Cloud storage has reached a point of maturity that will accelerate its adoption in the enterprise. The cloud model provides strong business value and cost savings, while still providing security and compliance benefits enterprises demand. Organizations are shifting from single-purpose storage to services that provide greater value at a lower cost.
Management and IT leaders recognize the importance of enabling their users to self-manage their data, reduce errors, and easily share information with other users. Users want access to their data online, where it’s available for them whenever they need it.
This article discusses the current trends in cloud storage, including CCaaS (Cloud Computing as a Service) vs CCS (Cloud Storage), how it can help you get more out of your existing IT investments, and when you should choose one over the other.
Cloud Computing as a Service
Cloud computing has come a long way since it first emerged in the 1990s. It’s no longer referred to as “the cloud” but rather as “cloud computing.” Cloud computing is now evolving into “Cloud Computing as a Service,” or CCaaS, which is growing in leaps and bounds.
CCaaS is a combination of software, infrastructure, and IT services that allow users to self-manage their data across various devices with minimal effort. It allows organizations to use the cloud for both storage and compute resources. For example, companies can use CCaaS to store data on Amazon Web Services while also accessing its compute power through Microsoft Azure.
Organizations will begin moving away from single-purpose storage in favor of more flexible offerings such as CCaaS, where they can manage everything from email delivery to hardware provisioning from one governing body–a service provider like RackSpace or Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Cloud Storage/Object Storage
Cloud storage is the next generation of storage that allows users to store their data in a cloud, which is accessible from any device, without having to worry about where it is physically located. Cloud storage providers, such as Amazon Web Services, offer an enterprise class, highly secure and scalable option for storing large amounts of data and manageability.
One of the benefits of using cloud storage is that it’s cost efficient. Cloud storage providers charge by the amount of data stored rather than by the number of devices accessing your data. This makes it easy to scale up and grow with your infrastructure without overspending on hardware.
Cloud Storage/Object Storage:
CCaaS vs CCS
As organizations move towards a more open culture and empower their employees to work remotely, they need a way to ensure their data remains secure and backed up. CCS (Cloud Computing as a Service) has emerged as an option for enterprises looking for better security, lower costs and ease-of-use over traditional managed services such as those offered by SAN or NAS vendors.
CCaaS provides both storage as well as computing power in one place. With CCaaS you don’t have to purchase expensive hardware or implement complex software solutions like Active Directory or Exchange Server; these are provided free with CCaaS services that allow users to easily self-manage their data through web portals.
CCaaS: Cloud Computing as a Service
Cloud computing is the use of software, data centers, and networks to provide on-demand computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released. Cloud storage is a service offered by cloud providers that offers access to data stored in a network location. It has three general models:
1) Software as a Service (SaaS) – SaaS applications are delivered to users who need them for temporary or short-term use. The applications are installed on the user’s client device and accessed via a web browser or an application interface
2) Platform as a Service (PaaS) – PaaS is a cloud service where users can develop or run software without having to worry about infrastructure management, hosting, and security. Applications developed using these services are hosted in the cloud rather than locally, making them accessible from anywhere
3) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – IaaS provides virtualized infrastructure such as processing power, storage capacity, memory, networking capabilities, operating systems and databases that enable customers to deploy their applications on demand
CCaaS Benefits
CCaaS is the future of cloud storage for many reasons. For starters, it provides a measurable ROI and helps you get more out of your existing IT investments. This includes cost savings on hardware, software, and operations. For example, you can use one service to manage all your data types (including information in different formats like video, photos, and documents) and create a unified search index across multiple locations. The self-service portal allows users to self-provision services while still providing security benefits that enterprises demand. The user interface makes it easy for users to discover the content they’re looking for; they don’t have to worry about where their data resides or how it’s managed.
CCS Benefits
Cloud computing is a good alternative to traditional infrastructure. CCS can help you save money by reducing your total cost of ownership (TCO) and the number of capital investments required to maintain your storage infrastructure, by reducing the effort required for users to manage their data, and by giving you access to more storage capacity than you would otherwise have.
CCaaS (Cloud Computing as a Service) is an alternative that allows you to use a shared infrastructure without purchasing hardware or software. You don’t need to worry about making capital investments, managing servers or storage space, or maintaining a backup plan. This model is better suited for companies who want guaranteed uptime and minimal management requirements from their vendors.
When to Choose Which Type of Cloud Storage?
The CCaaS model is the future of cloud storage. With this model, the customer manages and maintains their data in the cloud, while the service provider manages and stores it.
When choosing between a CCS or CCaaS model, there are many factors that should be considered:
– Do you need your data on-site?
– How much data do you have?
– What are your business needs?
– What are your users’ needs?
If you choose a CCS model, you must make sure that you still have backups of all your data on-site. If you choose a CCaaS model, then when disaster strikes or if your company changes direction, you don’t have to worry about losing your data because it will be in the cloud. You could also use it as a platform for collaboration and help others find information about what’s in your database. There is no limit to how big or small companies can scale up with CCaaS models–you can start small and grow as needed. In addition, customers don’t need to worry about managing IT infrastructure when they can rely on service providers to handle those responsibilities for them. Having managed services provides enterprises with greater security and compliance benefits at lower cost.
Add-on Services for Cloud Storage
CCaaS is the new model of IT. CCaaS allows companies to supplement their existing IT infrastructure with cloud services that support customer-centric collaboration, compliance, and business outcomes. CCaaS providers offer an alternative to traditional enterprise storage. Cloud providers can also offer a deeper integration between applications and cloud storage.
Organizations are beginning to realize the benefit of leveraging a service like CCaaS which will enable them to create new business models, reduce capital expenditures, improve agility, and enable better employee productivity at lower cost than traditional enterprise data centers.
Conclusion
Cloud computing is quickly becoming the industry standard for businesses, however, those who are just getting started with cloud storage may find it difficult to make the right decision on which type of cloud storage to use. Here, we break down the two main types of cloud storage and help you decide which one is best for your business.