What if you never had to worry about running out of digital resources?
Nowadays, it’s no secret that we live in a digital world. And you probably know more than a few people who like to store documents, images, and other important data in “the cloud.” However, this only scratches the surface of what cloud computing can do. Once you understand the essential characteristics of cloud computing, you’ll better understand how and why this technology is poised to change the world.
Want to learn more about the key features of cloud computing? Keep reading to discover all the most important cloud computing characteristics and how to become a certified cloud professional.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing allows users to access different services that are hosted on the internet. This removes the need for users to personally own, operate, and maintain all of the different technological services they might need to use from time to time.
One useful way to imagine the potential of the cloud is to imagine your toolbox at home. Right now, that box only has so many tools; if you need more specialized tools, you’d need to buy them, store them, and maintain them over time. But with the cloud, you have access to an infinite number of tools and toolboxes, allowing you to access what you need when you need it. And once the tools you use go back into their virtual toolbox, you never have to worry about their storage, maintenance, or upkeep.
Now that you know more about what cloud computing is, let’s take a closer look at the many features of cloud computing and the benefits it offers.
Also Read: What is a Cloud Server? A Basic Guide
1. Features of Cloud Computing: Serious Savings
There are many characteristics and benefits of cloud computing, but the one most people get very passionate about is the potential for serious savings. In short, there’s no better way for a person or business to reduce operating costs than cloud computing.
Why is that? The whole point of the cloud is to give you access to apps, services, and information stored in a remote location. Instead of investing a small fortune in hardware and software, entrepreneurs can hit the ground running by accessing everything via the cloud (just one reason this strategy is so popular among cash-strapped startups).
2. Cloud Computing Characteristics Make Scaling Simple
Sometimes, a business achieving major success feels like the dog finally catching up to the mailman’s truck. For example, when a small or mid-sized business makes it big, it often has trouble scaling up its different assets to meet the enhanced demand.
However, one of the biggest features of cloud computing is that it makes scaling simple. You can always access more cloud resources as your business grows. Conversely, cloud computing makes it easy to scale down if your business falls on hard times (as many businesses did during the COVID-19 pandemic).
3. Better Cyber Asset Management
As more information assets become digital, cyber asset management is more important than ever.
On the most basic level, cloud computing makes it easier to manage digital assets because you can access everything with a single click if you need to. Once you free yourself and your business from the need to store everything locally, it becomes easier to run a growing business or simply access whatever information you need whenever you need it.
4. Flexibility: One of the Essential Characteristics of Cloud Computing
In an age of viral memes, perhaps nothing better embodies our current culture than the little girl asking, “Why not both?” That meme resonates because, deep down, no person or business wants to settle for anything less than…well…everything they can get!
If that message resonates with you, you should know that one of the best cloud computing characteristics is that it provides the flexibility you’ve been dreaming of. If you suddenly need new resources, you can access them right away. And if you no longer need those resources, you simply stop using them, allowing you to tackle each project as you see fit.
5. Improved Security in Your Organization
Sometimes, people are paranoid about storing so much information in the cloud because they worry it could get easily stolen. However, the sobering truth is that data stored in the cloud is almost always safer than data stored locally.
Why is that, though? Basically, cloud service providers have gotten very good at developing their own cybersecurity methods to keep nefarious hackers away. And you can supplement their strategies with your own in-house measures. This gives you redundant cybersecurity that can help you protect your most sensitive information.
Also Read: Cloud Computing Trends for 2024
6. Collaboration Made Easy
Even before the pandemic, the business world was becoming one of the global workforces joining together. And since the post-pandemic world made remote work a regular workplace feature, workers being able to collaborate with one another easily has become very important.
In fact, most students have experimented with cloud collaboration basics when using apps such as Google Docs. But that’s just the tip of the collaborative iceberg: Different cloud services can help workers worldwide create and share all kinds of files with one another. It feels like just yesterday we were all stuck passing info back and forth via email and jump drives, so this kind of online collaboration is a real game-changer.
7. Easily Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Everyone, from individuals to businesses, is more focused on environmental conservation. And the single best way to help the environment for both people and industries is to reduce our carbon footprints as much as possible.
The great news: Reducing carbon footprints is one of the essential characteristics of cloud computing. In addition to ensuring you don’t have to store all your information on local computers, many cloud service providers are powered by renewable energy, and those running them have perfected the art of energy efficiency. Ultimately, relying on the cloud is always better for the environment than trying to do everything independently.
8. The Ultimate Backup Plan in Case of Disaster
Another thing that individuals and businesses have in common is that everybody is scared of losing their most important data. For example, it wasn’t that long ago that a building burning down could set a business back for months or even years because of the valuable information lost.
However, one of our favorite cloud computing characteristics is that data backup is always just a click away. In the event of a major disaster, you don’t have to worry about losing everything forever, providing some serious peace of mind.
9. Enhance Productivity Like Never Before
Ever feel like you just aren’t getting enough done? Whether we want to admit it or not, our lives are driven by the need to be as productive as possible. And if you’re interested in becoming more productive, you should know that enhanced productivity is one of the key features of cloud computing.
Why is the cloud so great for productivity? The simplest answer is that individuals, workers, and managers can all access important apps and info from anywhere on the planet. Just think about what you could get done if you didn’t have to drive to campus or your workplace just to finish a task!
10. The Secret to a More Agile Business
Somewhere along the way, “agility” became something of an annoying buzzword in the business world. Buzzword or no, though, agility remains a key feature of any ambitious business looking to grow.
Agility, of course, simply refers to how quickly a business can pivot in a new direction when faced with the unexpected. It’s an “adapt or die” world out there, but one of the chief cloud computing characteristics is that the cloud helps businesses adapt to changing market conditions by embracing new technologies and strategies that help them beat out the competition.
Also Read: What is AWS? A Detailed Guide For Beginners
Unlock the Power of Cloud Computing Today!
Now you know what the primary features of cloud computing are. But do you know who can help you make the most of exciting cloud computing characteristics?
An online bootcamp is designed to provide you with all the skills you need to start benefiting from the cloud. You can learn from the top minds in this field and unlock the full potential of cloud computing. You’ll get hands-on industry experience and learn how to design, plan, and scale cloud computing implementations.
To discover how many doors this will unlock in your career, you must enroll in this stellar cloud computing bootcamp today!
You might also like to read:
A Guide to AWS Certification Courses
How Does Cloud Computing Work? A Beginner’s Guide
A Guide to the Top Service Models Of Cloud Computing
