Top 7 Cloud Computing Platform

For many years, cloud computing has been an important part of enterprises' digital transformation. With the growth in popularity of remote work over the last year, these services have become even more popular. These cloud computing services are simple to use and save us time and energy by providing well-prepared services.

 

Cloud computing is now essential for every company hoping to stay on top of digital trends and conventions. And, as you may be aware, in this century's modern world, ignoring digital change is not an option. 

 

One of the best things about these services is that they may benefit everybody, not just huge businesses. These platforms may be used for a variety of personal and professional projects, including Data Science, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, and Database Management, among others.

 

(Related blog: Cloud Computing Tutorial)

 

 

Cloud Computing Platform

 

What is the definition of a cloud platform? 

 

The operating system and hardware of a server in an Internet-based data centre are referred to as a cloud platform. It enables remote and large-scale coexistence of software and hardware devices.

 

The distribution of various services through the Internet is what a cloud computing platform is. This is a common definition of a cloud computing platform. These resources include data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software, among other tools and applications. 

 

Cloud-based storage allows you to store files to a distant database rather than maintaining them on a proprietary hard drive or local storage device. As long as an electronic device has internet connectivity, it has access to the data as well as the software applications needed to run it. 

 

People and businesses are increasingly turning to cloud computing platforms for a variety of reasons, including cost savings, enhanced productivity, speed and efficiency, performance and security.

 

So, what are cloud platforms and how do they work? Computer services, such as servers, databases, storage, analytics, networking, software, and intelligence, are rented by businesses. As a result, businesses do not need to invest in data centres or processing equipment. They just pay for the services they receive.

 

(Must check: What is virtualization in cloud computing?)

 

Features and Benefits of Cloud Platforms

 

Cloud computing platforms offer a wide array of features and benefits that have revolutionized how businesses and individuals manage and use computing resources. One of the primary advantages of a cloud computing platform is its robust suite of features that cater to diverse operational needs. Users can provision and manage computing resources without human intervention, enhancing flexibility and control. 

 

Cloud platforms enable easy resource scaling based on demand, ensuring efficient resource usage and handling workload spikes. Cloud providers consolidate resources from multiple customers, improving efficiency while isolating user data. Thus, good cloud computing services ensure high availability, efficient resource management, and data integrity. 

Businesses can choose from different cloud options, catering to their diverse needs. Cloud platforms use shared resources efficiently, potentially reducing energy consumption and promoting an environmentally friendly business. Additionally, cloud providers use usage-based billing, promoting cost-effectiveness and eliminating significant upfront costs.

 

Users can swiftly scale resources, adapting to changing needs and minimizing over- or under-provisioning. Also, cloud services enable remote work and collaboration anywhere with an internet connection. Providers regularly update services, providing new features and security patches seamlessly.

 

Cloud platforms optimize utilization through multi-tenancy and pooling. They offer built-in disaster recovery and backup solutions for data safety and user protection. Furthermore, cloud computing accelerates development cycles and innovation by abstracting infrastructure concerns.

 

Types of Cloud Platforms

 

Cloud platforms come in a variety of shapes and sizes. None of them are suitable for everyone. To accommodate the different demands of consumers, a variety of models, varieties, and services are offered. They are as follows:

 

• Public Cloud: 

 

Third-party companies that supply computing resources via the Internet are known as public cloud platforms. A public cloud is a virtualized environment that extends a company's IT infrastructure by allowing it to host some components of its infrastructure and services on virtual servers that are hosted offsite and owned by a third party. 

 

Different capabilities distinguish public cloud service providers, and they provide a diverse range of services and pricing strategies. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, Alibaba, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Bluemix are just a few examples.

 

• Private Cloud: 

 

A private cloud platform is dedicated to a single company. It's commonly hosted by a third-party service provider or in an on-site data centre. A private cloud is a single-tenant environment, which means that the tenant does not share resources with other users. Those resources can be handled and hosted in a number of ways. 

 

The private cloud might be built on existing resources and equipment in an organization's on-premises data centre or on new, distinct infrastructure offered by a third-party provider.

