Page 32 - Outstanding Women Friendly Physicians (2)

What is “The Cloud”

By Bill Edmett

The definition of the a mobile phone, you’ll
Cloud has been evolv- have access to all the
ing, and has become costly computer power
a trendy cliché, but that exists somewhere
at this point in time else, in the cloud.
it seems that many
experts agree that If you use on-line bank-
Cloud Computing ing, reviewing your bank
simply means “renting” accounts, paying bills or
the use of hardware transferring money from
or software that exists here to there, you’ve
somewhere else, and is experienced cloud com-
maintained by some- puting. When you visit a
one else, leaving you bank teller who looks at
free of the worry about your account, the teller
technical maintenance is probably using cloud
and enabling you to computing, because the
focus on your business. computers and software
The concept is not probably exist in some
new and my research other location.
indicates that the idea
has been around since Now what does this
the 1950s. I’ll try to de- mean for you as a busi-
mystify the concept and ness person who needs
help you as a business hardware and software
person to begin a deci- for your business? For
32 sion process. example, you need
costly finance and ac-
“The Cloud” is not counting software and
someplace in the sky, an expensive computer.
or some kind of byte And you need to plan
heaven. Although I for growth, as in when
have to say, it seems to you’ll need a bigger
me that some computer and faster machine and
technicians seem to more licenses for the
enjoy the idea that the software. You’ll need to
whole thing is mystify- plan for backing up your
ing to the rest of us. data, and to manage a
I’ve sat in on meetings hardware failure, so that
with clients and techni- repairs or part replace-
cians, when a client will ments can be handled
typically ask, “Where quickly with little or no
will my computers and down-time.
software reside?” And
a technician will say, A good place to start is
“They’ll be on the cloud.” As if that really answered the question. by surfing the Internet, searching the term “Cloud Computing” or
“Cloud Hosting” or simply “Hosting”. You’ll find a large selection
The cloud is just a stylized drawing shape that designers like of companies, Cloud Providers that will be happy to discuss your
to use. They could have simply drawn a box but they seem to current and potential future requirements. It’s common to find
like the cloud shape. Inside the cloud shape, a designer will several Cloud Providers that will guide you in the selection of an
draw all the computers and software that you’ll use, but only economical starting plan that will also allow for growth.
the hardware and software that you rent or subscribe to will be
accessible. But everything in the cloud drawing will simply exist There are several component services to Cloud Computing
in a building somewhere. And who cares where? And it will all and the following is a brief explanation of some of the
be maintained by an expert (hopefully) so you won’t need to components.
worry about it. You’ll use it, talk to it, input and retrieve data from
it, typically by using your own local computer browser or a low Platform as a Service (Paas), Infrastructure as a service (IaaS),
cost light-duty computer which is frequently referred to as a “thin Platform as a service (PaaS), Network as a service (NaaS) and
client” because it’s a smaller computer with fewer capabilities. Storage as a service (STaaS):
So with your own inexpensive laptop, desktop or maybe even