Page 37 - DCAP609_CLOUD_COMPUTING

Cloud Computing

Notes Introduction

We have previously understood cloud computing from a user’s perspective, concentrating on
the Web based applications that have their existence to the cloud. Besides being advantageous to
the users, cloud computing also offers a lot of benefits to the software developers. They can
easily develop Web-based applications using the power and reach of cloud computing.
Many prominent companies like Amazon.com and Google are offering important resources to
the cloud services development tools.

3.1 Why Develop Web-based Applications?

With Web-based application development companies save time and money. It also improves
the manner in which companies interact with their clients, suppliers and business associates.
The IT department must provide adequate computing power and adequate data storage to all
users within the company. The IT department must allocate a budget for this. It is for this
department to ensure that the expenditure done on meeting constant needs and while trying to
add capacity for new users should remain within the assigned budget. A budget is a must to
ensure that needs are met without increasing expenditure.

It is essential for the IT department to increase capacity or add capabilities in a fashion that they
don’t have to invest in networking gear and new servers, or on licensing new software. This is
done as it is uneconomical for companies to add capacity that will be used only a small percentage
of time. This is where cloud computing plays a significant role.
Cloud services, as centralized Web-based applications appeal to the IT professionals. One instance
of an application hosted in the cloud is easier to manage and is inexpensive as compared to the
individual copies of similar software installed on each user’s desktop PC.

Thus, in cloud computing, the cloud application has to be upgraded only once as against the
traditional software which needs to be upgraded separately on each personal computer on
which this software is installed.

Cloud computing also increases collaboration by allowing all employees to coordinate and
work on documents and shared applications simultaneously, and follow associates and records
to receive important updates in real time.
Cloud computing services are usually pay as you go, so there’s no need for capital expenditure
at all. And because cloud computing is much faster to deploy, businesses with minimal project
start-up costs can conveniently use cloud computing without the fear of bearing irregular
expenses. Therefore, cloud services development are mainly important for the not-so-big
businesses which might not have the budget or resources to develop large-scale applications.
Small businesses avoid the cost of purchasing expensive hardware to host similar software by
hosting locally developed web applications within the cloud.
In short, a company gains by investing in cloud services development as a company which
develops its own Web-based applications gains functionality without incurring huge expenses.
It can, thus, be observed that combined power of the cloud go along with lower software
purchase and management costs to help the not-so-big companies to grow.

3.2 Pros and Cons of Cloud Service Development

There are several good reasons for you to develop new applications using the cloud services
model and a few reasons to be somewhat cautious.

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