How to Choose a Cloud Framework for Your Next App
The success of your web or mobile application relies in part on the cloud framework you choose as the foundation for your development project. The market leaders in cloud computing services are the so-called “Big Three:” Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft’s Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). While there are several smaller, niche cloud services, these three dominate the field and offer diverse infrastructure, computing, and application-deployment tools that can be assets to organizations of all sizes. As a result, it can be challenging to differentiate between these options when comparing cloud providers for application development; this is why many organizations prefer to work directly with their app development partners or with cloud consulting services to zero in on a framework. Yet each cloud service has distinguishing characteristics and its own pros and cons. When assessing cloud frameworks, remember that the right option will depend heavily on the nature and needs of your application and business. Key Cloud Framework Considerations There is seemingly no end to the facets of a cloud service’s options and capabilities. But, as leading cloud consultants know, there are a few factors that shine brightly when evaluating cloud framework criteria: Architecture Is the cloud framework scalable? Will the architecture and service roadmap support your immediate and future needs? What is the cost of scaling up? Will the provider’s technology integrate with existing technology? And does it need to? If a hybrid cloud model is required, what needs to be done to achieve compatibility? These are essential questions to ask, as their answers have far-reaching effects regarding development, longevity, and cost. Ideally, you want a cloud solution that integrates with current technologies and offers growth potential. Container Support Architecture is closely linked to container support, which AWS, Azure, and GCP each provide. However, the scope of this support varies by provider. For instance, Microsoft Azure provides a fully managed platform known as Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). Google Cloud Platform also offers a comprehensive container orchestration platform, which is appropriate as Google developed the now open-source Kubernetes. The AWS container-support solution, known as Amazon Elastic Container Services (ECS), can support Kubernetes and Docker. The AWS platform also provides a serverless computing solution known as AWS Lambda; Azure and GCP similarly offer serverless computing. Regions and Availability Zones Availability zones are the geographic locations within a data-center region served by a cloud service, and they influence asset performance in those areas. Each of the Big Three offers ample coverage, though they differ in availability zone and regional totals. Azure currently offers the broadest coverage with three availability zones in each of its 60-plus regions, as well as more than 100 edge locations. Google Cloud has 82 total availability zones across 27 regions with more than 140 edge locations. Amazon Web Services maintains 81 availability zones across 25 regions and more than 215 edge locations. Pricing One area in which there is significant variation among the Big Three cloud framework providers is the pricing structure. The costs of cloud services fluctuate dramatically based on individual factors such as monthly or hourly usage, total individual services, and other project demands. For example, AWS pricing is based in part on the number of hours used with volume discounts for some services. GCP bills per second, but also have so-called “sustained-use” and “committed-use” pricing for computing services. Azure bills on-demand customers by the hour or gigabyte, or per millions of executions, depending on the service product. To get an accurate, up-to-date expense estimate, you must determine the project scope and carefully review the level of cloud services necessary to achieve your goals. The ability to provide consistent pricing and monitor for changes that may affect pricing are additional reasons why many organizations rely directly on their app development partners or cloud technology solution companies to manage their cloud frameworks. Security, Certifications, and Standards Each of the Big Three cloud providers holds numerous accreditations and certifications that demonstrate their commitment to industry best practices related to structured processes, data management, and security. These certifications, for example, include accreditation for information-security management established by the International Organization for Standardization (IOS). IOS maintains several standards for information security management systems alone, and many cloud providers hold IOS certifications. Many firms that offer cloud computing services and cloud consulting services will likewise hold IOS and other credentials. AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud: The Pros and Cons The good news is that AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud are all excellent cloud frameworks for app development. The bad news is that this can make choosing difficult. Some application and software developers also offer cloud services and cloud IT consulting. This helps ensure their clients have a suitable framework for their needs. The Big Three share similarities in their architectures, tools, and services. But there are a few potential advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind based on your development requirements: Amazon Web Services AWS is the current leader among cloud solutions, and it offers a spectrum of services and developer tools. Clients further enjoy limitless server capacity and broad scalability. However, AWS is focused on public cloud solutions. If your organization needs a hybrid model or a cloud framework that integrates with an existing data center, a different platform may prove a more effective option. Azure Azure may be a natural extension of existing enterprise technology if your organization currently employs Microsoft solutions. Azure may also be an ideal choice if you need a hybrid cloud or a framework that will integrate with an existing data center. Azure’s AI gives developers the freedom to create, test and deploy algorithms. Azure also supports Linux and container architectures. Google Cloud Platform GCP’s strengths reside in its machine-learning and AI tools. It can also be an optimal choice for organizations that work with open-source projects. Google’s Kubernetes framework is the foundation for many container environments. This makes GCP suitable for containerized application development. Is There a ‘Best’ Cloud Framework Provider? The cloud provider market is crowded and highly competitive. While
Everything You Need to Know about Cloud-Native Architecture
More companies are embracing cloud computing, attracted by the lower costs, flexibility, and scalability. Cloud-native architecture supports cloud-based applications. It helps organizations with resilience and flexibility via distributed processing, horizontal scaling, and automation.
