What is cloud hosting?
Web hosting solutions were hosted on a single server. The Cloud, on the other hand, uses several different servers, in the form of a “cluster” in order to balance the loads and guarantee high availability.
The power of the cloud
As stipulated by Metcalf’s law, the power of a network is equal to the number of nodes that compose it. Thus, in the cloud, each machine that interconnects to the server provides a little more resources to the global cloud. Unlike traditional hosting limited by the capacities of its single server.
The benefits of the cloud
Of course, these changes confer far from negligible advantages:
- Resilience: By not depending on a single server, continuity of service is more easily ensured.
- Flexibility: with the cloud, you only pay for what you consume. For companies that prefer rental to purchase, this hosting option is ideal.
- Scalability: by paying only for usage, it is easy to add or remove resources.
Why choose cloud hosting?
Cloud hosting, therefore, derives its full power from network effects, but in practical terms, what benefits can companies derive from it?
Cost reduction
Of course, one of the main advantages of the cloud is its cost. No heavier investment in the purchase and maintenance of resource-intensive infrastructure. Maintenance costs decrease considerably; the infrastructure is outsourced. This technological change thus gives SMEs the opportunity to access resources to which they could not previously claim, due to lack of means.
Flexibility and scalability
Virtualization, which consists of running several systems, servers or applications, on the same physical server, enables the necessary IT resources to be adjusted very quickly. This flexibility is particularly important for fluctuating activities requiring agile functioning. Imagine a chain of stores whose e-commerce site experiences a peak in traffic during sales. In order not to crash, the server will have to bear the load. Thanks to the cloud, it will be possible to increase its power by adding RAM, SPU or Webspace in a few clicks.
Similarly, migration to a new server becomes necessary when the maximum power of a dedicated server is reached. This delicate operation is no longer necessary with a cloud server since the data is shared on several servers rather than on a single physical machine.
Reduced development cycle
The flexibility of the cloud is particularly advantageous for start-ups and development departments of large companies since it reduces time-to-market times. No more need to initiate the purchase of dedicated servers for an IT team, cloud hosting offers developers the possibility of setting up an unlimited number of test servers, with scalable performance, in a virtual environment. Dedicated backup servers also make it possible to secure all stages of development. A real competitive advantage in our era of digital transformation.
Data security and availability
Since the resources of a cloud server are available on several physical machines, companies benefit from extensive redundancy. Indeed, each backup results in as many backups as servers used within the cluster. Hard drive failures, for example, do not affect data security or the availability of resources. The outsourcing of material resources also enables the necessary compliance to be delegated to national and international legislation.
The VPN to secure its hosting
If above the clouds the sky is still blue, the news shows us that the paths leading to the cloud are paved with traps (viruses, malware, spyware etc.) Caution is therefore advised. For this, it is important to protect the connections to the server in order to avoid any malicious act. A corporate VPN will secure access to your data.
The Internet remains the most common, but not the most secure, way to access applications and data hosted in the cloud. Indeed, the internet being a public network, there are many security holes. No need to go into details, the numbers speak for themselves. The solution? VPN and Firewall to ensure the confidentiality of your exchanges and guarantee the security of your network.
Cloud hosting is a real revolution, from a technological and usage point of view. But it is also a great opportunity for companies, and in particular, SMEs, to access resources that were previously too expensive. And in an increasingly advanced digital transformation context, the opportunity could turn into a necessity.
About the author
DMTwebhosting.com’s Editorial Team prides itself on bringing you the latest web hosting news and the best web hosting articles!
You could also link to the news and articles sections: