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Cloud Hosting Explained

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Cloud Hosting Explained
Cloud hosting has become one of the most trending internet based services in recent years. The irony is that although this type of data sharing is one of the most powerful tools on the internet, relatively few actually know what it is. Let us examine some of the basic principles which make cloud hosting the option of choice for a growing number of individuals and businesses.

What is Cloud Hosting?

Think of this service as a means by which resources and information can be spread across multiple servers. All data loads and security issues are handled in a virtual environment across these numerous platforms. Therefore, an individual or website has the added benefit of utilizing the resources and increased storage space it provides. A Google document is one commonly used type of cloud hosting although some of us may not realize it. Information is gathered, modified, stored, and shared amongst numerous individuals or entities while only authorized personnel have the ability to access and modify this data.

Is Cloud Hosting Different than Cloud Computing?

These two applications are, in a way, close cousins. In effect, cloud computing refers to any situation whereas applications or processes are shared by multiple computers; say, for instance applications hosted on each computer in a certain network. The main disparity between cloud computing and cloud hosting is that cloud computing uses a great deal of hardware and software shared by many users. As opposed to being stored between multiple computers as in cloud computing, hosting allows information and applications to be spread amongst a number of different servers. It is important to remember that in cloud computing, a group of computers acts as a singular storage device whereas hosting uses groups of servers attached to individual computers to do the same.

What are the Benefits of Cloud Hosting?

The most obvious advantage which cloud hosting offers is that of the ability to share proprietary information amongst authorized individuals or companies without the risk associated with traditional e-mail services. Many parties can access the application and associated data at the simultaneously and therefore the lag time between sending and receiving information can be greatly reduced.

Another great advantage is that should one server fail, others can in effect take the additional workload. Whereas if an email service fails the individual has no choice but to wait for the problem to be rectified, with cloud hosting the chance of all servers failing is virtually nil.

Also, since cloud hosting shares all websites and applications across a single infrastructure, the programming itself can discriminate which sites and processes are receiving the most web traffic. Therefore, additional space can be allotted for those websites or applications which require more capacity at any given time.

A final benefit is that by sharing multiple servers the bandwidth greatly increases. For most applications, this translates to virtually unlimited bandwidth and processing power for more complex tasks.

Cloud hosting has become one of the newest trending advantages associated with the internet industry. Many businesses choose this service because it proves a reliable and secure solution without the costs incurred of adopting a dedicated server. Cloud hosting is especially desirable for cross-platform communications between entities which need to be guaranteed that their data will remain intact should an individual node or application malfunction. As of present, this service is only hosted by the largest providers such as Google but it is already foreseen that given time and as the number of users increase, the costs involved will significantly decrease.

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