Understanding Cloud Computing and Windows Azure

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product. It is completely based on the Internet. Cloud Computing provides on-demand hardware (like Server), storage resources, services hosting and services management environment, and other devices as a utility or resource over a network, rather than having your local servers or personal devices to handle manage your services and applications.

Cloud

A Cloud is just a combination of hardware (computer, other devices), networks, storage, services, and interfaces that helps in delivering computing as a service. It has mainly three users - end user, business management user, and cloud service provider.

The end user uses the services provided by the cloud. The business management user takes care of the data and the services provided by the cloud. The cloud service provider is responsible for the maintenance of the IT assets of the cloud.

Cloud Service

A cloud service allows you to build cloud applications without installing it on the computer. It reduces the maintenance and support of the application as compared to the applications which are not developed by using the cloud service. The different kinds of users can use the application from the cloud service.

Windows Azure

Windows Azure is an open and flexible cloud platform that serves as the development, data storing, service hosting and service management environment. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage web applications on the internet through Microsoft datacenters.

Advantage of Windows Azure

There are following advantages of Windows Azure-

1. Reduce the effort and costs of IT management.

2. Reduce costs of building and extending on-premises resources.

3. Respond quickly to changes in your business and customer needs.

4. Choose an on-premises or off-premises deployment model that best suits your needs.

5. Scale your IT resources up and down based on your needs.

6. Consume computing resources ONLY when the needs arise.

7. Remove the need to manage hardware.

8. Use your existing development skills to build cloud applications.

9. Consistent development and management experience across on-premises and the cloud.

What do you think?

I hope you will enjoy the tips while working with Windows Azure. I would like to have feedback from my blog readers. Your valuable feedback, question, or comments about this article are always welcome.

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