Cloud computing has evolved a lot over the years: as more companies want to reduce cost spending, they start turning to cloud-based services. So far, the most common cloud offerings are IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. While they let your enterprise focus on core business needs, cloud services still have some disadvantages and pitfalls you have to watch out for. Keep reading to learn how to avoid them.
Before we dive into it, let’s remind ourselves what cloud service is in general: it’s a type of service that is available for users on demand online from a cloud computing provider’s servers. Cloud services provide scalable and straightforward access to resources, applications and services that are managed by a cloud services provider.
Consequently, there’s no need for companies to deploy their resources or allocate the IT staff to manage these services.
Apart from all the good that cloud computing technologies have brought us, you should clearly understand the key challenges you might face when dealing with cloud-based infrastructures.
These are some of the most troubling concerns when it comes to cloud computing because its architecture doesn’t provide automatic security compliance for the end-user. It means that application designers have to make sure apps written for the cloud are secure initially. Of course, cloud vendors do take some responsibility, but the main part lies on those who develop apps. Plus, you should always remember that some critical services are usually outsourced to a third party, which makes it even more complicated to maintain data privacy and integrity.
In cloud service development, all components are online. Even if you’re absolutely sure that your security team is the best, you’re still prone to attacks and breaches. Cloud computing is built as a public service, so, basically, anyone with a valid credit card can use it.
Unfortunately, service outages are pretty frequent for internet-based systems due to various reasons. That’s why you should ask yourself if your business can afford a slowdown and how much it will cost you if that happens. Some companies lost millions because of outages, so always play it safe.
Although everyone seems to understand what the cloud is and how it works, people often forget that just like any other technology, it’s evolving every day. It means that the cloud isn’t just a big server cluster anymore. That’s why there is a lot of misunderstanding about how easy it is to move from one type of infrastructure to another and how public and private clouds coexist.
Along with having cloud-based applications, most enterprises still have a lot of on-premise applications. Sooner or later, you’ll need to connect some of them, and you’ll discover that quite a few of them have complex integration needs.
Service providers entirely own, manage and monitor the cloud infrastructure, and, usually, customers have very little control over it.
Some users might think they have even less control over the function and execution of services. Sometimes, it’s due to the EULA (end-user license agreement) that limits what customers can do with their deployments. So, they still have a hold of their data, services and applications, but not the back-end infrastructure.
Even though it might seem like your business is saving money, delivering sophisticated and intensive data over the network still requires sufficient bandwidth. That is why many companies are waiting to reduce costs before they can switch to cloud services.
Switching between different cloud providers might not be the easiest thing yet. Thus, a lot of companies find themselves locked in with a particular vendor. Plus, there’s a big chance you’ll expose your data while migrating from one vendor to another.
Cloud Service Development and Cloud computing isn’t the future anymore – it’s our reality. A lot of organisations use cloud computing services to scale their business and reach highest levels of agility.
However, just like with any other infrastructure service, you should fully understand the challenges cloud computing brings. That said, before opting for any services, assess how the cloud will affect your business, run a thorough research and only then slowly start moving toward becoming a fully cloud-based enterprise.