The company is struggling with the storage and perfect management of data, which is done within the confines of a manual archive where, at most times, old data is lost, or files are affected by the change in the environmental conditions. The company also losses more money on overhead management and when physically going into companies at different locations which need their consultancy services, and, thus, it requires cloud computing to handle these. They could pick the following types:
Public cloud
Cloud infrastructure is owned by the service provider company and exists within its premises. End users access the cloud services and pay according to their use. Cloud computing resources here are allocated on demand over the internet and thus mostly benefit small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The disadvantages of this type are that it is less customizable and has low security.
Private cloud
The infrastructure in this type of cloud is operated solely for an organization and is either managed by the organization itself or a third party. The system can exist within the company’s premises or outside. The advantages are that it has high security, offers more privacy, control and is more cost- and energy-efficient.
Hybrid cloud
This is a combination of two or more clouds where each of them works as unique components but are linked together by a harmonized system or secondary technology. This allows data and applications within the system to be moved around in the shared system. The advantages are that it is flexible, its scalability, it is cost-efficient, and has good security. The disadvantages are the networking issues and security compliances.
Cloud Service Providers
The three major cloud service providers are Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and IBM Cloud. Google cloud is a platform that is housed under the infrastructure that Google uses internally for other end-user products such as Google search, file storage, and email services. It utilizes data analysis software and machine learning to help serve a client best. It also allows one to set up a system or rather an online platform to suit their need and stores and manages data for the clients without any issues. However, Google Cloud does not allow much editing from the company’s side.
Alibaba Cloud is another provider which offers a full range of cloud products and services for a wide range of databases and also provides online systems security, networking, analytics of large data, domain and website creations with huge storage capabilities all managed within this cloud services. Lastly, IBM Cloud computing services offer clients the opportunity to experience AI-powered automation capabilities to handle complex applications across hybrid cloud environments.
Cloud service models are:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), which is a self-service model that provides virtual computing resources over the internet hosted by a third party. It allows the company to add, delete, and reconfigure its infrastructure on demand.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) allows organizations to build, run, and manage applications without the necessary IT infrastructure, making it easier and faster to develop, test, and then release apps for their use in the company.
- Software as a Service (SaaS) involves the utilization of licensed software to be used on subscription, replacing on device software. Most SaaS apps are accessed directly on the web and only require plugins.
Recommended Plan
I would recommend IBM Cloud as it would enable the company to utilize and host the cloud service within its premises. Moreover, IBM Cloud is more customizable to suit the customers’ needs, thus, it allows the company to have its own model of how to run everything that is set up into the cloud system. IBM would help the company experience AI automation, which would manage complex processes in the daily activities of the company.
Impact of Recommended Plan
Migrating to the cloud would have the company have a reduction in the operating costs with the increase in IT effectiveness and processes. The infrastructure overhead of the company would also be reduced, and tracking and upgrading of underlying software problems would be made easier. Nevertheless, the clients may not be happy with the new set up as the current one may have made them more comfortable. Some cloud services may also suffer from added latency when using cloud apps over the internet, and the company may also lose transparency and some control in a situation where a third party hosts their cloud service.