Applications of Cloud Computing
Here are some important Cloud Computing applications:
Art Applications
Cloud computing services deliver several art applications. Such applications can be used for designing attractive books, cards, and creative images. They help in making instant creative designs. These designs can then be used for creating and printing mini cards. It also provides professional editing services. It can be configured or installed as simple desktop apps on the personal computers of designers. Examples: Vistaprint and Adobe Creative Cloud are top examples of cloud-based art applications or services. These applications help designers edit existing designs.
File Storage Platform
The online file storage platform is an example of a cloud application. There are several online file storage platforms that enable the end-users to host files, documents, videos, and images on the cloud. These applications provide end-users with a simple user interface to use, view and upload documents from their local personal computer to these sites. Such cloud computing services can be accessed for free and paid. When end-users pay a monthly or annual subscription fee, they can access premium services. Examples: Examples of online file storage platforms comprise of Media Fire, Hot file, and Rapid share.
Image Editing Applications
Many cloud services provide end-users with free editing services for pictures. This cloud service offers image resizing, editing, cropping, and special effects under one common graphic user interface. In addition to the above services, the cloud services offer contrast and brightness editable applications. The cloud service application delivers high-level, complex features for payment of subscription fees. They are customized so that they are easy to use for end-users. Examples: Popular examples of image editing cloud applications are Fotor and Adobe creative cloud.
Data Storage Application
Nowadays cloud computing model offers several data storage applications. It enables the end-users to store information in the cloud. Such clouds could be either a public cloud or a private cloud. You can store data, files, and images on such clouds. By doing so, cloud computing allows information sharing and collaboration. The data stored on the cloud can be secured and backed up instantly. The cloud storage services provide data format conversion services. Examples: Examples of data storage applications comprise DropBox, OneDrive, Box, Mozy, and Google suites.
Antivirus Application
The cloud services also provide antivirus and support services. It helps you to boost the smooth functioning of the system. Cloud antivirus software help end-users clean the system at periodic intervals. They allow you to detect or identify and then fix the threats caused by malware and some form of viruses. Due to the availability of such features, they benefit the end-users in several ways. Such applications are offered free of cost. They detect the threat and send a report to the data center of the cloud, which in turn helps fix the issue for the end-users. Examples: Popular examples of Cloud antivirus software include Kaspersky endpoint protection and Sophos endpoint protection.
Entertainment Applications
The cloud service providers give a multi-cloud strategy. It helps facilitate the interaction of entertainment applications with the targeted audience. It comprises online gaming and entertainment services. Examples: Google stadia, it is a cloud gaming service that provides a video gaming experience at 4K resolution and within 60 frames. Project Atlas is one of the top examples of cloud entertainment apps. These apps help online gamers establish an instant and smooth connection and experience a smooth virtual gaming environment.
URL Conversion Application
Several cloud services offer URL shortening services. The URL shortening services look in terms of converting long-sized URLs to short-sized URLs. Many cloud-based social media applications offer URL shortening or conversion services. They also help secure applications from malware services and hacking services. Such cloud platforms promote or boost the easy management of URLs. Here URL is an abbreviation that stands for uniform resource locator. Examples: One of the key examples is that of the Bitly. This application helps you to create short URLs that help redirect the original website. Such applications also support microblogging.
Meeting Applications
Most cloud computing services offer virtual servers that facilitate go-to-meeting facilities. They offer video conferencing and other meeting applications. Such cloud computing applications enable the end-users to initiate meetings virtually. This can be initiated for both personal and professional requirements. The services help end-users to connect with other individuals within seconds. To boost collaboration, they also offer screen sharing and presentation sharing facilities. Examples: Zoom and GoTo meetings are some of the key applications of cloud-based meeting applications. They offer smooth video conferencing and cloud-based presentation services.
Presentation Application
There are specific cloud-based applications that help the end-users to create formal presentations. They also provide storage space to keep new and existing formal presentations. These apps also enable the end-users to access their presentations from anywhere globally. Examples: Slide Rocket is one of the premier cloud computing applications. It helps end-users to draft and customize formal presentations.
Social Media Application
Several cloud-based social media applications allow users to connect on a real-time basis. They also provide an interface to collaborate. This can be done from anywhere across the globe. Every minute, these applications allow millions of end-users to connect simultaneously. Examples: The cloud-based applications that allow millions of users to connect on a real-time basis are Facebook, Yammer, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They enable the end-users to share videos, images, stories, and experiences. It drives real-time and personalized engagements across different locations.
GPS Application
One of the critical advancements in cloud computing services is providing GPS-enabled services for the end-users. The GPS helps in the facilitation of navigational services on a real-time basis. GPS is an abbreviation that stands for the Global Positioning System. Using an internet connection, the users use this application to get guidance on the directions as presented on the map and this, in turn, helps in finding locations. Examples: The top examples of cloud-based GPS services constitutes Google maps and Yahoo maps. These are open source and free-to-use applications. GPS-based services are used by millions of people across the globe.
Accounting Application
There is a new cloud-based accounting application that helps in accounting-related tasks of the business or an organization. Such applications help the end-users to track real-time expenses and, in turn, manage profit-and-loss statements on a real-time basis. Examples: One of the best examples of cloud-based accounting applications is Outright. Some other examples are Zoho books and Kash flow.
Management Application
Project management applications help the end-users to document and share notes on a real-time basis with multiple stakeholders. This aids in project management as stakeholders can access the notes prepared and saved in one location to refer out their tasks. These are offered on a free-to-use basis as well as with premium features. The premium features can be accessed once the user pays a one-time subscription fee. These applications can be used to meet the end-user’s business and personal requirements. Example: The cloud services also provide management-related applications such as Evernote.
