What is the Cloud ?

The Cloud computing (cloud computing services) is a service for hosting files or applications on external servers away from the operating site. In other words, the data is not stored on our computer but on the Web (in the cloud).

A new technology

Cloud computing allows users to access a catalog of standardized services to meet business needs in a flexible and adaptive manner, taking into account unexpected demands or peak periods, by only paying for the actual consumption. The Cloud is a new technology that allows access to all our files and information on the Internet without having to rely on the capacity to store that information.

This type of technology is for example widely used in the field of IoT and IIoT for the storage and analysis of collected data. Depending on the volume of data to be processed, the cloud is a real ally in the smart manufacturing domain. For instance, there is the Wise-PaaS offering from Advantech, which is fully available on the Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure.

Cloud Features

Its main characteristics are the use of shared resources and the independence of infrastructure, allowing the user to always have access to the same services, regardless of their location. All information, processes, data, files, etc., are located on the Internet network, like in a cloud, so that everyone can access complete information without necessarily owning a large infrastructure.

Technically speaking, behind this new data hosting service lies thousands of servers installed within datacenters (Datacenter in French). A Datacenter is a secure building that houses machines (servers, network, ...).

What are the features of cloud for the industry?

Cloud Benefits

The cloud offers a number of advantages over local hosting or more traditional solutions like virtual or physical machine hosting.

Low cost : free services for limited use or fixed monthly fees for major coverage. Billing for services based on consumption.
Security: data is protected and backed up
Real-time information : access to all information, at any time, anywhere, with a simple internet connection
A dynamic infrastructure allowing for great adaptability to users' varying demands
A high degree of automation, increased execution speed, being web-based
Location of independent resource pools: there is no need to own a large storage capacity
Quality of service : ability to rely on different service levels based on the client and the company
Consumption-based pricing. You only pay for what you consume.

All these advantages help to effectively meet the needs of industry 4.0 for businesses.

Cloud Computing provides us with different types of services

Several types of services are offered with the Cloud.

Private Cloud : On-demand infrastructure set up and managed exclusively by the company, which controls the services it needs and those to offer. A private Cloud will be the best choice for companies that require a high level of data protection and ensure continuous access to their services without relying on the Internet.

Public Cloud : Infrastructure implemented "on-demand" so that it can be publicly accessible and over the Internet. Generally offered by communication companies and Datacenters. Standardized services accessible from the Internet.

Hybrid Cloud : in this format, public and private Clouds are combined, where the client owns a part of the infrastructure, while sharing the other. This Cloud model is theoretically the most attractive for small and medium-sized enterprises and will be the most developed format in the future. A hybrid Cloud operates on two concepts: federation and portability.

I have a Cloud project for my industry

Today, the major cloud providers in the world are Amazon with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Azure

In summary

Cloud Computing allows entrepreneurs to access professional and qualified services to improve the results of their business without significant investments, installations, products, and personnel costs. Thus, for a low monthly or annual fee, companies can retain their technological resources for other applications or developments.