Blog Summary:

In this blog we have explained in detail about what enterprise cloud computing is all about and how it works. In addition to that, we have also discussed models, benefits, and challenges of enterprise cloud. We have also compiled the necessary steps to implement enterprise cloud computing as well.

For decades, most entrepreneurs have struggled to keep up with the client database. Probably, because as their business grows handling on-premises workload requires large data storage space.

This challenge has now been reduced to rubble, thanks to evolving technologies that led us to enterprise cloud computing. Businesses have welcomed this new IT trend by putting a lot of money in search of scalability and flexibility.

Still demand for public cloud services is expected to reach $678.8 billion in 2024 at a 20.4% growth rate, reports Gartner, Inc. The reason behind this is to leverage marketing techniques and stabilize growth in a cost-effective way.

If you want to join this league, then having an in-depth understanding of enterprise cloud computing is essential. For that, look no further, here we have an A-Z guide on enterprise cloud computing.

What is Enterprise Cloud?

It is an unified native architecture model with a combination of public and private cloud platforms to easily manage business important data and applications. It is a cloud-based native architecture to store and secure large amounts of client’s data without expanding your physical infrastructure.

The enterprise cloud solution offers unparalleled experience in accessing such a hefty business data or cloud application from anywhere. With such reliable cloud services, you neither have to worry about losing business data nor incur higher costs.

How Does Enterprise Cloud Computing Work?

Enterprise Cloud Computing Workflow

Cloud computing enables a single on-premise server to run more than one application consisting of different operating systems. It centralizes applications in such a way that it does not require a storage space, unlike traditional computing methods.

It has virtual machines in the form of computer resources that are usually located in remote areas. Utilizing this virtualization technology, it is easier to fetch data for users by means of the internet.

Eventually, it eliminates the need of extra resources and in return provides better scalability. And your customers no longer require a physical presence in the company’s premises.

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The Benefits of Enterprise Cloud Computing

Implementing the right strategy for cloud migration can reap many benefits. Also, it keeps your valuable data within a touching distance. Earlier, it was not possible with physical servers.

Here are some benefits worth knowing before making a cloud transition:

Advantages of Enterprise Cloud Computing

Scalability

A prominent benefit that businesses get while using cloud platforms. This is mainly due to less spending on hardware resources and better flexibility to meet the diverse market requirements.

As an entrepreneur, you can scale up your business by transferring data from one cloud platform to another.

Cost Effectiveness

Transiting your business workload into a cloud platform means no need for extra spendings. Neither it needs frequent maintenance cost nor an expanded physical infrastructure to manage large-scale business workloads.

Automated Updates

Once you migrate to the cloud-hosted environment, there is no need to check if there is an update available. Your chosen cloud service will automatically update the applications to their latest versions.

Using advanced computing technology, it ensures users in organizations have up-to-date software.

Security

Since transferring large-size applications involves high risk of data loss, cloud platforms come with little to no risks. It offers enhanced security by keeping your data in the cloud storage rather than maintaining it in physical servers.

Flexible Work Environment

Enterprise cloud computing has helped users achieve ‘work from anywhere’ approach. It has been up to the users’ expectation to access required data without losing their comfort zones.

This cloud environment is flexible in many ways that either employees can work from home or on-site. That’s how easy it is to work when you have cloud-hosted platforms.

User Satisfaction

Cloud computing has saved hours of user effort by centralizing entire data on a single platform. Also, it offers a convenient option to automatically upgrade the software or do it manually as per user requirements.

The cloud computing process tackles the complexity of data availability for remote users. Adhering to these factors, users have showered praise on evolving cloud solutions.

Increased Accessibility

Since everything is pushed to the cloud platform, users in the organization can easily access the data whenever required. With such accessibility, users can connect with co-workers or transfer the data risk-free, knowing that their applications are protected from possible threats.

Disaster Recovery

Organizations greatly benefit from cloud computing as they can recover the data from cloud platforms in case of cyber attacks or power outages. It is like having a plan B ready at the time of an unexpected event occurrence.

Challenges/Limitations of Enterprise Cloud Computing

Now that you know the benefits of cloud computing, let us take a look at what are the implementation challenges of enterprise cloud that you should keep in mind.

Legacy System Integration

If your system is not up-to-date and currently in use, then cloud transition will not be that easy. This is because your company’s software needs the latest technologies for smooth cloud migration.

