We’ve all heard of cloud computing, but do you know what it is and how you can use it as a developer? 

Cloud computing is a type of computing where applications are hosted in the cloud instead of being stored locally on computers. It allows developers to tap into an abundance of resources, such as high-performance hardware and software, to create and deploy applications at scale with minimal cost.

Cloud computing frameworks, tools, and services help developers build applications faster, store more data cheaply, access enterprise-class storage solutions, process data faster, and much more. These benefits make cloud computing attractive to many types of developers. In this blog post, we will discuss the advantages of leveraging the power of cloud computing for developers.

Benefits

First, let’s start with the advantages that cloud computing offers developers who need scalability for their applications or system. The benefits of using the cloud over traditional hosting technologies are obvious: dynamic scalability and easy resource management. Cloud providers can spin up extra virtual machines or increase storage space on demand when your application requires more resources than traditional web hosting could provide. You pay only for what you need without over-investing in infrastructure upfront or having unused resources sitting idle at any given time.

Next up is speed: with massive amounts of computing power available in data centers around the world there is less delay when requesting data transfers or sending large files between servers across disparate locations as compared to traditional on-premise equipment setups. This means faster development times when creating complex programs that require intensive computation and even reduces page loading times for web apps that rely heavily on databases with slow query responses on physical servers.

Finally, security: cloud solutions offer rock-solid security measures backed by industry best practices while also allowing users to control who has access to the system via role-based access privileges (RBAC). Additionally, patches are automatically deployed by providers so there’s no worry about keeping track of looming updates that might have security implications if skipped over during routine maintenance cycles as used to be done in legacy physical environments.

Understand before taking a Leap

In addition to these obvious advantages mentioned above, there are some other enhancements that come from running programs in a cloud environment to general availability (GA), auto-scaling ability, and disaster recovery options that minimize interruption events due to natural disasters or simple technological glitches like power outages amongst other things. With external server clusters running around the clock, it’s much easier to maintain global uptime rates so end users don’t experience extended downtime periods which was very difficult with past hosting platforms.

Utilizing external server clusters means that organizations don't have to rely on a single server or limited server resources. Instead, entire clusters of servers are dedicated to ensuring uptime and are able to scale as needed. This makes it much easier for businesses to maintain global uptime rates so that their customers and end users don’t experience lags or downtime periods created by slow loading times or server outages. This is in sharp contrast to hosting models of the past which often relied on single servers with limited bandwidth and resources that could not meet the needs of today's digital world. 

Furthermore, when utilizing external server clusters, businesses can usually create customized packages that fit the demands of their particular business model. This allows for more targeted hosting solutions; for example, different servers can be used for different applications such as web hosting, email hosting, database hosting, etc., allowing each application to be hosted in its own optimized environment.

Examples

Below are a few examples demonstrating how developers commonly leverage the power of the cloud for their projects:

  • Automated backups using object storage solutions like Amazon S3 which allow users to easily store their assets securely online without having set up their own local backup systems first;

  • Using powerful proprietary databases such as Microsoft SQL server or Google BigQuery that allow fast data querying from high volume datasets;

  • Hosting entire websites & web applications in a secure environment without worrying about provisioning powerful enough hardware for each project;

  • Taking advantage of scaling benefits against unpredictable traffic situations & user demand by using auto-scaling instances capable of sizes up & down depending on changing requirements;

  • Providing real-time streaming solutions utilizing services such as Red5 Pro allowed quicker development cycles & code easier wider deployments worldwide helping enterprises reach target markets beyond geographic limitations quickly & cheaply.

In conclusion, leveraging the power of cloud computing gives developers greater flexibility and control with regard to developing applications, and scaling them quickly & effectively maximizing all available resources while reducing total cost investments in each project significantly during all stages development process right through the deployment model lifecycle.

If you are looking for more concepts on scaling your technology and understanding cloud engineering, check out our Blog​