What is cloud computing, and how does it differ from traditional computing?

The technical details of cloud computing and compare it with traditional computing.

Traditional Computing:

In traditional computing, organizations typically maintain their own physical servers and data centers to host applications, store data, and manage computing resources. These servers are often housed on-premises, requiring organizations to invest in hardware, networking equipment, and dedicated staff for maintenance and management.

Key components of traditional computing include:

1. Physical Servers: Organizations purchase and maintain physical servers to run applications and store data. These servers are installed in on-premises data centers.
2. Local Networking: Networking infrastructure is set up on-premises to connect servers, computers, and other devices within the organization's network.
3. Limited Scalability: Scaling the computing resources in traditional computing involves procuring and installing additional hardware, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

Cloud Computing:

Cloud computing, on the other hand, leverages the internet to deliver computing services. It eliminates the need for organizations to own and maintain physical hardware. Instead, they can use services provided by cloud service providers (CSPs) to access computing resources on-demand. Cloud computing is based on several key components:

1. Virtualization: Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server. This enables efficient resource utilization and isolation between different applications or users.
2. Service Models:
   • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. Users can rent virtual machines, storage, and networking.
   • Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers a platform that includes infrastructure, development tools, and services. Developers can focus on building applications without managing the underlying infrastructure.
   • Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis. Users can access the software without worrying about maintenance or updates.
3. Scalability: Cloud computing allows for easy scalability by providing the ability to quickly allocate or deallocate resources based on demand. This is often referred to as "elasticity."
4. Network Resources: Cloud services are accessed over the internet, allowing users to connect from anywhere. The internet is used as the backbone for data transmission.
5. Managed Services: Cloud providers offer various managed services, such as databases, machine learning, and analytics, relieving users from the burden of managing these services themselves.

Key Differences:

1. Ownership and Maintenance: In traditional computing, organizations own and maintain their hardware. In cloud computing, hardware is owned and maintained by the service provider.
2. Cost Model: Traditional computing involves significant upfront capital expenses for hardware, while cloud computing typically follows a pay-as-you-go model, where users pay for the resources they consume.
3. Scalability: Cloud computing provides easier and more flexible scalability compared to traditional computing.
4. Accessibility: Cloud computing allows remote access to resources, while traditional computing is often limited to on-premises access.

Cloud computing represents a shift from a traditional, on-premises model to a more flexible, scalable, and accessible model leveraging internet-based services.