Moreover, in case you have an outdated system in your organization, then also it would be really challenging. This could be a challenge, but, by the time you know how crucial it is to keep your software in good  health.

Security and Compliance

Securing your applications even after moving to the cloud is another cumbersome task that might pose several implementation challenges. Your cloud application can be accessible by users having no authorization.

That’s where you need help from a trusted cloud service provider. By partnering with a cloud provider, you can add an extra layer of security and control authorization access.

Vendor Lock-in

Vendor lock-in is another challenge that needs to be treated prior to the data migration. When you have finalized a cloud provider, it can’t be changed later on.

They may demand higher costs after some stages. Therefore, you must include a service termination strategy that might come handy in case things may not go as planned.

In short, failing to read contract terms at the time of vendor lock-in can lead to bigger challenges. To avoid such hassles, use multi cloud solutions where you no longer rely on a single cloud provider.

Enterprise Cloud Computing Service Models

Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS)

This cloud computing model helps you create a virtual infrastructure. It is easy to store and run the cloud applications. It offers customization in such a way that you require a minimum cost on setting up physical infrastructure.

However, the IaaS model requires skilled cloud developers to take care of the process. Computing services like AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform are ideal examples.

Platform-as-a-service (PaaS)

This model is usually provided by your cloud provider to build large-sized applications rather than extending your infrastructure. It has all necessary tooling support and frameworks for developers to build an application.

But, it doesn’t have more customization options. Platforms like Google App Engine or Heroku are based on the PaaS model.

Software-as-a-service (SaaS)

The SaaS model consists of the application developed by any third-party provider that does not require any maintenance. Neither you need to expand business infrastructure nor need to purchase any license.

Using this model, you won’t get many customization options on your side like other computing models. Google Workspace or Salesforce serve as an example of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

Types of Enterprise Cloud Architecture

As a business owner, you have multiple types of cloud computing architectures available to store and manage applications.

Here are four types of enterprise cloud architectures that you must know:

Private Cloud

Mostly used by business organizations, private cloud architecture restricts the use of any third-party users. This type of architecture is used for in-house infrastructure to enhance data security.

It can cater to the specific requirements of your organization by hosting data on a single server. This cloud deployment model might be expensive, but it provides robust security.

Public Cloud

Unlike Private cloud, this type of architecture can have general access. It can be utilized by anyone. Such cloud architecture type is developed and maintained by computing service providers. It is used by organizations or individual developers to store data, applications and SaaS solutions.

Hybrid Cloud

When both the above types fail to meet your business requirements, hybrid cloud comes handy. It offers a combination of two cloud types – private and public. Using hybrid cloud, you can opt for a compatible cloud environment for each business workload.

Multi-cloud

An ability to use one or more cloud platforms from multiple providers is what multi-cloud offers. This expanded type of hybrid cloud greatly caters to the needs of your organization.

It is ideal for businesses having large-scale operations and different teams to handle complex applications or data.

Cloud Computing Potential Considerations for Enterprises

Cloud computing transition requires a robust strategy to optimize cloud cost and achieve better scalability. Many enterprises are implementing cloud computing technology in order to gain sustainability.

FinTech

In FinTech, hybrid cloud or private cloud are ideal considerations due to their data privacy and security. Private cloud provides enhanced security to worry-free manage sensitive data. If any growing FinTech company seeking scalability, then public cloud is a better option.

It is also a cost effective cloud service. It can be suitable for FinTech startups or small businesses. Using a public cloud, you don’t need to rely on IT experts in comparison to private or hybrid cloud services.

Healthcare

Hybrid cloud is the best consideration as far as the healthcare sector is concerned. Choosing a hybrid cloud can assist organizations to easily store and access sensitive health records.

Since such organizations need regulatory compliance with HIPAA or GDPR, hybrid cloud is a top pick. Some health companies also prefer a private cloud to manage highly sensitive data.

EduTech

Companies in the education sector have a wide history of data loss as they depend on outdated computer software. But, the long-term challenge has finally been resolved with a hybrid cloud solution.

It offers better flexibility and security to keep their educational data safe in the cloud architecture. EdTech companies can transfer their important data in the cloud and access it from anywhere. Consequently, no more dependencies on hardware.

eCommerce and Retail

eCommerce and retail companies have such a large-scale data of customers and vendors to manage. And that’s why considering a private or public cloud can be the solution they are looking for. eCommerce and retail companies have seen many ups and downs in a peak season.