Ultimately, taking a cloud-native approach is an investment that results in a more scalable and reliable architecture. Here’s what you need to know about cloud-native architecture.
Best Cloud Computing Services, and Why You Need a Services Company to Implement It
Cloud computing services have revolutionized the IT services marketplace, offering new opportunities for companies of all sizes. Cloud technology enables organizations to use a virtual IT structure and software that’s independent of an operating system. It provides a wide range of services like on-demand storage, computing services, and application development platforms. Cloud computing is a key part of any digital transformation strategy. Companies are attracted by the lower costs and increased flexibility of cloud computing services. As most services follow a pay-as-you-go model, it’s easy to scale up or down as needs change because you only pay for what you need. Cloud computing also works well with mobile devices and typically comes with improved disaster recovery tools. Why You’ll Want an IT Services Company To Implement it While the benefits of cloud computing services are attractive, it’s vital to consider the challenges as well. Once you choose a cloud service provider, it’s difficult to change again without considerable effort. Additionally, many organizations underestimate the time and expense involved in the migration process to cloud services. That’s why it’s recommended that you work with a reputable IT services company or consultant that specializes in cloud computing. Their experience with the loopholes and hidden costs of cloud computing services can save a lot of time, hassle, and money in the long run. You can avoid problems with security, accessibility, and outages, as well as surprises hidden deep in cloud computing contracts. Best Cloud Computing Services You have many different choices in cloud computing service providers. Here are the market leaders. Microsoft Azure The Microsoft Azure cloud platform offers more than 200 products and cloud services to build, run, and manage applications across multiple clouds, on-premises, and at the edge, with the tools and frameworks of your choice. It provides software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). It also supports many different programming languages, tools, and frameworks, including both Microsoft-specific and third-party software and systems. One strength of Microsoft Azure is its high-speed and geographically decentralized infrastructure, which creates limitless options for disaster recovery plans. That ensures your critical application and data can run from redundant sites during recovery periods that last minutes or hours instead of days. While Microsoft Azure is used by two-thirds of the world’s Fortune 500 companies, its scalability makes it accessible for small businesses too. Google Cloud Platform Google Cloud Platform, offered by Google, is a suite of cloud computing services that runs on the same infrastructure that Google uses internally for its end-user products, such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Drive, and YouTube. Alongside a set of management tools, it provides a series of modular cloud services including computing, data storage, data analytics, and machine learning. Google Cloud Platform provides IaaS, PaaS, and serverless computing environments. Google’s strength lies in big data processing tools, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning initiatives, and container support. Google’s BigQuery and Dataflow bring strong analytics and processing capabilities for companies that work heavily with data, while Google’s Kubernetes container technology allows for container cluster management and eases container deployment. Google’s Cloud Machine Learning Engine and various machine learning APIs make it easier for businesses to leverage AI in the cloud. Amazon Web Services Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis. These cloud computing web services provide a variety of basic abstract technical infrastructure and distributed computing building blocks and tools. Fees are based on a combination of usage, hardware, operating system, software, or networking features chosen by the subscriber-required availability, redundancy, security, and service options. Amazon markets AWS to subscribers as a way of obtaining large-scale computing capacity more quickly and cheaply than building an actual physical server farm. One AWS service is Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), which allows users to have at their disposal a virtual cluster of computers, available all the time, through the Internet. AWS’s virtual computers emulate most of the attributes of a real computer, including hardware central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) for processing; local/RAM memory; hard-disk/SSD storage; a choice of operating systems; networking; and pre-loaded application software such as web servers, databases, and customer relationship management (CRM). The AWS technology is implemented at server farms throughout the world and maintained by an Amazon subsidiary. