Top 15 Major Characteristics of Cloud Computing

Introduction to Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is becoming more popular day by day. Continuous business expansion and development demand large computational power and massive data storage systems. Cloud Computing can help organizations expand and safely transfer data from physical locations to the ‘cloud’ that can be accessed from anywhere. There are numerous characteristics of Cloud Computing that makes it one of the fastest-growing industries at present. The flexibility offered by Cloud services in the form of its ever-growing set of tools and techniques has accelerated its deployment across industries. This blog shall walk you through the essential characteristics of Cloud Computing. 

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the distribution of computing resources like storage, databases, applications, networking capabilities, and more via the internet by service providers (known as Cloud Service Providers or CSP) to their customers. Users no longer need to rely on their hardware or software resources and can instead access data, programs, and services hosted on remote servers from any location. Because you only pay for the cloud services you use, you can cut your operational costs and improve the efficiency of your infrastructure.

Here’s a list of the top 10 major characteristics of Cloud Computing:

1. Resources Pooling
2. On-Demand Self-Service
3. Easy Maintenance
4. Scalability And Rapid Elasticity
5. Economical
6. Measured And Reporting Service
7. Security
8. Automation
9. Resiliency And Availability
10. Large Network Access
11. Work From Any Location
12. Multi-Tenancy
13. Flexibility
14. Service Excellence
15. Comfortable Payment Structure

1. Resources Pooling

Resource pooling is one of the essential characteristics of Cloud Computing. Resource pooling means a cloud service provider can share resources among several clients, providing everyone with a different set of services per their requirements. It is a multi-client strategy that can be applied to data storage, processing, and bandwidth-provided services. The real-time administration process of allocating resources doesn’t conflict with the client’s experience.

2. On-Demand Self-Service

It is one of the significant and essential features of Cloud Computing. It enables the client to constantly monitor the server uptime, abilities, and allotted network storage. This is a fundamental characteristic of Cloud Computing, and a client can likewise control the computing abilities as per his needs.

3. Easy Maintenance

This is one of the best cloud characteristics. The servers are effortlessly maintained, and the downtime sometimes remains low or absolutely zero. Cloud Computing powered resources undergo several updates frequently to optimize their capabilities and potential. The updates are more viable with the devices and perform quicker than the previous versions.

4. Scalability And Rapid Elasticity

A key characteristic and benefit of cloud computing is its rapid scalability. This cloud characteristic enables the cost-effective running of workloads that require a vast number of servers but only for a short period. Many clients have such workloads, which can be run very cost-effectively because of the rapid scalability of Cloud Computing.

5. Economical

This cloud characteristic helps in reducing the IT expenditure of the organizations. In Cloud Computing, the client needs to pay the administration for the space they have used. There is no covered-up or additional charge which needs to be paid. The administration is economical, and more often than not, some space is allotted for free.

6. Measured And Reporting Service

Reporting services are one of the many cloud characteristics that make it the best choice for organizations. Measuring & reporting service is helpful for both cloud providers and their clients. It enables both the provider and the client to monitor and report what services have been used and for what purpose. This helps in monitoring billing and ensuring the optimum usage of resources.

7. Security

Data security is one of the best characteristics of Cloud Computing. Cloud services create a copy of the data that is stored to prevent any form of data loss. If one server loses the data by any chance, the copy version is restored from the other server. This feature comes in handy when several users work on a particular file in real-time, and a file suddenly gets corrupted. 

8. Automation

Automation is an essential characteristic of cloud computing. The ability of cloud computing to automatically install, configure, and maintain a cloud service is known as automation in cloud computing. In simple terms, it is the process of making the most of technology and reducing manual effort. However, achieving automation in the cloud ecosystem is not so easy. It requires installing and deploying virtual machines, servers, and large storage. Upon successful deployment, these resources require constant maintenance as well.

9. Resilience

Resilience in cloud computing means the ability of the service to quickly recover from any disruption. A cloud’s resilience is measured by how fast its servers, databases, and network system restarts and recovers from any harm or damage. Availability is another major characteristic of cloud computing. Since cloud services can be accessed remotely, there is no geographic restriction or limitation when it comes to utilizing cloud resources.

