Cloud Computing for Beginners: What are the Basics?

Unless someone printed this article out and handed it to you in hard copy, you are using cloud computing at this very moment. The term cloud computing is derived from the ages old symbol that computer professionals use on their system diagrams to refer to a network. It was a picture of an actual cloud.

Cloud computing is simply the way we use computers to share resources, whether they be a printer connected to a desktop computer on the kitchen table, to tens or hundreds of office workers sharing share email, word processing, printing and other services, to thousands of cash machines connected to a central bank. Resources shared in the cloud may consist of software or hardware.

As Easy as Saas, Paas, Iaas

While you could be forgiven for thinking these were the first three letters of the Dutch alphabet, they actually refer to three levels of cloud computing.

• Saas - Software as a Service
• Paas - Platform as a Service
• Iaas - Infrastructure as a service

Other levels of shared resources include storage, security, data, databases, and physical space. That's right. Every keystroke in every email sent via the cloud ends up stored on a piece of computer hardware somewhere on earth. While it's easy to believe that our missives are floating randomly in cyberspace until somehow decoded and transmitted to their target destination on a laptop, tablet or smartphone on the other side of the globe, every bit and byte of every document occupies a physical space.

Here, in the 21st century, almost all of our daily business is conducted via the cloud. This has been driven in part by our thirst for memory. As programs become more sophisticated, they we need bigger and faster computer memories to run them. This drive is counter-intuitive to our equally demanding desire for mobility.

According to Cisco IBSG, in 2010 the human population equaled 6.8 billion, while the number of connected devices was 12.5 billion. To state the obvious, that's a ratio of approximately two devices per person. By 2020, this ratio is projected to reach 6.8 connected devices per person. If that sounds farfetched, consider the Internet of Things (IoT) in addition to personal computers such as laptops, desktops, and phones.

Careers in the Cloud

Clearly, cloud computing is a growth industry and therefore groaning with the weight of lucrative and intellectually stimulating jobs. Jobs in this field traverse many different industries and types of business and might include:

• Data Center and Network Administrator - These individuals take on responsibility for the day to day operation of computer networks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand in this area is expected to grow to 8 percent by 2024. In 2016, the median annual salary for a network administrator was $79,700.
• Network Support and Help Desks - Computer support specialists provide assistance to other IT techs and non-IT personnel. Often, these people need to be available to work at any time of the day or night and weekends. The mean annual wage for computer support specialists in 2012 was $62,670 and demand was projected to be 12 percent by 2024.
• Cybersecurity Professional - These people earn the big bucks. This is partly because it is technically demanding, but also because of the massively negative consequences to individuals whose bank accounts are vulnerable to security breaches, to companies whose reputations are irreversibly damaged, and to society as a whole. Information Security Analysts earned a mean annual salary of $92,600, and demand for their services is projected to grow at around 18 percent by 2024.

Other roles in the cloud computing field include Storage Technology Managers, Virtual Server Administrators, Information Technology Solution Providers, and Network Implementation Teams.

Qualifications for Working in the Cloud

If you want to contribute to the cloud, you’ll need the proper education. A Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cloud Computing Track could help you to gain access to the jobs you want in cloud computing. With ECPI University, it’s faster than ever to do so. Year-round classes and an accelerated schedule means you could graduate with a bachelor’s in as little as 2.5 years. For more information about this exciting cyber security program, connect with a friendly ECPI University admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Cloud Computing - Bachelor’s

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