Cloud Computing Applications in 2021: What You Need to Know

We all have something living on the cloud.

Cloud computing has changed the way we manage systems and store data. Since its advent, it has facilitated sharing of computing infrastructure, communication, and information on a global scale.

Cloud computing applications have paved a new path for technology to fully integrate with business processes to help achieve desired growth and economies of scale through access to on-demand applications and servers.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing refers to the on-demand, pay-per-use distribution of information technology (IT) services over the internet. It allows you to rent storage using cloud storage software and use computing power and databases based on your requirement.

Cloud computing also enables the delivery of both the services and the software needed to operate those services. Some widely used cloud services include Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS).

Role of cloud computing applications in the IT industry

Cloud computing has changed how IT systems and services are being used. Since cloud computing has a service-oriented architecture (SOA), it helps eliminate the IT overhead, i.e., the time, information, and memory required to perform tasks. This, in turn,  drastically reduces the costs incurred on IT hardware and servers.

Cloud technology has helped increase awareness surrounding IT software and hardware around the world. It has shaped the strategy and technological ecosystems for enterprises and small businesses.

Cloud computing applications are also making strides in the virtualization of systems through web-based applications. Using virtualization, physical servers, files, and applications are increasingly replaced with computerized versions provided by remote hosts and managed by service providers.

The IT industry is also seeing a lot more automation with the rise in cloud computing. Cloud solutions are equipped with improved security, storage, and decision-making capabilities. Thus, end-users can automate processes for efficient operational management and growth.

Why are cloud applications taking the world by storm?

While it has been established that cloud computing is integral to any business operating on the internet for better accessibility and data management, what are the factors helping boost its presence in the traditional IT environment?

Facilitation of DevOps

DevOps software refers to the combination of development and operations between the application development team and the greater IT services department. Its approach is in sync with Agile methodology and software development.

DevOps continuously provides high-quality software, allowing providers to focus on developing products and testing features rather than deploying and patching products periodically, as in the waterfall model.

Extensibility through service-oriented software

Cloud computing is often seen as a bridge between software component reusability typically done through service interfaces and extensibility through SOA. Increased extensibility reduces the level of time and effort needed to execute application extension. This ability, coupled with reusing or modifying common elements and functionalities between shared services, helps develop various software systems.

A popular example of this is the Plug and Play (PnP) functionality that allows users to add and remove devices from a computer system with little to no manual configuration skills and prior computer knowledge. 

Reduced cost to entry

Cloud applications dramatically reduce the expenditure incurred on developing an infrastructure to support software development and implementation. Long story short, you don’t have to buy expensive infrastructure to manage software systems and applications. 

Standardization of technology

The process of standardizing technologies by maintaining a standard for developing, promoting, and mandating compatible technologies helps ensure inter-operational efficiency. Cloud computing allows for the standardization of access control, configurations, and performance.

Microservices

Microservices form part of the microservices architecture, a type of service-oriented structure. They’re highly testable, can be deployed independent of other systems, and can deliver complex applications in single-function, lightweight modules.

Containerized applications are an excellent example of microservices. They’re essentially application components that provide prewritten code, application programming interface software (API) integration, and additional functionalities.

“Cloud computing's low initial infrastructure costs are a boon to SMB firms that do not have the funding to invest in an expensive hardware setup and look to the cloud. "

Preethica Furtado
Sr. Market Research Analyst at G2

Types of cloud services

Cloud computing services can be accessed through remote cloud computing servers and scaled depending on the technical demands. Organizations and users need to only pay for the specific cloud service they use and thus have more control over running their infrastructure. 

Most cloud computing services can be grouped into four main categories.

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS software is a cloud service that eliminates the need to have physical computing resources. IaaS in cloud computing helps manage all computing infrastructure over the internet. Some examples of IaaS include Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS software provides users tools for development and deployment through the cloud. This software has in-built platforms with data structures, templates, etc., to enhance user experience and ease complex functionality. AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google Cloud Platform are some popular examples of PaaS.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS)

You have probably heard the term SaaS at least once in business terminology over the past five years. SaaS is essentially a type of software distribution model, which involves a cloud provider, application hosting, and the end-users. SaaS is rapidly taking over the software market. It allows independent software developers and vendors to reach users without having to go through the hassle of actually hosting it over the internet.

SaaS Operations software (SaaSOps) and SaaS spend management are the two growing components of the greater SaaS infrastructure. There are hundreds of SaaS providers in the market, including some big companies such as Salesforce and Zoom.

4. Function as a Service (FaaS)

FaaS enables handling multiple elements such as physical and virtual servers, operating systems, and web hosting services by a cloud provider. It is preferred by users who want to focus on coding that targets specific event responses instead of spending their resources on building a complete infrastructure to develop applications or microsites.

Data insights: How much are cloud applications growing?

Cloud computing is only growing, and there’s tons of data to support this claim.

Here are some data points from the research teams at G2, highlighting the impact of cloud applications.

• Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) have seen the highest traffic in the last five years making up ~70% of the total cloud categories traffic.
• Product pages have seen a consistent increase in traffic. In 2021, the overall traffic is expected to touch ~2x that of 2020.
• By July 2021, total traffic to these products already stood at ~90% of the overall traffic of 2020.

The graph below shows the steady and continuous rise in the traffic gained by cloud products in the past five years.

The future of cloud computing - what can we expect next?

Cloud application services are changing the technological landscape with their immense capabilities to support agility and accessibility and bring powerful changes to the way users interact with end-to-end applications and programs.

There is no doubt that there will be a continued dominance of significant cloud providers resulting from several acquisitions in the future.

Experts predict an increased emphasis on securing a distributed workplace through micro-segmentation and software-defined security (SASE, Zero Trust) and a focus on understanding the advantages that more prepared developers, vendors, businesses, and users will have over the less prepared.

Cloud technology can make your business efficient, secure, and accessible. Invest in cloud infrastructure software to manage your data and processes seamlessly.