Therefore, considering a private cloud computing service can provide better scalability. The cloud solution ensures an eCommerce or retail app continues to run efficiently regardless of traffic level.

Government and Public Sector

Government and public sector have seen a spike in the adoption of cloud computing technology. Especially, after the pandemic government organizations are considering transition to cloud for increased productivity.

The cloud transition offers smooth integration with a legacy system, which means government servants can easily access the data without any disruption. Companies in the government and public sector can secure their large-scale data with public cloud services.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Manufacturers are considering a hybrid cloud computing model to streamline their supply chain management. Even many companies have started investing in cloud infrastructure to handle large-size customer data.

Migrating data to the cloud environment offers in-depth insights of the supply chain process. This process further helps them work on fixing loopholes and deliver outstanding customer experience.

Hospitality and Tourism

Tour companies have joined forces to implement cloud-hosted infrastructure to level up customer experience. With a cloud environment, companies are aiming for efficiency, transparency, and growth.

Therefore, small to large businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector are migrating to the cloud. They focus on tracking customer behaviors from multiple channels to find areas of improvement in hospitality.

Enterprise Cloud Providers

There are many enterprise cloud providers available in the market. Here, we have some trust-worthy names that offer reliable cloud solutions for enterprise-level businesses.

AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been the largest cloud provider with a 32% market share. Currently, it has more than hundred availability zones and offers services like cloud computing, data storage, analytics, and security.

This public cloud service provider is well-known for providing scalability to small or mid-sized businesses. However, AWS charges approx USD $71 per month, which makes it a most expensive cloud provider.

Major companies like Netflix, Airbnb, Formula 1 and Coinbase have been using AWS cloud services for a long time.

Azure

Microsoft’s Azure is another popular cloud provider after AWS with 22% market share. Operating in 120 different zones, Azure offers hybrid cloud architecture for businesses seeking cloud migration. It provides many extra services like machine learning, analytics and security.

Azure supports any language or framework to build a large and complex application. With Visual Studio, Azure aims for improving developers’ productivity. Renault, Starbucks, and HSBC use Azure cloud services.

Google Cloud

A public cloud provider, Google Cloud, ranks third on the cloud computing market with a share of 11%. It empowers developers to build and manage applications using its scalable cloud architecture.

Developers can avail additional services like analytics, integration and other tooling support. Also, it is a cheaper cloud service provider that charges approx. USD $63 per month. Toyota, Spotify, Twitter and Unilever are among customers of Google Cloud.

Cloud-native Technologies

It is a platform used to create a cloud environment using serverless computing or microservices containers. It lets developers deploy and work on applications. Istio and Kubernetes are popular cloud-based technologies to store your data or application and carry out the changes if required.

Also, some tools such as GitLab and Jenkins can be used in case of continuous integration. Hence, it is a cloud solution for enterprise businesses seeking scalability and agility.

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Steps to Implement Enterprise Cloud Computing

Here are a few steps that will help you implement cloud computing services successfully into your organization.

Defining Purpose and Scope

In the very first step, identify what are the applications or workload that you need to move on priority basis. Also, you should categorize who among your staff can access cloud-hosted applications.

Such questions are necessary to ask before you begin the cloud implementation process. At this point, you need to finalize the cloud deployment model – private, public or hybrid to meet your organization goals.

As a business owner, you must choose the reliable cloud services on the basis of any purpose you define. Not only define purpose but also determine the scope of your project. Keeping these small things in mind can lead to successful cloud adoption.

Choosing the Cloud Service Provider

In the next step, decide who will be the ideal cloud provider to help you migrate business applications into the cloud. While choosing a cloud provider, assess factors like service agreement, costs, integration, and post-service support.

Also, compare at what rates other providers are offering cloud computing services. Discuss with them how long it will take to complete the cloud transition and what extra resources will they need.

Moreover, conduct a background check to see if their customers are satisfied with services or not. Thoroughly read the customer reviews, from which you can finalize whether to go ahead with the chosen one.

Identifying Data and Apps for Migration

Now is the time to discuss with your cloud service provider in which order you should move business workloads. Prioritize which are the most important applications or data that will go first into the cloud.

At this stage, take help from service providers to perform assessment of business data and apps. This maneuver further aids you in smooth cloud implementation with minimum disruption during the process.

