Understanding how Cloud Computing works

Cloud computing is the best way to dematerialize your IT. The company no longer has to invest in and manage an infrastructure. It can simply call on the many online services offered by Cloud Computing: computing resources, applications and development tools. In some situations, Cloud Computing can be cheaper for businesses. This is the case, for example, for those who decide to use Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions.

The different types of Cloud Computing

There are three types of cloud computing: public, private and hybrid. The former hosts several web applications that can be accessed via the Internet. Its aim is to optimize the resources available on the platform. The public cloud is accessible to an unlimited number of online users. It’s a godsend for companies looking to lighten their website traffic during peak periods, for example.

Thanks to the private cloud, companies can access all the resources they need quickly and easily. The hosting provider with a data center can provide them with a complete infrastructure, called Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS, depending on their needs. With a hybrid cloud, the company can use both public and private clouds at the same time, and have them communicate with each other.

The Cloud Computing market in France

The Cloud Computing market has been evolving rapidly in France over the past few years. From 2008 to 2010, it grew by 25%, generating nearly 1,860 million euros in sales, according to estimates from a consultancy firm specializing in the impact of information technologies on organizations. Cloud computing still has a bright future ahead of it. Private Cloud will gain ground over the other two forms of Cloud by 2012 for several reasons. Examples include the security and confidentiality of company data, and the quality and continuity of online services.

Cloud Computing is currently well adopted by companies with fewer than 50 employees, and large-scale enterprises with more than 2,000 employees. Cloud Computing is available for almost all IT functions: data backup and archiving, office automation, e-mail, IT security, application development and more.

The advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing

One of the many advantages of cloud computing is that it reduces the company’s investment costs. This method is ten times cheaper than buying infrastructure and managing it. Cloud Computing services are immediately and seamlessly available. In the event of a problem, Cloud Computing service operators are there to help.

To date, only 6% of corporate IT spending goes to Cloud Computing. According to the companies surveyed, the security and confidentiality of this practice, network dependency and loss of control over data are major obstacles preventing them from adopting Cloud Computing.

Securing your mail infrastructure with a SaaS solution offers a host of advantages. The ALTOSPAM email protection service is offered in SaaS mode.