Cloud computing has been around since many years, but the field has registered a phenomenal growth in recent years. In the early 2000s, when cloud computing was first introduced, many brands were hesitant to adopt this new technology due to lack of awareness about its importance and benefits. In recent years, as organisations began to understand the ease of usability and scalability of this technology, its demand has increased manifold. In today’s scenario, around 81% of companies that have more than 1000 employees make use of a multi-platform strategy. This number is expected to rise to 90% by the year 2024.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing refers to the on-demand computing services like storage, databases, networking, intelligence and analytics over the internet to offer economies of scale, flexible resources and faster innovation. With Cloud Computing information can be accessed from anywhere and from any device that uses internet.

New buzzwords in Cloud computing:

Hybrid models

According to cloud computing experts, we will see more hybrid cloud adoptions as they offer the security advantages of a physical server for data that is mission-critical along with the flexibility of a virtual server for quick response and scalability. Hybrid clouds will be much in demand as they offer protection to sensitive data with the solid security of a physical server. The users will thus be able to enjoy best of both the worlds.

Edge Computing

In future, more and more data processing will be done at points that are closer to the actual devices. This bringing of computing data as close to the source of data as possible is known as Edge Computing. We could have free moving clouds in a distributed framework to get work done at a lightning speed. It will completely transform the way data is handled, processed and delivered. The stupendous growth of Internet-connected devices- the IoT- will continue to drive Edge computing. The anxiously awaited 5G technology will act as a catalyst in Edge Computing. Edge computing is all poised to open new possibilities like:

Highly efficient security system monitoring
More efficient caching
Self-driving cars
Seamless video conferencing

Here’s a look at the impact that Cloud Computing can have on different industries:

On marketing platforms

Traditionally, the marketing data was collected and reported separately and then the marketer and the analyst had to work on the detailed report. This took a lot of time. But the introduction of cloud based marketing platform makes this task easier. A cloud based marketing platform integrates all the marketing tools such as analytics tool, social management measurement tools, emails etc. This fast integration of data helps in building and optimizing market strategies. The multi-channel campaigns can easily be aligned with the help of this technology. Whether it is improvement of customer engagement, designing of a market strategy, or increasing the return on investment, marketing cloud platform helps in all the aspects of marketing.

Education

Education has been significantly impacted with the introduction of cloud technology. Students are no longer dependant on library for learning resources. Students have access to unlimited information. They can create and submit presentations online through digital systems. In these Covid times, the technology has greatly helped students around the world to gain access to education through web conferencing. Students can also participate in globally distributed projects. In the future, more and more students will be using virtual labs that could be accessed at anytime from any location. Also, students will be able to access resources across multiple platforms and collaborate with students around the world while also allowing for feedback in real time from the instructors. We can look forward to a global educational community as teachers and administrators can work together to break learning barriers.

Healthcare

At every point of patients’ care, the healthcare organizations will have to adopt the latest cloud technologies that will help them in engaging with the patient on more clinical level. The state-of-the-art data in real time will be available to organizations using the cloud technology. Cloud technology will also help greatly in bringing together incomplete and fragmented data. The physicians across the world will be able to deliver better services at reduced costs to more and more patients.

Platform as a service (PaaS) that makes way for the access of applications developed for healthcare companies by their other departments like the IT department. Healthcare industry will see rapid adoption of PaaS that will allow for central hosting of data in the cloud. In the near future, this is likely to evolve into XaaS or “Everything as a service”. Under this, all the processes, services and infrastructure will be offered from the cloud.

Also, people will be able to access personalized healthcare with the help of secure data sharing. Cloud computing is also expected to enable virtual video visits by the healthcare providers. Through placing of remote mobile diagnostic devices in the homes of the patients, and by linking these devices to cloud platforms, the healthcare providers will be able to monitor the patients, to track treatments and to take action of necessary.

Business

Companies will also be adopting multi-cloud models. The adoption of cloud computing technologies in the in-house processes of businesses is being witnessed.
The multi-cloud models offer the advantage of better protection of the company from sudden and unexpected data center outages.

Also, in case of any issue with the vendor, the vendor can be easily locked. Despite its advantages, a multi-cloud model comes with its share of challenges too. It is possible that an application may behave differently on different cloud platforms due to separate IT environments. It would be interesting to see how the challenges of multi-cloud platform are tackled by the experts.

In the words of Matt Riley, the CEO and co-founder of Swifttype, “A decade from now, every business will be operating from the cloud, making way for more flexible – yet more productive and efficient – ways of working.”

All in all, Cloud Computing while bouncing on technologies like Hybrid models and Edge Computing is all set to reach new heights and significantly alter the tech scenario in coming years.

Future of Cloud Computing | Repunext Chennai