Cloud Computing as an Important Invention in the Technological Sector - Case Study Example

CLOUD COMPUTING Introduction Cloud computing has successfully been used by various companies like Netflix in their daily business activities. Netflix deals with large volumes of data. More than 20 million users access the company’s website to watch various movies or television shows. As such, it is a gigantic company in terms of dealing with a lot of data on the internet. Much data needs storage centers and since increasing the storage space is not that easy the company has used other options like cloud storage. The storage removes the burden of storing large amounts of data by the company and causes it to focus more on developing various applications that will help users connect to the enterprise quickly. The storage capacities that cloud-computing offers are unequaled. It sought of creates a virtual world that people can use in carrying out their daily business activities. Cloud computing offers many services like the backup of data that will help in recovery in cases the computers are damaged or the files become corrupt. The trend at present is that more companies are shifting to public computing and as such committing more of their data to the companies offering cloud services. The various company especially those that use many media are embracing the technology. An example is Instagram and Netflix, which will be dealt with in more detail in this paper (Hennessy & Patterson, 2012). As such cloud, computing is an important technology that provides various opportunities for companies to offer services to their users at a lower cost without having to use its infrastructure (Wang, 2012). Netflix is a company that has transferred most of its services to cloud computing. It was using data centers to provide for its services before it moved to cloud computing which offers plenty of storage for its gigantic volume of videos. It uses cloud computing in the host of its website, which provides various services to the users like video streaming. It has deployed the use of the public cloud offered by Amazon services. The Netflix services involve the provision of videos on its various websites where it stores its numerous movies on a public cloud. Their only concern is to develop applications that will help the company serve its users on their site. The company has therefore moved from traditional data storage and services to the most flexible use of cloud technology in the provision of its services to its customers. Traditional utility companies usually use the approach of manually delivering their services that include power and water among others to their clients. They use a simple method to reaching their customers while the present day society depends on more services that are related to the lifestyle of the users. Companies, as a result, have sought data regarding various consumer consumption behavior to come up with methods of increasing satisfaction of the services provided by the corporation. The recent inception of smart card services, whereby data is managed by a third party, has become popular. More companies are moving to become smart especially in using cloud services, which does not need buying of additional equipment on the part of the business (Chao, 2012). The company has to provide the various applications to be used on the website and leave the storage of the data to cloud computing companies. As such, the traditional model is manual as compared to that of cloud services where the data on the various utilities can be collected and a user given the exact or approximate amount of service that she or she uses. For example, cloud computing can help in the collection of data involving the usage of such a commodity like water over time and determine exactly how much the person needs to use for a particular stipulated period. As such, the company can provide various packages about the requirements of different customers without the need of being physically there. Cloud computing and traditional utility supply provide the services promptly but efficiency is further increased since cloud computing uses computerized methods employed in the various deployment strategies to meet the user’s needs according to how they use the commodities. Netflix has moved many technologies into the cloud. Some of the technologies are account sign up, and concrete products targeted towards the international market and its website where streaming takes place. As such, it has not moved the specific logistics concerning the United States of America. Netflix, as a result, has left some of its services especially those relating to America in some of its data centers. Challenges that face the company in migrating to cloud computing are many. One challenge is privacy. Privacy of the information of the enterprise is an issue that affects many cloud-computing companies (Gendron, 2014). People who are not authorized to access the data may get their hands on it. The unauthorized access may cause untold damage to the company, which may lead to closure or legal action by customers. Switching between various companies offering cloud services is complex. People are usually told it is not hard, but the process of moving may discourage one to do so. Security of the data stored in the cloud is another challenge. Some companies use antivirus among other software in dealing with safety and try as much as possible to seal any loopholes. People may take advantage of any loopholes existing in the system to gain access to data from the various cloud services and thus cause a breach in the security of the information (Srinivasan, 2014). Viruses are other challenges since they can bring down a system and cause the company to lose significantly especially where the corporation has put most if not all its data on the cloud. Some of the customer use cloud systems that do not have authorization and thus expose themselves to risks that may include loss of data or security breaches in the cloud services. Any security breach may lead to sensitive information leaking out to the public domain. The information may include customer’s details that are sensitive and that can, as a result, affect the privacy of various individuals. It is critical to ensure that the security of information is given high priority to preventing a loss of data or fraud. Netflix handles an enormous amount of data.It is, therefore, important to increase data security to prevent any security breach that may lead to theft or loss of the data. Netflix ensures that it gives its experts safety tools to obtain its data as much as it can and prevent any loss or theft. Netflix has come up with unique APIs that help the company build complex applications that its users on its websites. The website has great APIs that can initiate new programs over a short period. Such strategies help in countering any insecurity that may arise when hackers or other people with malicious intent try to access the website without authorization. Before the company moved to cloud it was able to use various platforms to secure its data but now it has to leave most of its data in the hands of an external party having not much control over the data. It, therefore, passes part of the securing function to the company. Therefore, the effectiveness of enhancing security by the business offering the cloud service is essential (Krutz & Vines, 2013). Therefore, the company should consider whether the business is authorized to provide cloud computing and whether it can handle a certain amount of data without a theft occurring. Many businesses are therefore taking on cloud computing for the provision of services and the storage of their data. The increasing storage needs do not much the supply that companies can offer to their customers. The shortage of storage space occurs due to the inability of various companies to match the growth of their clients with the ever-increasing date volumes they are accessing. The companies, as a result, get solace in cloud computing that offers various cloud services like storage and the user or company pays only for what is used. Cloud computing is thus an important invention that will contribute significantly to providing for the vast needs in the technological sector especially in companies where streaming of media is the order of the day. References Carstensen, J., Morgenthal, J. P., & Golden, B. (2012). Cloud Computing: Assessing the Risks. Ely: IT Governance Publishing. Srinivasan, S. (2014). Security, trust, and regulatory aspects of cloud computing in business environments. Gendron, M. S. (2014). Business intelligence and the cloud: Strategic implementation guide. Chao, L. (2012). Cloud computing for teaching and learning: Strategies for design and implementation. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Wang, L. (2012). Cloud computing: Methodology, systems, and applications. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Krutz, R. L., & Vines, R. D. (2013). Cloud security: A comprehensive guide to secure cloud computing. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Read More