Good Research Paper On Cloud Computing AND Its Impact On Organizations

Introduction

The advent of the internet technology has significantly changed the business landscape as well as the way organizations operate. Scholars often refer to this phenomenon as the ‘internet of things,’ wherein organizations and individuals make extensive use of internet and related technologies as its new platform. One of the recent internet technology that has captured the imagination of modern organizations and individuals is cloud computing. Defined as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction,” cloud computing is the considered as the latest buzz in the applicability of the internet in business organizations.

History of Cloud Computing

The concept of cloud computing is considerably as old as internet technology itself. One of the founding fathers of the internet, J.C.R. Licklider, envisioned an “intergalactic computer network” as early as 1960’s but then the technology that would support a fast and reliable connection is one of its major drawbacks . Aside from the fact that computers are rather bulky, setting up a computerized system is unpractical and expensive. However, as computers became increasingly used, it is found that people can work more efficiently if they network all their computers into a centralized system. The primary set up would be to use a powerful computer with a huge memory storage where all files and processes are saved and can be accessed by every computer in the network. Apparently, in this particular set-up, enormous savings in equipment and maintenance can be achieved. As observed by Smith, having a central computer that does all the heavy works is cost effective as well as efficient, which formed the basic concept of cloud computing as it is today. However, the potential of cloud computing could not be fully developed because the technology could not yet support its practical applications. It should be noted that the internet is a brainchild of the United States military and was not available for public use until the 1980s. However, when the internet became public, massive improvement in network infrastructures were embarked both by government and private corporations. In just a few years, internet usage has substantially increased as well as the internet’s physical and virtual layers. From limited speeds, internet became more powerful with the invention of more efficient network infrastructures and physical layers. Among the most notable improvement is the employment of network infrastructures that can support speeds of up to 100mbps for fast Ethernet connection and up to 1000Mbps or the 1 gigabit Ethernet for fiber optic networks.

The Modern Cloud Computing Technology

Utilizing the highly improved internet infrastructure as well as the intensive world-wide connection of computers, the modern cloud computing system is born. Today, cloud computing systems are being operated by IT solution companies that offer a plethora of online business solutions. Scholars identify four types of cloud computing that is being employed today. These are the public cloud, b) the private cloud, c) the community cloud and d) the hybrid cloud . The public cloud computing system pertains to any application that is publicly available online. Most often, the public cloud services are less expensive and sometimes free although the system is not very reliable and secure. As observed by experts, the public cloud offer the greatest level of efficiency in shared resources but they are also more vulnerable from internet threats. Among the common examples of public clouds are social networking sites, email systems and other web based applications that is meant for public access. The private cloud, on the other hand, is primarily used when a more reliable and safe networking and computing service is a major concern. Access to this cloud is limited only to the group that uses it and is most often serviced by dedicated IT companies and professionals. Although the private cloud computing system is more expensive, most organizations that want to operate in a secured private network prefer to use these services. While the private cloud is exclusive, a community cloud is a semi-exclusive cloud computing services because it is designed to serve a limited number of users. The hybrid cloud system, on the other hand, is a combination of all these types of clouds. As its name suggests, the hybrid cloud uses a variety of public and private cloud systems tha can be provided by multiple IT companies. This type of cloud is often employed when an organization manages both public and private networks.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Cloud Computing

The cost of maintaining an IT system as well as developing programs and applications that would support business functions can take its toll both in cost, time and efficiency. Aside from the fact that the company would have to maintain their own research and IT team, software development and maintaining an internal IT system becomes a drain in a company’s resources. Issues related to IT systems could also take the company’s focus from its core business. For the same reason, most organizations find it practical to employ the services of IT companies that offer cloud computing services. Depending on the type of business that an organization is engaged, there is a particular cloud computing service that can cater to its needs. Public cloud computing systems, for example, can provide a very efficient way of having free or cheap computing system while businesses who work in a more confidential environment such as banks and financial services may opt to choose to send their data over secured and private cloud systems. Online security threats, on the other hand, makes cloud computing system a high risk endeavor. Today, a plethora of online threats such as social engineering and malwares can place organizational processes at risk. Use of cloud computing can also increase an organization’s dependence on IT services and infrastructures. As a result, internet downtimes as well as system failure may significantly affect the organization’s performance or worse still, could totally incapacitate the organization.

Conclusion

The phenomenal growth of internet usage has given rise to cloud computing services. Apparently, as more people use online services, more businesses realize the importance of conducting their business online. For the same reason, cloud computing will continue to grow as internet and IT services becomes increasingly in demand. Cloud computing is seen as the future of business processes but despite the advantages and benefits it provides, there are also drawbacks that its users should be aware of. As organizations becomes increasingly reliant to cloud technology, they are also prone to system disturbances due to internet and system disruptions. Cloud computing should thereby be used with caution with proper back-up plans to provide for system issues. But despite the drawbacks, the enormous advantages of cloud computing technology will definitely revolutionize the way business conduct their operations.

References

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Hurwitz, J., Bloor, R., Kaufman, M., & Halper, F. (n.d.). Comparing Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud Computing Options. Retrieved April 2015, from http://www.dummies.com/: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/comparing-public-private-and-hybrid-cloud-computin.html
Huth, A., & Cebula, J. (2011). The Basics of Cloud Computing . Retrieved November 2013, from http://www.us-cert.gov/: http://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CloudComputingHuthCebula.pdf
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Mell, P., & Grance, T. (2011, September). The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. Retrieved April 2015, from http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-145/SP800-145.pdf
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