Moving your business to the cloud helps you save costs, provides on-demand scaling, and increases the overall security of your IT systems.
When you start researching cloud computing and its benefits, you will find that cloud computing and cloud networking are often used interchangeably. Let's clear the fog. Cloud computing refers to leasing computational resources for storage, hosting, and using applications over the internet. On the other hand, cloud networking involves renting network resources from a third-party cloud provider.
Before highlighting the differences between cloud networking vs. cloud computing, let's understand what is cloud networking and cloud-based networks.
Cloud networking refers to leasing network infrastructure and capabilities from a third-party cloud provider. Be it routers, firewalls, load balancers, adapters, etc., you can access all networking devices remotely using cloud networking. With cloud networking, you ensure smooth data exchange across your organization by designing, configuring, and managing network resources on the cloud.
There are two types of cloud networks – Cloud-based networks and cloud-enabled networks. In cloud-based networking, both network management software and hardware are rented from the cloud provider. On the other hand, a cloud-enabled network is a hybrid networking model wherein you manage your on-site network infrastructure using the cloud. Based on the networking needs of your organization, pick a networking model that promises maximum efficiency. If you are confused about which cloud provider you should choose, here are 10 questions you should ask when selecting a cloud provider for your business.
Cloud computing involves renting third-party servers for storage, hosting applications, and managing databases over the internet. Whereas, using off-premise servers and network resources to build and manage your IT network is called cloud networking. Both cloud computing and networking eliminate the need to purchase expensive hardware to run business operations.
Now that we have settled the cloud computing vs. networking debate, let's look at cloud computing use cases.
1. Software as a Service (SaaS) - SaaS refers to on-demand applications hosted on the cloud. Google Workspace (formerly GSuite), Slack, Salesforce, and Dropbox, are some popular SaaS platforms.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS) - PaaS provides a cloud-based development environment enabling you to build, test, manage, and deploy applications. PaaS services include Microsoft Azure, Google App Engine, and OpenShift
.3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - IaaS providers allow you to access computing, networking, and storage resources over the internet. Amazon Web Services, DigitalOcean, and Google Compute Engine (GCE) are amongst the prominent IaaS providers.
4. Hardware as a Service (HaaS) - HaaS involves renting hardware equipment such as servers, laptops, and networking equipment for your organization. In cloud-based HaaS, you pay for virtual leasing IT equipment.
5. Network as a Service (NaaS) - NaaS is a cloud service model where you lease networking resources from cloud providers.