The digital landscape is abuzz with cloud tech. Every corner of web and server hosting teems with banners advertising cloud servers, cloud Virtual Private Servers (VPS), cloud hosting, and cloud platform providers. However, upon closer inspection, one might find that many of these services are not truly delivering cloud platforms as they profess.
Many web hosting providers have adopted the cloud buzzword as a marketing strategy. Picture a scenario where a web hosting provider takes their outmoded dedicated servers, slaps on a hypervisor, and brands them as dynamic cloud servers on their website. To hype it up even further, they may use an attractive control panel that performs the same function as the commonplace cPanel, but with more cloud-related jargon.
In reality, this set-up is nothing more than virtual private servers masquerading under the pretense of cloud computing. Though they may be quite affordable due to high-volume capacity on the same server, these services fall short on scalability, fault tolerance, performance, and power. Essentially, this constitutes a refreshed take on shared hosting. The service may not prove very beneficial for the user, but the financial gains for the provider are substantial.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have genuine cloud platforms. These offerings, usually positioned in the lower end of market pricing, furnish as many servers as required at your timing of choice. Authentic cloud servers can easily be created, removed and, importantly, can scale up horizontally. However, bear in mind that this affordability often translates to minimal support. Equipment failure, data loss, and network issues need to be managed independently.
What then constitutes a true cloud platform, designed to harness the full potential of the latest cloud technology? Here are some key features to look out for:
**High Availability**: An authentic cloud platform is designed with no single points of failure. If and when a cloud server breaks down, the system falls back onto another physical node with minimized downtime, ensuring fault-tolerant application hosting.
**Fast IO and Storage**: Some providers may boast about their Solid State Drives (SSD). However, if these drives are connected over slow networks, the purported benefits are stunted. You need a cloud platform that has Storage Access Networks (SAN), which are connected to compute nodes through fat pipes for rapid data transmission.
**A Proven Cloud Computing Platform**: Avoid the pitfall of pseudo-cloud control panels that are being passed as cloud platforms. Instead, invest in comprehensive cloud stacks like OpenStack, which provide feature-rich, tried and tested tools for efficient cloud building.
**A Full API**: A Cloud platform must have a comprehensive Application Programming Interface (API) to fully harness the advantages of software-controlled infrastructure, thus enabling infrastructure-as-code, a significant plus point of deploying infrastructure on an actual cloud platform.
While a cloud platform encompassing these features may not fall under the budget-friendly category, the advantages it offers surpass the costs associated. Should you find the promise of a high-availability, high-performance cloud platform appealing, avoid succumbing to the glossy false advertisements of pseudo-cloud platforms, and choose a real one to meet your business needs.
The increasingly cloud-centric world calls for informed decisions. Navigate through the clutter of the buzzwords and marketing spiel to find the right solution for your infrastructure needs.
Author Info:
Justin Blanchard has been instrumental in driving initiatives that augment brand visibility, sales growth, and B2B community engagement. The backbone of tools, processes, and systems aligning with Server Mania’s client needs, Justin continues to fortify the brand’s dependable stature in the industry.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
