Since its early beginnings in 1996, cloud computing and cloud services in general have changed the way different industries have processed and created something out of data. Last year, a cloud native developer population report by SlashData revealed that there are over 7.1 million cloud native developers worldwide, exhibiting a 51% increase from their previous report in May 2020.
This shows how developers see cloud services as a reliable way to support their work and improve business applications. In fact, several companies have also begun migrating their systems or traditional applications to the cloud. But the most cutting-edge tech enterprises agree that overcoming modern challenges and gaining an edge on the competition won’t just require migration, but to invest more into cloud-based app development.
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Cloud-Based App Development
Cloud-based applications are essentially software programs that are run on the cloud. A Medium article on cloud computing explains that before its advent, companies were buying and running their own servers. To meet traffic flow and lower the chances of downtime, they also needed to purchase enough capacity. Applications were also run on individual devices such as PCs or laptops, but doing so did not provide the same benefits as the cloud does.
When it comes to app development, two cloud computing categories are most beneficial: Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Additionally, Database as a Service (DBaaS) refers to databases offered as PaaS or SaaS. As mentioned in a post on how to create a database in MongoDB, these diverse solutions can add a powerful functionality to your app, which is a great way to get data applications up and running quickly.
Cloud Is Cost-Effective
As previously mentioned, cloud eliminates the need to set aside capital expenses for buying and maintaining hardware and software. Instead, providers allow pay per usage and entry-level service packages that provide you to access these over the internet. In the long run, you’ll also eradicate the costs for any on-site data centers, IT teams that manage the infrastructure, and much more. You can then allocate your funds to improving the app itself.
Cloud Is Easy to Access
Cloud computing services are operated on a remote network of reliable data centers that are regularly updated. That said, cloud-based applications allow developers and business owners to access their data from any device. You can edit your company’s information, view customer statistics, and share this information with your team from anywhere in the world, at any time. This also gives developers the much-needed flexibility to manage operations.
Cloud Provides Security
In our post on how ‘The Cloud Can Help SMEs And Freelancers’, we mention that one of the greatest advantages to cloud is its backup services. Not only does it make information readily available, it also makes it recoverable in the event of disasters. Cloud service providers have a wide sense of policies, technologies, and controls that strengthen their security posture, protecting applications from upcoming threats or malware.
Cloud Offers Scalability
When you work towards the growth of a business, you should always be prepared for the resource requirements for your application to grow. InfoWorld highlights how cloud scalability is one of the advantages that can help you handle usage spikes, which can significantly affect traditional application infrastructures. Thankfully, cloud-native applications are designed and built around dynamic resource allocation to help ease this burden.
Cloud allows applications to be more cost-effective, easy to access, secure, and scalable. It’s a rapidly evolving technology that will continue to urge organizations to adopt cloud and enhance their operations through its many benefits.