As a project manager, there is a chance that you will have to utilize cloud computing in your project to learn more about your customer’s needs and challenges.
A lot of businesses have incorporated cloud computing in the way applications and data are computed and hosted.
With project management software hosted in the cloud, you have access to everything you need to perform your role regardless of your location. A project manager has to be aware of the strengths and limitations of clouds and their unique characteristics, the best cloud reporting tools, and how to make use of them.
In this article, we will discuss the different types of cloud computing available and how to choose the right cloud service provider.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing refers to infrastructure, platforms, or software hosted by third-party providers made available and accessible to users through the internet.
However, cloud computing has grown to include almost everything a company needs over the internet, from data storage to word-processing software for collaboration, and is cheaper to use.
In previous years, these services were available on hard drives and computers and required your presence at the office or access to a physical device to make use of them.
One of the major benefits that this tool offers project managers is the ability to share information and collaboration.
As a result of the software being hosted in the cloud, an entire team can have access to tasks, work schedules, and updates at any time.
It is also important for project managers to employ tools in understanding their customers, learn about their problems and consider their ideas for performance improvement.
Types of Cloud Computing
There are four major types of cloud computing and each of these clouds have distinct characteristics and solve different problems.
Public Clouds
Public clouds are cloud environments managed by third parties which provide cloud services to the public over the internet in a pay-as-you-go billing model.
They are meant to serve multiple tenants and are best suited for small enterprises to serve their IT needs.
Private Clouds
Private clouds are cloud environments solely designed for a single user or group providing them with unique computing resources.
They provide specific operations such as data replication, system maintenance, and monitoring, and are more secure since sensitive information does not flow out of the private infrastructure.
Unlike public clouds, explicit procedures have to be put in place when deploying according to third parr-party compliance standards.
Multi Clouds
These are cloud environments created by integrating the services of different clouds to meet the needs of a particular industry or business sector.
Multi clouds can be managed by an organization or a third party and are shared between organizations with shared tasks or needs who also want to improve security and their performance.
Hybrid Clouds
Hybrid clouds are cloud environments formed by the combination of private and public clouds and connected through local networks ( LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and APIs.
Every IT system becomes a hybrid cloud when apps can move in and out of multiple connected, yet separated environments. All hybrid clouds are multi-clouds but not all multi-clouds are hybrid clouds.
There are also three main types of cloud computing services: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service ( SaaS).
How to Choose the Right Cloud Service Provider
Deciding which service provider to use can be challenging considering the number in the market, however, there are some factors to consider when choosing.
The right decision involves the specific requirements of the project, current technology trends, cloud security and compliance, service levels, costs, and support.
While these might not give all the information you need, they are useful in determining which service provider you can trust with your data and applications.
However, if you want to dive deeper into the world of cloud computing, you can always study cloud computing online. Not only will it help you better understand cloud computing, but it’s an additional skill on your resume.