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Oracle Cloud is a cloud computing service offered by Oracle Corporation providing servers, storage, network, applications, and services through a global network of Oracle Corporation-managed data centers. The company allows these services to be provisioned on-demand over the Internet. Oracle Cloud provides IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and Data as a Service (DaaS). These services are used to build, deploy, integrate, and extend applications in the cloud. This platform supports numerous open standards (SQL, HTML5, REST, etc.), open-source applications (Kubernetes, Spark, Hadoop, Kafka, MySQL, Terraform, etc.), and a variety of programming languages, databases, tools, and frameworks including Oracle-specific, Open Source, and third-party software and systems. IBM Cloud The IBM Cloud platform combines PaaS with IaaS to provide an integrated experience. The platform scales and supports both small development teams and organizations, as well as large enterprise businesses. IBM Cloud offers a next-generation hybrid cloud platform, advanced data and AI capabilities, and deep enterprise expertise across 20 industries. Solutions are available depending on your needs for working in the public cloud, on-premises, or a combination. IBM Cloud provides solutions that enable higher levels of compliance, security, and management, with proven architecture patterns and methods for rapid delivery for running mission-critical workloads. Available in data centers worldwide, across 19 countries with multi-zone regions in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, users can deploy locally with global scalability. CloudLinux CloudLinux OS is a commercial Linux distribution marketed to shared hosting providers. It is developed by software company CloudLinux, Inc. Instead of a cloud-computing provider, CloudLinx is a cloud platform that can be built across internally hosted servers.
6 Reasons to Go for Legacy Application Modernization
Companies relying on legacy applications miss out on the benefits of technological advancements, including improved insights, productivity, and revenue generation.
7 Approaches to Legacy Application Modernization
When choosing the right approach for your organization, consider the return on investment. Let’s learn about seven common approaches to legacy application modernization.
What Is Edge Computing? What Are the Opportunities and Challenges in Edge Computing?
Similar to the migration from on-premise servers to cloud computing, companies are investing in the next technological progression—edge computing. As the name suggests, edge computing brings the computational infrastructure closer to the data source (i.e., the edge of a network), where it enables faster and more reliable services, as well as improved flexibility. This network architecture helps to overcome some of the issues with cloud computing because nearby devices are used as servers to improve response times and reduce latency. Organizations from all industries are looking closely at edge computing as a component of their digital transformation strategies. What Is Edge Computing? In simple terms, edge computing brings the computational infrastructure closer to the data source, which can provide faster access to and analysis of that data. The proximity of the data source and the data computation addresses some of the limitations of cloud computing by improving bandwidth, reducing latency, and lowering costs. Edge computing is particularly useful in situations with limited bandwidth or unreliable networks because it doesn’t require an Internet connection. It’s also helpful with artificial intelligence or machine learning applications where a great deal of real-time data is produced and needs to be analyzed quickly. Additionally, multi-access edge computing refers to the edge of any network, while mobile edge computing refers to the edge of only the mobile network. How Does Edge Computing Support the Internet of Things (IoT) The objective of edge computing is that computing should happen in the proximity of data sources. As a result, edge computing is particularly beneficial for supporting the Internet of Things (IoT), sometimes called machine-to-machine (M2M) communications in the industrial world. Because the IoT generates a lot of data in a short time, edge computing offers improvements over other cloud computing infrastructures. The IoT gathers information directly from multiple devices, which can be almost anything with a sensor—including computers, vehicles, smartphones, appliances, building automation systems, and production equipment. Typically cloud computing is not efficient enough to handle the growing quantity of data generated by all those devices. Edge computing brings computation closer to IoT devices, improving response time, reducing latency, improving bandwidth, and lowering costs. What are the Benefits of Edge Computing? Edge computing extends cloud-based computing to geographically distributed locations, bringing computation closer to the devices that produce data. That offers benefits such as improvements in… Bandwidth Power consumption Response time Security Reliability Performance Latency Scalability Costs What are the Challenges of Edge Computing? Unlike cloud computing, where servers are located elsewhere, edge computing involves physical devices located in close locations. As a result, it requires professional IT services to set up and monitor the network. Like any technological innovation, challenges must be addressed before implementation. These challenges include… Stable power supply Hardware location Maintenance Security Edge computing is still a nascent technology, although the market is expected to expand rapidly. Many companies are looking at edge computing as part of their long-term digital transformation strategies because of its ability to streamline business processes. The appeal is the ability to extend conventional cloud computing with a distributed infrastructure where applications are closer to the sources where the data is captured. Contact InApp for more information about edge computing, and how it can help your organization.