E-commerce Application
Cloud computing services also have made substantial inroads in offering e-commerce services. There are several cloud-based e-commerce applications that helps in driving smooth and accessible business requirements of the e-commerce business. Such applications come with dynamic tracking mechanisms that help in the order tracking processes. It monitors the order received along with the order delivered status. It further helps the business owners to know the tracking costs, refund rate on orders, and damage rate to the business. Such applications help the business owners save substantial time and effort in the tracking process. There are no hard costs involved in terms of managing such applications. Examples:
Software as a service application (SAAS)
Software-as-a-service is one of the critical applications for cloud computing. The SAAS-based products help in the distribution of data online. These applications can be accessed from a browser opened on any device. The products under SAAS offer ease of use with upfront subscription-based pricing. It additionally offers the lowest cost options. Examples: One of the best examples of SAAS-based products is Stream native and Atlassian. They enable the business to organize and process the data with good execution speed. Atlassian offers a more workflow-based solution. Other examples of SAAS Applications are Salesforce, Hubspot, stack, etc.
Infrastructure as a service (IAAS)
The infrastructure as a service application delivers a virtualized computing environment. The environment is managed over the internet. They have broader applications in application development and testing the applications. They ensure that the business continuity is maintained. Hence it has become a popular choice for several organizations. Examples: Finix is one of the critical examples of IAAS. It provides a platform that companies and businesses can use to streamline their in-house payment process. They enable gateway and tokenization with merchant onboarding. It further helps in providing reporting mechanisms such as delivering settlement and chargeback reports. The digital ocean is another example of IAAS. It helps businesses to create multiple virtual machines within seconds. It helps them manage and scale their products effectively as they can scale data storage based on the incoming traffic.
Platform as a service application (PAAS)
This can be categorized as the cloud computing model that offers users application management capabilities. They provide virtual resources that help businesses build, deploy, and launch their applications into the virtual environment. They enable outsourcing of database security, hosting, and data storage that enable long-term investments. Examples: Pager duty is one of PAAS examples, which helps the business perform incident management. The business can monitor the newly created incidents on a real-time base. They also help in terms of data collection and distribution of tasks.
Data Governance and Cyber Security
This Application looks in terms of delivering cloud-based security. By using this Application, the organization can secure a lot of sensitive data. They outsmart hackers and ensure that any type of invasion of their organizational data is entirely curbed. Examples: Z-Scalar generally functions as a zero-trust platform. It can connect the users remotely with any device or application present over any network. It promotes a versatile and secure remote workplace. Carbonite cloud is another example of a cloud-based cyber security feature that protects sensitive data and information from potential ransomware. It essentially works towards reducing security breaches. Forcepoint is another example that is a cloud-based solution that offers cybersecurity-related functions to organizations.
Back-up and recovery
The cloud provider and the vendor offer data backup and security services. This helps the data be backed properly and helps secure data. If data is lost, they also have recovery solutions that help faster data recovery. The traditional methods of data recovery could become a complex problem. Sometimes retrieving lost data could be cumbersome. However, cloud computing eliminates such limitations and promotes robust data recovery and backup solutions. Examples: Examples of backup and recovery solutions include Idrive personal, Backblaze, and CrashPlan for small businesses.
Testing and development
Cloud computing provides platforms that help in real-time testing and the development of IT-enabled resources. They ensure that the IT-enabled resources are ready to be used to deliver services. Such services are offered cheap and are not all expensive. This, in turn, helps the organizations to develop scalable and flexible IT products or services to drive the best solutions. Examples: Cloud-based testing and development examples comprise SOASTA CloudTest, Load storm, and BlazeMeter.
Big Data Analytics
Cloud computing services offer solutions that help in the churning and managing of big data. Big data is a collection of data growing each day exponentially and generally presents the characteristics of having huge volumes. It comprises data that is of considerable complexity and size. Traditional computing mechanisms offers limited to no solutions to handle and manage big data. Cloud computing offers solutions that help manage big data and eliminate the need to have physical stores. Additionally, cloud computing offers big data analytics that helps in driving the analysis of big raw data. This helps organizations to make decisions on a quickly basis and focuses on the insights shared from cloud services. Examples: Examples of cloud-based big data solutions are driven by Hana, Hadoop, Apache, etc.
Education Application
Cloud computing has become so advanced that they also offer remote-based e-learning applications. It has enabled educational institutions to develop online distance learning platforms. It helps in facilitating online education. The cloud services also provide remote student information systems. Students from any location can access it. Such systems allow students to track and monitor their overall performance in school. It has made the learning experience more engaging and attractive for teachers, researchers, and students. The educational institutions also have saved substantial money to maintain the physical infrastructure costs. Further, to boost remote learning and engagement, each student and faculty member are provided with their own dedicated space secured by their user credentials. This ensures that data can be accessed from anywhere. Examples: Examples of cloud-based educational applications comprise Canvas, Coursera, blackboard, and Google Classroom.
Summary:
Cloud computing offers an array of services by avoiding the need for physical storage systems. It can be used daily by the installation of a secure internet connection. They offer online data storage, backup solutions, and big data analytics. They help in facilitating remote working and remote learning at minimal costs. They deliver on-demand cloud computing services with productive use of cloud computing resources. They help create and check the new application in their virtual test and development environment. They offer several software such as Microsoft Azure that offers productive use of resources and offer strong computing power. They don’t set physical storage systems for existing infrastructure.