 

(Related blog: Public vs private cloud)

 

• Hybrid Cloud: 

 

This is a hybrid cloud platform that combines public and private cloud systems. Data and apps are smoothly transferred from one to the other. The main advantage of a hybrid cloud is its flexibility. 

 

A basic element of a digital business is the necessity to adapt and shift course fast. To acquire the agility it requires for a competitive edge, your company may desire (or need) to integrate public clouds, private clouds, and on-premises resources.

 

 

List of Cloud Computing Platforms

 

1. Microsoft Azure

 

Azure has long been regarded as one of the greatest cloud services platforms accessible, given to Microsoft's extensive suite of services. The extensive list of offered services is sufficient to meet the demands of any company in any sector.

 

You may operate services on the cloud or mix them with any of your current infrastructures using Azure. Microsoft Azure was first published in 2010, and it has since shown to be a reliable solution for businesses trying to digitally change.

 

 

2. Amazon Web Services

 

Amazon Online Services (AWS) is a popular cloud computing platform for developing interactive web applications for your company. Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2), Elastic Beanstalk, Simple Storage Service (S3), and Relational Database Service are just a few of the IaaS and PaaS options available (RDS).

 

AWS' architecture is extremely adaptable, allowing you to save expenses by just using the services you want.

 

3. Google Cloud

 

Google Cloud is a dependable, user-friendly, and secure cloud computing solution from one of the world's most powerful IT companies. 

 

Although Google Cloud's service offering isn't as extensive as Azure's, it's still sufficient to meet all of your IaaS and PaaS requirements. Its headlines include user-friendliness and security.

 

Your first 12 months of service are also free, much like Azure. In addition, Google boasts that its services are less expensive and more budget-friendly than others.

 

 

4. IBM Cloud

 

IBM Cloud is another cloud computing platform that focuses on IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), SaaS (Software as a Service), and PaaS (Platform as a Service). 

 

It's one of the more cost-effective pricing plans on the market, and it's totally configurable, so you may save even more money. Using their APIs, creating an account is a breeze.

 

 

5. CloudLinux

 

CloudLinux is the way to go if you wish to construct your own IT infrastructure rather than depending on a third-party service. It's not just another cloud provider; it's a cloud platform for setting up your own infrastructure. It is a Linux-based operating system, as indicated by its name.

 

Working with CloudLinux comes with a lot of obstacles, but it also comes with a lot of benefits and advantages, such as total control, flexibility, security, and deep customization. (Here)

 

 

6. Hadoop

 

Apache Hadoop is a free and open source framework for processing massive amounts of data on commodity hardware. Hadoop is a Google-developed implementation of MapReduce, an application programming model. This paradigm includes two basic data processing operations: map and reduce. 

 

Yahoo! is the Apache Hadoop project's sponsor, and it has invested a lot of work into making it an enterprise-ready cloud computing platform for data processing.

 

Hadoop is a key component of the Yahoo! Cloud architecture, supporting a variety of corporate business activities.

 

Yahoo! now manages the largest Hadoop cluster in the world, which is also open to academic institutions.

 

 

7. Force.com and Salesforce.com 

 

Force.com is a cloud computing platform that allows users to create social enterprise apps. SalesForce.com, a Software-as-a-Service solution for customer relationship management, is built on the platform. 

 

Force.com enables the creation of applications by assembling ready-to-use blocks: a comprehensive collection of components covering all aspects of an organization's operations is accessible. 

 

Force.com assists with everything from data layout design to business rule creation and user interface design. This platform is entirely hosted in the cloud, and it allows full access to all of its features, as well as those incorporated in the hosted apps, using Web services technologies.(Here)

 

(Suggested blog: Introduction to Multi-Cloud)

 

In the end, choosing the best public cloud provider is becoming a more sophisticated conversation that goes beyond size. The leading cloud computing firms are catering to a sizable and expanding market. As a result, they provide a wide range of cloud-related goods and services, such as infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and software-as-a-service (SaaS).