When you think of cloud computing, you likely see images, videos and emails that click to read reside on the network. Those servers are primarily for storage, but they also have computing power that allows to run programs and other applications. Cloud applications are software that store and processes data on multiple systems. Some of the processing is performed on an user’s device, for example, desktop computers or laptops while some of it is performed on the server that hosts the application.
Cloud applications are typically designed with collaboration features, which allows multiple people to work simultaneously on documents. This can increase productivity and enhance teamwork. Many of them also automatically update to include the latest security patches and capabilities and save IT staff a lot of time.
Another benefit of cloud applications is their capacity to increase or decrease their capacity quickly. This flexibility is extremely beneficial for businesses that have unpredictable or seasonal needs. It can also help lower operational costs since hardware can be purchased and not used during slow periods.
Finally, cloud applications often have a subscription system where users pay for the services they use. This is often more cost-effective than purchasing software licenses for each OS or device. This also increases business agility, as companies don’t need to invest massive amounts of money upfront in order to begin. Additionally, many cloud providers offer disaster recovery services to their customers, which can help protect against local outages and even physical disasters.