10. Large Network Access

A big part of the cloud characteristics is its ubiquity. The client can access the cloud data or transfer the data to the cloud from any place just with a device and internet connection. These capacities are accessible everywhere in the organization and get to with the help of the internet. Cloud providers save that large network access by monitoring and guaranteeing different measurements that reflect how clients access cloud resources and data: latency, access time, data throughput, etc.

11. Work From Any Location

Remote working is one of the primary features of cloud computing. It enables users to work remotely or from any location on the planet. Users will be able to access corporate data via mobile devices such as laptops and smartphones. It also ensures that every user can connect quickly. Employees that work remotely or live in another location can communicate with one another and do their jobs.

12. Multi-Tenancy

One of the best characteristics of Cloud Computing is its Multi-Tenancy. Multi-Tenancy is a software architecture that allows a single program instance to serve several user groups. It signifies that numerous cloud provider customers are sharing the same computing resources. Although they share the same computing resources, each Cloud customer’s data is kept completely separate and safe.

13. Flexibility

The company must scale as the competition develops. Users that use the traditional hosting technique will have to switch service providers. Users benefit from greater freedom when they host their data in the cloud. Scaling does not require the server to be restarted and can be done anytime. There are a variety of payment alternatives also available for the users. This implies businesses won’t have to spend too much on resources they don’t need.

14. Service Excellence

Cloud computing ensures that users receive the highest level of service possible. The benefits outlined in Service Level Agreements must include continuous availability and comprehensive resources, performance, and bandwidth. Any compromise on these services will result in a loss of clients and a decrease in popularity.

15. Comfortable Payment Structure

The payment structure is critical since it aids in the cost-cutting process. Because of the additional functionality, cloud computing choices come with a range of prices. Users find the payment option to be simple to use, and it allows them to save time when making payments regularly.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing model

There are various Cloud Computing models based on the business requirement. Here is a list of different Cloud Computing models and their characteristics:

Characteristics of Cloud Computing model – PaaS

Some of the characteristics of PaaS in Cloud Computing are:

• PaaS provides a web-based development environment. It enables the developer to construct a database and change the application code using either an API or point-and-click tools.
• PaaS integrates scalability, security, and web service gateways.
• PaaS includes tools for creating a workflow, approval procedures, and business rules.
• PaaS can be seamlessly interfaced with other apps on the same platform.
• PaaS also includes web service interfaces that allow us to link apps not hosted on the platform.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing model – SaaS

Some of the characteristics of the Software as a service model are:

• SaaS enables the software available over the Internet.
• The vendor maintains the software programs.
• The software license can be subscription or utilization-based. It is also billed on a scheduled basis.
• Software as a service app does not require end-user maintenance.
• They are accessible upon request.
• They are upgraded and updated automatically.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing model – IaaS

Some of the characteristics of IaaS in Cloud Computing are:

• Virtual systems with pre-installed software.
• Virtual systems have pre-installed operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and Solaris.
• Request resource availability.
• Allows you to keep copies of specific data in several locations.
• The computer resources can be simply adjusted.

WHY USE CLOUD COMPUTING?

To summarize, these characteristics of cloud computing offer the following benefits:

• With cloud computing, purchasing hardware and software is significantly cheaper.
• A good internet connection is required to access all of the information you need at any time and from any location.
• As demand increases, you can easily increase the capacity of this system. The services can be scaled and customized to meet the needs of individual users.
• Cloud service providers spend a lot of money on security to ensure that their customers receive high-quality services.
• Reliable storage can be found in the cloud. The process of backing up and restoring data is simple, inexpensive, and fast.
• Enterprise users can easily access services and applications without worrying about the underlying cost of infrastructures, making it more cost- and time-effective. This gives a boost to the firm’s productivity.

Conclusion

Various features of cloud computing help both hosts as well as the customer. A host comprises different advantages too, which advantage the clients. These days, organization is in great need of data storage. The above-mentioned characteristics of cloud computing make it a popular choice among various organizations across industries.

If you’re a cloud enthusiast and wish to build a successful career in this ever-growing sector, check out our career leap-assured Postgraduate Certificate Program In Cloud Computing that can help you become a complete Cloud Professional.

Also Read

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing: An Easy 5 Step Process
• Hybrid Cloud & How Does It Work: A Detailed 6 Step Guide