What are cloud services?

Let’s understand cloud services.

Cloud services provide users with online access to computing resources, data storage, software, platforms, and other IT services.

Cloud services operate on an on-demand basis to allow users to request and utilize resources they need (hardware, software, data storage, etc.), which means resources are quickly allocated to the users and returned when necessary. By doing so, users can leverage the flexibility and scalability of resources to reduce costs and efficiently manage IT infrastructure.
With cloud services, you can enjoy the advantages of cost reduction, rapid deployment, easy maintenance, and global scalability compared to conventional on-premise infrastructure. However, there are issues to consider related to security, data privacy, and legal compliance.

There are three main types of cloud services.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) An IaaS is a type of cloud computing service that provides essential basic computing infrastructure, such as servers, storage, network, etc. Users can use and configure scalable resources on demand.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

A PaaS is a development platform that helps implement development, deployment, and operation on the infrastructure provided by an IaaS. It includes infrastructure, such as middleware, database management systems, development tools, operating systems, libraries, etc. for application development and deployment.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

A SaaS is a service model that provides software applications hosted in the cloud. Users can access and use software through the Internet, without having to worry about software installation, updates, or maintenance. A SaaS is usually offered on a pay-per-use basis or subscription-based plan.

What are the advantages of cloud services?

Reduced upfront costs and maintenance costs

Companies can reduce upfront costs since cloud services adopt a pay-per-use model. Costs for maintenance, power, cooling, etc. can be reduced as well.

Rapid and flexible infrastructure configuration

Cloud services provide rapid scaling for resources based on user requirements. This minimizes resource waste and allows on-demand infrastructure configuration.

Easy access anytime, anywhere

With cloud services, users can access resources from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection. This provides a favorable environment for remote work, collaboration, global expansion, etc.

Regular auto-updates

With regular updates of software and hardware provided by cloud service providers, users can save time and effort.

Safe data management

Cloud service providers disperse and store data in multiple data centers for data stability and backup purposes. This reduces the risks of disaster recovery and data loss.

What should we consider when introducing cloud services?

Potential cost increase

Using cloud services may require extra costs for data migration. Especially, in cases of large-scale data migration, the costs may be significant. So, it is necessary to comprehensively consider and monitor operating costs in addition to the initial setup expenses. Samsung SDS provides a FinOps platform that offers integrated management of resources and costs for hybrid and multicloud to provide a management platform that optimizes resources and costs.

Security threats and legal issues

Storing user data in external data centers may cause exposure to security risks, such as data sensitivity, privacy, and hacking. Using cloud services can also bring about complicated issues regarding data protection laws or rules and regulations between countries.

Dependencies or restrictions on the service providers

Depending on cloud service providers can cause risks of policy changes, price increases, or service interruptions. This can lead to excessive dependency on cloud service providers, making it difficult for users to switch to other providers. Also, some cloud services may have limitations on user-defined features. In this case, users can only utilize services within the range of provided options and cannot implement complicated requirements or specific features.

Network or infrastructure performance

The performance of cloud services may be impacted by user location, quality of the Internet connection, and the infrastructure of service providers. At times, the performance of cloud services may not meet users’ expectations. It depends on the Internet connection, which means there can be obstacles to using the service when the Internet connection is lost or unstable. It can especially be a bigger problem for remote regions.

Samsung SDS delivers the optimal cloud services through Samsung Cloud Platform (SCP) for companies, which takes charge of the core business and security of companies.