Legacy Application Modernization: Benefits and Risks of Moving to the Cloud
Cloud computing services offer big benefits for legacy application modernization. But you also need to mitigate the risks. Learn more in this InApp blog.
Importance of Cloud Computing for Small Business and Startups
The cloud has become an integral part of the IT strategy of most large corporations, but for many small businesses & start-ups, it is still an unknown commodity. The benefits of cloud computing services in terms of business agility, financial prudence, etc, are pertinent for large corporations as well as start-ups and small businesses. But there are still many small businesses not completely sure about what is meant by cloud computing and where it fits into their IT strategy. What is Cloud Computing? To really understand how the cloud is beneficial for small businesses, let’s first understand what cloud computing really is: Cloud computing is a mechanism by which computing resources are available online. The computer resources can be in the form of data centers, processors, system-level software, or application-level software. These resources are shared and available on demand. These resources can be either publicly available or private (for use only within an organization). The cloud computing levels are: Infrastructure Processor Block Storage N/W Platform Database Queues Runtime Object Storage Application HRM CRM ERP Accounting Communication The importance of Cloud Computing levels mean for a Small Business or a Startup For a small business or a start-up arranging all the physical computing resources can be costly. Startups and small businesses are always concerned about the cost. Physical resources (Infrastructure layer) most times consume the bulk of the cost of setting up a startup or expanding a small business. It is here that the infrastructure layer of the cloud can be particularly beneficial. Instead of setting up separate servers or data centers, one can actually get these resources when required, on-demand, by using the cloud. As a small business or a start-up, the cloud gives immense flexibility. If required you can scale up really fast and also on the flip side, you can immediately cut costs by unsubscribing to unnecessary computing resources. Quite often when we are setting up our business we provision for peak demand. So if we feel that we might have X amount of peak data requirement, Y amount of peak processor requirement, and Z amount of Peak N/W port requirements. We would actually provision for X, Y & Z. However, the actual average utilization of these resources might be X/4, Y/4, and Z/4. This means most times the resources are ideal. Now if we were on the cloud and utilizing the infrastructure layer, we would be having the flexibility of using just as much as we require. The actual hardware and its complexity are hidden from the subscriber in this case. Virtual machines are being created in the background and provide this infrastructure. A Hypervisor runs this virtual machine. In simple terms, a Hypervisor is a computer that is running many virtual computers. It is allowing for the sharing of resources, such that it is possible to run multiple Linux, Windows, and OS X instances on a single physical x86 machine. An alternative to Hypervisors is Linux Containers which do away with the need to have separate computers (hypervisors) which are overhead. The management of this Virtual hardware is the headache of the infrastructure layer service provider. These additional human resources who manage IT infrastructure may not be required in-house. The platform layer provides databases, queues, temporary storage, etc, which can be used by application developers to develop software that can run on the cloud. Thus the underlying complexity of buying and managing hardware and software can be removed. Microsoft Azure & Google App Engine provides platform layer offers that will automatically scale with the application’s requirement of databases, queues, etc. Thus small businesses and start-ups that have limited budgets and resources can use such an offering to their advantage. Also because of its pay-as-you-go mechanism, it allows for the cost to be spread over a period of time. Finally, the Application layer is a way to get on-demand software. This software can be any of the business requirements that the business might have: CRM, ERP, HRM, Accounting, etc. Instead of developing this or installing it on the system, the software can be got on demand. Even the cost of maintaining the software is provided by the service provider. The pricing model for this is monthly in general and again gets spread out instead of being a one-time payment. This is again a huge benefit for small businesses. With the application stored centrally, updates can be released without the need for users to install the new software.
