The Power of Cloud Computing – Key Considerations

Over the past years, cloud computing has become an integral component of the modern technology landscape where it completely revolutionised the way businesses operate and deliver their services. However, the prevalent use of terms like services running “in the cloud” and data being stored “in the cloud”, created an impression that cloud implementation is the natural remedy for businesses to quickly: reduce their costs, enter markets, and make data accessible at the push of a button.

However, like any technological marvel, cloud computing is not without its challenges and businesses must carefully evaluate several factors before making the transition.

Exploring Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud

The world of cloud computing is often characterised by a continuous stream of technical jargon and innovations. I reached out to Adrian Cuschieri, as I wanted to understand the technical view points of experts deeply immersed in this technology.

Our conversation began with a simple question:  

“Cloud computing is often mistakenly viewed as a one-size-fits-all solution, however this is not the case. Could you shed light on the various types of cloud computing?”

Adrian commented that there are three main types: Public, Private and Hybrid.

Public Clouds:

Public clouds are the most common type of cloud environments.  This model involves on-demand computing services and infrastructure managed by a third-party provider and offered to multiple organisations. In this model, resources are normally shared between multiple organisations. However, it also offers less control and security when compared to private or hybrid clouds.

Private Clouds:

Private clouds are dedicated to a single organisation.  They are normally hosted within the organisation’s own data centre or collocated at a third-party facility.  When compared to public clouds they are normally considered cheaper, especially in the long run. However, for this model you will need to be ready to make an upfront investment, so it’s normally not so popular with startups.  This model offers organisations more control and better security when compared to public cloud, however it also requires a specific skill set. When it comes to scalability it’s much harder to achieve when compared to public clouds.

Hybrid Clouds:

Hybrid clouds combine elements from both the other models.  Normally, this model is used by organisations that start with a private cloud and would like to get the benefits offered by public clouds while keeping control on their private cloud.  Since we mentioned that the private cloud offers better security, one could choose to keep sensitive data on-premises using their private cloud while still benefitting from scalability options of public cloud when needed.

From a technical viewpoint, cloud computing enables businesses to scale up without the need to invest in physical hardware, which requires upfront investments and specialised knowledge. Businesses can also quickly scale their IT resources up or down as needed, especially if they are growing rapidly or they have seasonal fluctuations.

The Complexities of Cloud Computing

Although the benefits of cloud computing are quite apparent, the complexities behind the implementations of cloud computing are often overlooked. There are a number of considerations that organisations need to assess prior moving to cloud computing, including:

• Data Security and Privacy: Organisations must ensure that the cloud provider offers the right level of security measures. Ultimately, the organisation remains responsible for protecting the customers’ data. 

• Compliance and Regulations:  Different counties may have different legislations. Organisations need to confirm that their cloud provider can meet both the local and industry regulations and standards.

• Data Transfer and Integration:  Integration of systems and data migration takes time and effort. Organisations should not underestimate the risks associated with migration and integration when considering cloud computing. My advice is always to avoid bing-bang approaches where possible.

• Cost Management – While cloud computing can be cost-effective, costs can quickly escalate if not managed correctly. It’s essential to monitor usage, choose the right pricing models, and implement cost control strategies. Planning of potential future services, capabilities, and fluctuations in demand is also critical before the organisation decides to transition to the cloud. 

• Vendor Lock-In: Organisations must consider the potential of becoming too dependent on a single cloud provider. They should strategise for vendor-neutral solutions or have an exit plan in case they need to switch providers.

• Performance and Latency: Using cloud services may introduce latency, impacting the overall application or service performance being hosted on the cloud. As this latency may be caused by several factors, including the cloud region or the data center itself, organisations must be aware that they might need to experiment until they find the right data center.

• Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Organisations should establish a data backup strategy and a disaster recovery process to minimise downtimes when the cloud provide experiences an outage. 

• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Although the cloud provider may provide its own SLAs, organisations need to ensure that they align with their requirements.

• Culture Change, Training and Skillset – Cloud computing brings cultural shift as it transforms the way organisation work – from how they build and run systems to how clients access products and services. In light of this, organisations need to plan for training programmes and marketing campaigns.

• Monitoring and Management – monitoring the overall performance of the entire system once it is deployed on the cloud is often underestimated. Although cloud providers may provide their own dashboards, organisations may choose to build their own custom dashboards.

The Challenge of Multiple Cloud Providers

As different cloud providers have emerged in recent years, having an abundance of choices can sometimes be more challenging than having just one.

I have asked Adrian about the technical challenges that this presents, and his comment were:

All cloud providers have their own strengths and weaknesses. Having said this, once there are clear requirements it will become much easier to choose the right partner. Nowadays, almost all the main cloud providers have managed services, making cloud much easier to use especially for organisations that lack in-house expertise. However, relying too much on these services may lead the organisation to become vendor-locked, especially if their application depends on a single cloud providers’ technological implementation.

When it comes to training, IT professionals should choose one or more cloud service platforms to specialise in, for example, AWS, GCP or Azure. All of these offer a variety of online courses and certifications, helping users build credibility and confidence through industry-recognised credentials. I always suggest to start learning the fundamentals, such as virtualisation, networking skills, and security practices, before specialising in a particular cloud service platform or cloud computing technology.

In conclusion, cloud computing is not a simple plug-and-play technology, and keeping an eye on potential pitfalls and challenges are essential elements in successfully leveraging the benefits of the cloud.

Cloud computing is a dynamic landscape that promises to reshape industries and drive digital transformation. By embracing it wisely, organisations can achieve their goals, no matter how high they aspire.