The cloud terminology – Guide to migrating the right way

As mentioned previously in the blog series, Covid-19 has caused a rapid increase in the use of cloud services. With its ability to enable remote working business owners jumped at the chance to adopt it as soon as possible in order to keep their companies functioning.

Some business owners are understandably apprehensive about the change – this is partly due to the natural anxiety of moving into the unknown, but, more predominant, is the confusion around what the cloud actually offers due to the often abbreviated terminology being difficult to understand.

This is a big step for many business owners, and they understandably want to know exactly what they are spending their money on. Providers are not always out to make you buy the most expensive tool whether it serves a purpose or not – some are interested in helping and ensuring you are properly advised in getting the correct tools for you.

Let us explore some of that terminology so you can be better equipped for your talk with a provider.

The terminology of the cloud

IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service

Infrastructure-as-a-Service is a computing framework that is provided over the internet. On a predominantly monthly subscription basis, your provider will supply and manage the infrastructure whilst you purchase, install, and configure your own software. Some have IaaS and SaaS - we will explain SaaS in detail next.

SaaS – Software as a Service

Software-as-a-Service is by far the most popular of the cloud services, with 89% of companies that are on the cloud using SaaS as a core component of their cloud computing method. SaaS is the delivery of applications that are accessible by you from a monthly subscription, as opposed to an outright purchase – and as opposed to purchasing a singular version of an application – you will instead be paying for access to an evolving service, which will keep your application up to date and likely come with other bolt-on services, such as data storage, backup and security.

Cloud storage

Cloud storage is the concept of storing file data in remote servers known as the cloud. Rather than your computer or on-site server having to store all of your data locally, often making access and sharing a difficulty, the cloud storage takes that entire strain. The data stored in the cloud is accessible from anywhere anytime – making it appealing to companies especially during the current pandemic.

Cloud applications

A cloud application (cloud app) is often provided to you in the subscription to SaaS. It is the name for the software you are accessing online instead of installing it on individual computers.

Being familiar with some of the terminology surrounding the cloud is important – having basic knowledge can assist you in making a migration to the right tools for you. Having little or no knowledge of cloud terminology could result in you paying for a service that does not serve a purpose. The last thing you want to do (especially in the modern climate) is spending vast amounts of money on something that could have been achieved for half the cost.

Saying that, your provider cannot expect you to be an expert - they have responsibilities too. They should use language that you understand wherever possible and try to adapt the way they speak according to your knowledge.

Need help making the transition to the cloud?

Tristar can assist you in making a smooth transition to cloud IT that suits your business needs. With engineers that have years of experience at hand, we can assure you top quality support now and into the future. Please contact our team today to discuss your business challenges and allow us to steer you towards the right cloud options.