Creating a Migration Plan

Following the identification of data and apps, it is important to develop a migration plan for transition. This will give an idea of whether you missed any technical factors to consider before starting the actual migration.

This strategic approach can be helpful in allocating resources or finding the exact migration timeline. A well-developed plan can assist you in nullifying potential risks in order to prevent any data loss in further stages.

Implementing Cloud Infrastructure

Next, start transferring data and apps to the cloud infrastructure. At this stage, businesses can make the most of platform-as-a-service (PaaS) where developers can develop or run the applications.

This step involves use of the internet to host the applications into a complete new infrastructure. Since you have already checked the compatibility of applications in the cloud, implementing cloud infrastructure would be much easier.

While doing so, make sure you divide workloads into multiple servers in order to prevent overloading. Plus, use automation tools to boost the application deployment in the cloud. As a result, you will save time and effort to complete this implementation task.

Testing and Validating the Cloud Environment

Once you are done with the above steps, it’s time to perform adequate testing of the cloud environment. The reason behind this testing and validating process is to check how good is support for network setups.

It minimizes the risk factor like possibility of data breach or system downtime. Most importantly it also checks if your application is scalable and responsive in the recently-adopted cloud environment.

Thereafter, comes validating application functionality to know what’s system is truly capable of. If anything doesn’t work as per migration strategy, it’s better to fix such things at this stage. Eventually, this process can be used to enhance user experience and efficiency.

Optimizing and Improving Cloud Infrastructure

Once you have implemented cloud infrastructure, you also need to ensure if it is running smoothly or not. Here, understand your business objectives and ask your hired cloud provider to develop a post-management plan for keeping cloud-hosted applications in good health.

Let them conduct regular checkups and maintenance after the successful implementation of cloud. Also, develop certain policies on cloud apps when to optimize or at what interval changes will be made in applications.

Implementing Security in Cloud

No matter what number of applications you shift to a cloud-based environment, you always need to make sure they are safe and secured. This essential step is all about protecting your sensitive data in the cloud.

Since cloud storage can handle such a large amount of data and apps, it also has chances of security threats. There might be security issues when transferring of data is being done from machines to servers.

Therefore, you need multi-factor authentication (MFA) to restrict the usage within your team. Such security measures help your team collaborate more effectively without worrying about possible security breaches.

Monitoring, Testing and Scaling Cloud Environment

In the last step, ensure you keep continuous track of how cloud-enabled applications are performing. It involves thoroughly tracking performance metrics using monitoring tools to keep apps up and running all the time.

Take help from cloud providers to perform testing and scaling of the environment. This process helps you dig out potential errors that may cause system failure. Hence, it is advisable to do regular testing to determine the good health of apps under the newly-adopted cloud environment.

Conclusion

Cloud computing market has seen slow and steady growth as more businesses are migrating to the cloud. It makes sense because neither cloud architecture is too expensive nor it requires extended physical infrastructure.

However, the migration process also comes with lots of challenges that you need to tackle in the early stages. This is because you can smoothly deploy cloud-hosted applications and developers can make changes anytime.

If you are looking for cloud solutions, then Moon Technolabs has highly-skilled developers. We promise to deliver solutions that can be a perfect fit for your business.

FAQs

01

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is to secure your important business data and make it easily accessible without expanding on-premises infrastructure. It allows employees to use necessary data from any location in order to perform their duties. It utilizes a single physical server, which can be anywhere.

02

How many types of cloud computing are there?

Mainly there are 4 types of cloud computing, namely - private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and multi-cloud. You can avail any type of cloud services based on your organization requirements. It is recommended to approach third-party cloud providers before you finalize migrating data into the cloud.

03

How to know which cloud computing suits my business?

In case you are interested in adopting cloud computing for your business, start with developing an effective cloud migration strategy. It gives you a clear idea on which cloud computing type aligns perfectly with your requirements. You can even contact cloud providers to seek expert advice on availing cloud computing service.
About Author

Jayanti Katariya is the CEO of Moon Technolabs, a fast-growing IT solutions provider, with 18+ years of experience in the industry. Passionate about developing creative apps from a young age, he pursued an engineering degree to further this interest. Under his leadership, Moon Technolabs has helped numerous brands establish their online presence and he has also launched an invoicing software that assists businesses to streamline their financial operations.