Category: Cloud

Cloud computing describes a service model in IT that allows existing computing resources and entire services to be shared promptly and with little effort. This means that existing resources such as computer cores, main memory and hard disk storage, but also entire services, can be reserved on demand and returned after use. For example, if a server (with 4 processor cores, 8 GB of RAM and 60 GB of hard disk space) is required for a period of 14 days, only the resources required for these 14 days are charged.

Typically, the user does not have to invest in new, additional hardware, but is only charged for the resources used. From a financial point of view, this means that since no new investment is made, no CAPEX budget is incurred here and can therefore usually be included in the operating costs (OPEX).

Accordingly, five necessary characteristics are defined for cloud computing:

1. on-demand self-service / self-service principle.

As a user, I can reserve the resources and services I need myself and have them made available.

2. broad network access / standard network access

The resources and services created can be accessed via the usual, standardised network access options, e.g. via the Internet.

3. resource pooling / resource sharing

The resources and services offered are usually available to several mandates. Thus, all these mandates can reserve required resources from a pool and return them to the pool after use.

4. Rapid Elasticity / Rapid Scalability

The reserved resources and services can be scaled up and down quickly and usually automatically as needed. As a rule, only the resources actually reserved are charged by the second, minute or hour.

5. Measured service / measured services

For usage-based billing of reserved resources and services, these must also be measured and monitored. This serves both to provide transparency to the customer as to which resources and services have been used and to what extent, as well as to detect errors and failures.

It is obvious that this service model can result in enormous savings opportunities in IT, especially in the case of volatile use of resources. But in order to actually benefit from this, someone has to provide these resources and services. This is where various cloud providers such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft come into play, each offering their own cloud environments in which cloud computing resources and services are provided.

And because each provider has its own benefits, I/O.nite runs completely cloud-agnostic. This way, you can choose which provider you want to go for.

Questions? Simply reach out to our experts: info@ionite-solution.com