4 Non-Storage Uses For Cloud Solutions
When folks talk about cloud services, it's common to focus on storage solutions. A lot of possible options besides storage fall under the heading of cloud solutions, though. Here are four you may want to look at more closely.
Support for the Edge
Even with the best distributed computing model, there may be a need for you to centralize everything. If you have a lot of resources operating in an edge capacity, the cloud can serve as the hub that brings it all together.
For example, an agribusiness that uses many sensors out in the field might eventually need to pull that data into a collection. The cloud makes a natural place for edge applications to sense their data or even to send requests that require greater computational power.
On-Demand Processing
Some tasks end up leading to long idle periods followed by brief demand for high-intensity processing. For example, a company doing analytics work might mostly need to do sequential fetches and stores of data. Once a week, however, the company may need massive machine learning capacity to crunch all of the numbers.
It's hard to keep that level of processing power on-hand but idled, and it's not necessarily cost-effective or environmentally friendly. Using cloud services, though, you can access those resources on demand. In many instances, the solution may also be faster than anything you can maintain on-site.
SaaS
Software-as-a-service represents a major change in the model of how development firms and users access tools. SaaS allows you to take advantage of cloud-hosted solutions to reduce your overhead. Likewise, SaaS systems are easier to update, with all of the work rolling out on the host side. This can significantly reduce risks associated with unpatched security exploits. It also will make new features readily available to users without the need to purchase a new copy of the software.
Network Virtualization
Especially for large organizations that need everybody working on a single network, virtualization in the cloud can be highly appealing. Cloud solutions allow companies to create virtualized networks that are accessible from anywhere on the planet.
If a hotel chain needs to have a unified booking system, for example, the cloud is a great way to make it available to locations throughout the world. Likewise, they can extend functionality to a website, an app, and even third-party APIs. Privileges can then limit who has access to what levels of data, providing both security and privacy where necessary.
Contact a local cloud service to learn more.