the services are s secure and reliable is even more difficult and often requires experienced programmers and many months to accomplish. With cloud computing, the same project can be up and running in a matter of weeks or even days. The cost of rolling the service out is also far lower than in the past, but being able to create a plan and have it online fast is vital in today's business climate.

Overall Security

Lastly, is the subject of cloud computing and its overall security, which has been the most doubted aspect of cloud computing. For many businesses, trusting important accounting, customer and other business data to "the Cloud" has been a big issue. The truth is that a cloud computing provider is far better able to ensure the security of such information than most businesses would on their own computers and servers.

The other major security issue is data back up, since for small businesses, this has been a catch-as-catch-can situation, with tape drives being the most relied upon method. Too many small businesses and their owners have lost all of their data in a mishap, only to later find that the data backups are not usable for whatever reason, damaging a business in both trust and sales. Large data warehouses are far more secure than any small business can afford to be, so cloud computing is an obvious choice.

Source:
"The Benefits of Cloud Computing," IBM