Cloud Computing and its importance for businesses

Have you ever stopped to think that the technology that underpins giants like Netflix, Spotify, and the country's leading digital banks is the same technology that could save your company from an irreparable physical disaster? In today's market, Cloud Computing has gone from being a trend to becoming the fundamental foundation of any operation seeking scalability, security, and integration with Artificial Intelligence.

In this article, we delve into the nuances of the cloud, from the basics to advanced concepts like Disaster Recovery and horizontal scalability, based on insights shared by experts on the Low Code .

What is Cloud Computing in practice?

Often, the concept of cloud computing is mistakenly reduced to just backup or file storage services, like Google Drive. However, Erika Lelis , a cloud specialist at Skyone, defines cloud computing as computing services offered entirely over the internet .

This ranges from basic infrastructure (IaaS) to platforms (PaaS) and off-the-shelf software (SaaS). Simply put, it's outsourcing hardware and infrastructure to specialized partners, allowing the company to focus on what really matters: its core business .

Why is the cloud superior to an on-premise environment?

One of the biggest challenges for companies that maintain on-premise servers is their vulnerability to physical incidents. São Paulo, for example, is known for storms that can cause instantaneous power outages.

The risks of the local server

• Hardware damage: a power surge can burn out components or corrupt critical data.
• Infrastructure maintenance: maintaining a data center requires expenses for energy, air circulation, and air conditioning 24 hours a day.
• Human vulnerability: local environments are far more susceptible to direct human error compared to the rigorous protocols of large public clouds.

The advantages of a cloud partner

By contracting a cloud service, a company acquires a strategic partner . The main benefits include:

1. Redundancy and availability: cloud services offer, on average, 99.9% availability.
2. Security and compliance: major providers adhere to rigorous certifications, such as ISO 27001 , and maintain their data centers in secret, monitored locations.
3. Operational savings: eliminates the cost of maintaining generators, batteries, and teams focused solely on maintaining the physical hardware.

Scalability: How the cloud handles demand spikes

Imagine an e-commerce site during Black Friday or Mother's Day. On a local server, if the number of accesses exceeds the physical capacity, the system crashes. In the cloud, we use horizontal scalability .

This feature allows the infrastructure to automatically adjust according to actual usage. If demand increases, new server instances are created; when demand falls, they are terminated, optimizing costs. As rightly pointed out in the debate: cloud computing is not a cost, it's an investment .

Disaster Recovery: Ensuring Business Continuity

One critical point discussed was Disaster Recovery . This feature involves maintaining a replication of your data in a distinct geographic region.

• Real-world scenario: if a data center on the East Coast of the US experiences an incident, its operation can be instantly reactivated in another region, such as Brazil, without significant data loss.
• FinOps: While maintaining servers overseas can increase latency, it is often a cost-saving strategy. Backup at rest generally costs less than active operation.

The explosive synergy: Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence

Modern AI doesn't exist without cloud computing. Running generative AI models requires processing power (GPUs) that most companies couldn't maintain locally due to the prohibitive cost of memory and hardware.

The cloud has democratized AI, allowing companies of all sizes to use ready-made models and cutting-edge infrastructure, paying only for what they use. In fact, the very maturity of the cloud today allows it to offer "complete packages" for the development of intelligent solutions.

Conclusion: When to migrate to the cloud?

The experts' advice is clear: companies should start using the cloud now . Many organizations already use the cloud without realizing it, through tools like Microsoft SharePoint or Gmail.

The fear of migration often stems from a lack of understanding of the company's real pain points. It's essential to have partners who can help understand the needs and create a customized project, ensuring you can sleep soundly knowing your data is protected by cutting-edge professionals and technologies.

Would you like to delve deeper into this discussion and hear all the interesting facts about the history of the cloud and the drastic security scenarios it presents?

🎧Listen to the full episode of the Low Code podcast on Spotify

Written by Skyone