Introduction to Cloud Computing for Beginners
what the heck is the cloud?
What is Cloud Computing or the Cloud?
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computing resources (such as storage and infrastructure), as services over the internet. It eliminates the need for individuals and businesses to manage physical resources or hardware themselves.
The cloud is a model of computer data storage in which data, said to be on “the cloud”, is stored remotely in logical pools and is accessible to users over a network, typically the Internet.
How it works: Cloud computing service models are based on the concept of sharing on-demand computing resources, software, and information over the internet. Companies or individuals pay to access a virtual pool of shared resources, including computing, storage, and networking services, which are located on remote servers.
Types of Cloud
Public Cloud
Public clouds are run by third-party cloud service providers. They offer compute, storage, and network resources over the internet, enabling companies to access shared on-demand resources based on their unique requirements and business goals.
Private Cloud
Private clouds are built, managed, and owned by a single organization and privately hosted in their own data centers, commonly known as “on-premises” or “on-prem.” They provide greater control, security, and management of data while still enabling internal users to benefit from a shared pool of compute, storage, and network resources.
Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid clouds combine public and private cloud models, allowing companies to leverage public cloud services and maintain the security and compliance capabilities commonly found in private cloud architectures.
What are the types of cloud computing services?
There are three main types of cloud computing service:
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offers on-demand access to IT infrastructure services, including compute, storage, networking, and virtualization. It provides the highest level of control over your IT resources and most closely resembles traditional on-premises IT resources.
Platform as a service (PaaS)
Platform as a service (PaaS) offers all the hardware and software resources needed for cloud application development. With PaaS, companies can focus fully on application development without the burden of managing and maintaining the underlying infrastructure.
Software as a service (SaaS)
Software as a service (SaaS) delivers a full application stack as a service, from underlying infrastructure to maintenance and updates to the app software itself. A SaaS solution is often an end-user application, where both the service and the infrastructure is managed and maintained by the cloud service provider.
In essence, the cloud overcomes the limitations of physical hardware, offering a vast amount of resources that can only be depleted when training LLMs.
