Wander around online long enough these days and you’ll see a flock of buzzwords and acronyms that less than a decade ago either didn’t exist at all or were barely known; things like VoIP, SEO, apps, big data, and social media. With new technology comes a new vocabulary that we must learn because, after all, we don’t want to come across as clueless; got to keep up with what’s new and exciting.

Cloud Computing

But the one new buzz phrase that leaves the rest in the dust these days, the really hot term, is “cloud computing”. Suddenly, everywhere we turn, there’s some company in the clouds, or someone’s data, or pictures, or whatever, and it has nothing to do with meteorology. And if recent moves by some industry giants is any indication, cloud computing is more than just the latest clever jargon.

Cloud computing’s overwhelming advantages mean more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon.

Big Boys In The Cloud

Seems that these days, big companies like Amazon and Google are getting in on the whole cloud computing scene. Not to be outdone, IBM is the latest company to go all in on the cloud. In fact, one of our abovementioned buzz phrases, big data, is responsible for 47% growth for the top 50 public cloud companies, based on a report by Technology Business Research.

Clearly, cloud computing is not only be turned to by big business, but it’s actually becoming a big business. So why is the cloud so popular? Why is it being increasingly turned to as the go-to solution to today’s escalating data demands, and the preferable means of data storage?

Advantages Aplenty

One of the biggest advantages of cloud computing is that it levels the playing field for small to medium businesses. Whereas the big boys have resources aplenty for creating impressive on-site data centers and server arrays, smaller companies are hampered with smaller budgets and square footage. But the cloud offers best-in-class data storage and software as a service (SaaS) at a price that smaller companies can easily afford. By giving those smaller companies access to the same tools as the enterprise level businesses, it creates a more competitive environment, which in turn eventually benefits the consumer.

Cloud computing also helps in terms of expansion. On-site systems, while certainly expandable, come with their own share of grief when it comes to adding new resources. Cloud expansion is extremely easy, and, as an added bonus, things like upgrades are handled by the cloud host as well, and if there’s anything that can pose a big annoyance to a data center, it’s wrestling with upgrades and patch installation. All of those updates, all of that maintenance, is out of the hands of the clients and handled by the hosts, saving money on hiring IT professionals in-house.

There’s a strong element of flexibility to cloud computing; it’s an easily scalable resource that can fit any business, and even adjust downward if, for instance, a company is downsizing. Cloud computing scalability also provides businesses with services and storage that are an exact fit to their size and needs. There’s no waste here.

And even one of the biggest concerns about cloud computing, namely security, has been addressed. At a recent RSA Security conference, a panel of experts agreed that most enterprise data and workloads can be safely and securely transferred to a properly-vetted cloud provider’s environment.

More Than Just A Pretty Face In The Cloud

Let’s face it; with its cost-effectiveness, convenience, flexibility, security, and quality of services provided, cloud computing is not only here to stay, it’s just getting warmed up. Stay tuned, and keep your head in the cloud!