The Pros And Cons Of Moving To Cloud Computing

Many companies are finding that it is advantageous to move to cloud computing models for their IT infrastructure. One thing that it is important to remember, however, is that while it can be very beneficial it isn't necessarily going to cure every problem that you are experiencing.

Con: It doesn't automatically solve problems with scaling.

Some companies have previously been attempting to simplify their IT infrastructure by using virtual machines that they can move between servers as needed without concerning themselves about the underlying hardware. This has many advantages, but you can still reach the limits of the ability of this computing model to scale. In some cases, managers mistakenly assume that taking these same virtual machine images and uploading them onto a cloud-style infrastructure will automatically solve the problem of scaling. Moving to cloud infrastructures actually does not help in this situation.

Pro: If designed well, it is highly portable and scalable. Because cloud computing is designed to hide a lot of details from the interface such as how data is being stored and where processing is being done, once you have gone through the process of moving to cloud computing and changing your design to accommodate its strengths, you'll continue to benefit greatly from the flexibility it offers. Not only will you be able to continue to get tremendous scaling as needed, but you will have the option of easily changing provider if you are offered a better contract.

Pro: It simplifies implementation. Most of the point of cloud computing is that it separates the interface layer of an application that the user needs to see from all of the parts that need to occur in the background. This can mean that moving to cloud arrangements will encourage the sort of modular program designs that tend to result in better and more reliable program implementations.

Con: There are higher initial expenses. You have to be prepared to make the investment of time and money into taking your current infrastructure and making it usable on a cloud platform.

Though moving to cloud computing is currently very fashionable, it isn't necessarily a good idea for every company to rush to take this step immediately. It is important to look at the costs of the move against the immediate needs of the business.