Cloud Computing Pros and Cons

I initially wanted to title the post “Getting your head around the cloud”, as I have had a difficult time figuring out cloud computing.

Then I realized I wasn’t alone. Wikipedia’s discussion of the term trails on forever and Gartner recently produced a paper on “How to Identify Cloud Computing” (ID#G00158761).

What is Cloud Computing?

Paraphrasing the Wikipedia discussion board, cloud computing uses the power of multiple computers across the internet working in unison to accomplish tasks requiring significant processing power and storage.

Gartner defines cloud computing as, “a style of computing in which massively scalable IT-enabled capabilities are delivered ‘as a service’ to multiple customers using Internet technologies.”

The term should not be confused with SaaS, grid computing, remote computing, etc. But that’s where the difficulty lies with the term. Cloud computing services are now offered by Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Read this cloud computing service review.

Pros

• Ability to scale to meet quickly changing user demands
• Avoid purchasing assets for infrequent, intensive computing tasks
• Pay for the processing power you need only when you need it
• Avoid paying “out right” for hardware and software, rather lease on a monthly basis

Cons

• Services may not be fully reliable
• Compliance issues – storing private data offsite with 3rd party
• Lack of standards – difficult to port data from different cloud providers
• Lack of application availability
• Activities can’t be logged – can be a compliance issue for some

Suggestion
It depends upon your business environment. Conservatives should hold off until solutions are mature. For more aggressive enterprises, identify a smaller application or process used by a department rather than company-wide. This could be an opportunity to embrace the cloud. Read more on the pros and cons of cloud computing.

Tags: cloud computing, cloud computing cons, grid computing