Following on from our recent blog post which explored what you can host in the Cloud, we wanted to drill down to a market by market/service by service approach which details why the Cloud is the perfect fit for each and every business or service.First in the series, we explore why the cloud is the perfect place to host apps and websites.
The owners/developers of applications and websites have a choice – do to they want to host on a physical server, or a virtual server? Sure, there are benefits of each, and below we present the advantages of utilising the Cloud and analyse why these should be critical factors in the decision making of an app/website developer.
Quick upgrades
A main bugbear of apps/websites from a usability perspective will be availability. Developers could build an app for the best service in the world, a service that could revolutionise anything, but if a user can’t gain consistent access, it won’t matter.
Think about the times you’ve logged on to a website or an app and received a “cannot connect to the server” or a “server busy” error message. The reason you are receiving these messages is simple – demand is outweighing supply – the platform that is hosting the app does not have enough resource to cope with the number of users who want to access.
Whilst Cloud hosting, like physical hosting, cannot eliminate these types of issues; it can “fix” the problem much quicker. With a few clicks of a button, more resource can be allocated to a server, which will instantly give users a better experience. A physical server upgrade will require an engineer visiting the server which can present logistical problems, the upgrade process itself will be lengthier which will increase downtime and further hurt the reputation of the service and we haven’t even considered whether the server is actually fir for purpose and can be upgraded.
No housing costs
This comes back to one of the main advantages of using the cloud. You don’t have to worry about the costs of housing or maintaining a server. Instead, that responsibility falls with your cloud provider who will have a purpose-built environment that allows servers to operate at optimum performance. They will be the ones who have expensive maintenance contracts to ensure the server doesn’t go bang and leave you without service. And most importantly if a server gets a bit old, it is not your responsibility to upgrade the infrastructure when it reaches the end of life which minimises your capital expenditure.
Data Security
With more and more transactions happening on websites and apps, the need to secure sensitive data has grown. A cloud server will be in a secure datacentre, with all the usual security facilities such as CCTV, Security Guards and vetting of all visitors to the premises for the physical protection of the servers. Hosted servers can still be encrypted to enhance security. Access to the environment is via the Web, and servers are protected by load-balanced latest-generation firewalls. Also, cloud providers will have its infrastructure housed in custom-built data centres that will boast PCI DSS compliance.
If you are looking for a Cloud provider to host your app or website, we have just the environment for you. Give us a call on 01635 884170 or drop an email to sales@stream-networks.co.uk and we’ll come straight back to discuss your requirements.