Cloud computing jargon buster

Cloud computing has changed the way businesses work. It has opened the doors to increased collaboration and the ability to access information from anywhere and at any time.

It has made the software that businesses use more flexible and cost-effective – you only pay for what you use rather than buying software off the shelf in a big initial investment. It has made scaling a business and its IT infrastructure a lot easier. But it is a little confusing.

There are still many people out there who despite using cloud services every day, don’t fully grasp the terminology involved. It’s understandable, the jargon that comes with the cloud is all very new to us.

With that in mind here is a mini cloud-computing jargon buster:

Cloud computing

This is basically getting your computing services over the internet rather than on your computer or local server.

It can refer to storage, applications, memory etc. It means you no longer have to download things onto your computer, you simply log onto the internet and your services are hosted there by a third party.

Utility computing

This refers to the pay as you go system used in cloud computing where you don’t install and maintain the service. It makes paying and using business services similar to other utilities like your water or gas.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

There are different level of using the cloud. IaaS means that you use the cloud for services such as storage, and processing. It means you don’t have to use up all the memory in your own IT infrastructure.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

This is a level of usage which generally only refers to developers. It is the use of the cloud as a platform on which to build and launch applications.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

This refers to the use of the cloud for applications and other software that you use for business. Anyone who uses things like Facebook, Google Docs, LinkedIn, Salesforce.com, Microsoft 365 etc. are using SaaS – which is most of us.

Public cloud

Designed for use by multiple parties at the same time, these provide services across many geographies and offer the best value for money. They often work on a pay as you go model. Users can access their own information in a public cloud but not the information of other users.

Private cloud

This is a cloud service designed to serve only one company. It means that colleagues can work in real-time and share projects but it is not using the same cloud as users from outside the company. It suits companies to who want the benefits of the cloud but still want complete control.

Hybrid cloud

A combination of using the public and private cloud for a business’s IT needs. It’s good for businesses which are reticent to move all services into the cloud.

Cloud washing

This is the marketing technique of rebranding an old service using the cloud terminology in order to get more buzz around it.

What is Cloud Computing

It's virtual

Imagine racks of servers, humming along in a data center. Together, these servers become a massive pool of resources. Divide this "pool" into multiple virtual servers, and you create a "cloud."

It can be secure

For the utmost security, create a private cloud on dedicated hardware. But always remember to put appropriate security measures in place, no matter which cloud you choose.

It's flexible and scalable

Since virtual servers aren't physical, they are super flexible, giving you what you need at the moment. Spin up a server in minutes, and take it down just as easily.

It can be affordable

You'll get the greatest cost savings in the public cloud, where your virtual servers run on physical servers that you share with other customers.

It's open (or closed)

In the open cloud, you can easily move your cloud around—without being locked into one provider or a closed, proprietary technology.

It can be secure and affordable

A hybrid cloud gives you the benefits of both public and private clouds. For example, you can put public-facing components in a public cloud, while storing customer-sensitive data in a private cloud.

Why Use Cloud GIS?

When you run GIS software and use GIS services in the cloud, you, or more likely your organization and your customers, may realize many of the same benefits other software and services users discover when they start their work in cloud. 

Common benefits include

No more software updates

In the cloud, the end-user is most likely using the latest, greatest version of the software or service. They don’t have to worry about installing or configuring software updates and can take advantage of new features right away, as they become available.

Convenient access to services

The organization is able to make its online services available to customers 24/7 (always on). This means that the business of the organization continues beyond the regular work day - letting customers use the software and services when they need it, at any time, from anywhere in the world.

Pay only for what you use

Using cloud services means that both the customer and the organization can take advantage of more flexible business models, which make it easier to budget for services rendered and, in the long term, may lower the overall cost of ownership. The cloud also makes computing extremely scalable, allowing you to quickly increase capacity during peaks of high demand and then scale back down when demand returns to normal levels.

Cloud GIS includes all of these benefits, in addition to making it easier to test and deploy GIS applications, which can improve your organization’s responsiveness and competitiveness. You may also find that Cloud GIS provides you with a more collaborative environment, particularly for your mobile workers and customers or if you have multiple offices located in different cities around the world.

Public and Private Clouds

Typically, cloud computing platforms can be public or private. In the public cloud, the infrastructure and applications are owned by the cloud vendor and essentially leased to the cloud consumer. A private cloud operates behind an organization’s firewall and is maintained within the parameters of the host organization, although the infrastructure and applications can still be owned by a cloud provider. Private clouds are becoming increasingly more popular.

 Many believe that the “sweet spot” for cost optimization in the cloud relies on a delicate balance of public and private clouds – often referred to as a hybrid solution. For cloud GIS users, this means taking advantage of GIS software and services within on-demand infrastructures, taking full advantage of both on-premise and off-premise, depending on the business needs or restrictions of the organization.

Topics in Cloud GIS

Imagine that all the GIS tools, imagery, basemaps, and databases you need to do your work are organized for you somewhere out there on the web. You can access those resources at any time, from your desk at work, from home, while you’re traveling; your data storage capacity increases automatically as you need it; and you can share your work instantly with colleagues or customers across the globe.

This is idea behind Cloud GIS – seamless access to GIS capabilities from anywhere.

What Is Cloud GIS?

Cloud GIS is the combination of running GIS software and services on cloud infrastructure and accessing GIS capabilities using the web.

Cloud computing offers an alternative to traditional methods of delivering and consuming GIS software and services to your customers.

Instead of running GIS on your own compute systems and operations, with Cloud GIS, your software and services reside on infrastructure – commonly (but not always) maintained off premises by a third party vendor – and made available through web technologies.

For a more detailed definition of cloud computing, see The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).