What Does the Modern Cloud Look Like?

The evolution of cloud computing has been an incredible thing to watch for businesses. The cloud solutions that are available these days offer benefits in almost every category of business improvement.

Though the technology advances with each passing day, as you’re making business decisions now, it’s important to understand what the world of cloud computing looks like today.

The Current Cloudscape

How are business reacting to cloud solutions? Businesses are taking to the cloud by storm. And with the enormity of solutions available, it’s no wonder that 70% of enterprises will be implementing a multi-cloud strategy by 2019, according to Gartner.

This isn’t just limited to a cloud-based business app here and there. Companies now run 79% of workloads in cloud, which means the power of mobility, connectivity and productivity are translating to a big part of IT strategy.

Major Cloud Providers

While there is a wealth of cloud providers offering an ever-expanding catalog of cloud solutions, the top three have dominated the market and are often the go-to cloud provider for businesses looking ways to scale and improve workflow.

Amazon Web Services

The cloud as a commercial product really begins with Amazon Web Services, giving enterprise and small businesses alike the opportunity to build applications with powerful cloud software and host software platforms for their customers. Clients include Netflix and Expedia.

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure offers cloud solutions that interweave seamlessly with its most popular platforms, like Office 365. Azure boasts 90% of Fortune 500 companies on its roster, including Adobe and 3M.

Google Cloud

Google Cloud gives you innovative machine learning, data analytics and more to help businesses harness previously unavailable computing power. Their top clients include Coca-Cola and Spotify.

Types of Cloud Solutions

For many businesses, choosing the type of cloud depends on the needs and goals of the individual business. Cloud access comes in three forms:

Public Cloud

Public cloud offers you the most flexibility in terms of mobility and scalability. With the public cloud, users effectively share access to storage and computing power. Likewise, there is no required management with the public cloud.

Private Cloud

For businesses who want higher security standards, the private cloud gives you sole access to data center servers. There is no sharing, which reduces flexibility but does mitigate risk at a higher level.

Hybrid Cloud

Hybrid cloud solutions give you an opportunity to utilize both the public and private cloud wherever each is most beneficial. In this circumstance, some of your workflow (like emails) may be in the public sphere for speed and flexibility, while others (like customer data) may stay private for extra security.

Variety of Applications

The variety of cloud applications is virtually limitless. Businesses looking for scalability may find virtualization in the cloud fulfils those needs. Others looking for business continuity options, too, may find that the cloud gives them the best backup and recovery support choices.

No matter what your business needs may be, there are cloud solutions available to you if you know where to look.

Contact GB Tech today to talk about your cloud options for business.

Learn More: Work More Efficiently from Anywhere with the Cloud