3 Key Disruptive Technologies Impacting Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a huge transformation in the last few years, compared to the past decade, thanks to the implementation of disruptive technologies. Manufacturers are leveraging disruptive technologies to improve their business processes and operations, and in turn, drive growth. An IoT Analytics report (2018) states, “The market for Industry 4.0 products and services is expected to grow to $310B by 2023. “. Cloud computing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and 3D Printing are the three key drivers of disruptive manufacturing. They help replace existing approaches and processes with highly connected workflows that enable production lines to become more efficient. They enable manufacturers to connect devices on the shop floor and collect data for supply chain tools and analytics. Let’s take a closer look at how each of them is contributing to increased productivity and growth. 1. Cloud Computing Outdated manufacturing computing systems will not be able to keep up with the growing digitization needs of the business. They are not scalable and cannot contribute to the necessary increase in operational efficiency. This is where cloud computing plays a key role in manufacturing. By offering a network of remotely placed servers, that contribute to processing, data storage, and computing, the cloud enables data to be accessed from anywhere, at any time, effortlessly. The primary use of the cloud is that it helps streamline key areas of the manufacturing business while improving collaboration in real-time. Cloud computing enables manufacturing processes to seamlessly connect with a customer or supplier’s ecosystem, as well. The high connectivity enables tighter links across production systems and caters to a better system and end-product integration. 2. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) The IIoT is one of the most influential disruptive technologies to change the way manufacturers operate. IIoT enables them to achieve higher levels of productivity by connecting multiple production lines and machines to facilitate seamless interactions. It helps manufacturers collect huge amounts of data that can be leveraged for a wide range of activities, from real-time visibility to sensing equipment failure to predicting customer behavior. It uses sensors, controls, and automated equipment that facilitate system interaction from remote locations, without any human intervention. IIoT data is also accessible on all devices, including mobile apps. 3. 3D Printing Additive manufacturing, as it’s often called, enables the creation of 3D images of products using raw materials and a digital design as a base, within a few hours. It offers a number of advantages when compared to traditional manufacturing. In a bottom-up method, each part is created layer by layer, according to the design changes made by individual customers. It enables the design-test process by assessing the viability of the product when created using different design aspects. Therefore, it helps drive down costs and eliminate waste, to a large extent. To stay Industry 4.0 competitive, it is imperative for manufacturers to leverage the above disruptive technologies to improve efficiencies and accelerate productivity. This in turn builds organizational capabilities and leads to high customer satisfaction. Do you want to harness the power of disruptive technologies to improve your manufacturing efficiency? With over 21+ years of experience in delivering transformative solutions, InApp can help you make the transition effortlessly. To learn how to leverage our services for your business growth, contact us now.
Cloud Computing Services for Modern Manufacturing
Globally, many manufacturing companies are expanding to new horizons and diversifying their operations, thanks to the advent of the Industry 4.0 revolution. Rapid transformation is taking place in the technology forefront, and cloud computing plays a pivotal role in bringing about this change. According to Gartner, “Cloud computing is a style of computing in which scalable and elastic IT-enabled capabilities are delivered as a service using Internet technologies.” Cloud Computing Services offer the following benefits for modern manufacturing practices: A TBR report states that “Agile manufacturers are planning to move their mission-critical applications to the cloud while citing security, integration, and performance as factors”. Cloud computing services can be deployed as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Initially, the manufacturing industry leveraged cloud computing to improve primary processes such as warehouse and quality management. It is also being utilized to drive paperless workplaces, thanks to the high connectivity it provides. Cloud computing is also making it possible for companies to look deeper into data sets, and derive insights into equipment and process performance. This helps to track and analyze product quality, facilitating the improvement of quality levels and creating a competitive advantage for the company. Gauging equipment effectiveness helps analyze the health of machinery and tools and extend their performance. Discrete manufacturing involves build-to-order and configure-to-order workflows, which require real-time integration of multiple applications. Cloud computing contributes by offering seamless data transfers, reducing cycle time, and enabling easy recording of each process in detail. It provides a foundation for connected manufacturing. Another important reason cloud computing is being adopted more widely is that it empowers managers to assess supply chain performance, which contributes to better decision-making and forecasting. What’s Next? Cloud computing’s connectivity for machines, systems, and stakeholders is positively impacting modern manufacturing companies at various levels. At the enterprise level, its impact will be seen in the way how companies efficiently and seamlessly manage their operations and system integrations. This includes all the high-level processes such as production, finance, ERP, HR, training, and others. At the production level, cloud computing will change the way products are designed, developed, assembled, and packaged. It will play a key role in connected manufacturing that uses new technology such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 3D printing, and generative design to operate seamlessly. To derive maximum benefits from cloud computing, modern manufacturing companies need to have a comprehensive cloud strategy to maximize their Return on Investments (ROI). Cloud computing partners should be chosen based on their solution’s scalability, security, flexibility, process documentation, and training capabilities. InApp has over 22+ years of experience driving transformation with best-in-class manufacturing solutions. If you are looking to deploy cloud solutions for your manufacturing concern, please contact us, and we would be glad to help.