Say you want to start your own affiliate program, but you don't know anything about computing, the cloud, data storage, the works! You know you should learn about these things because this information will help you to manage your business, but you don't know where to start. Well this article will hopefully shed some light for you to get you started on your journey through all this confusing IT
stuff.
We've all been there, some of us are still there, trying to make sense of questions like what is a databricks data lake? The thing about distributed computing, though, is that it is all around us. Search engines, movie streaming companies, money transfer systems, gaming - these all rely on distributed computing to a lesser or greater extent. It's not rocket science but it is computer science, which can also feel pretty complicated. So let's dive in.
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A simple definition of distributed cloud computing
Simply put, a distributed cloud is a public cloud infrastructure that distributes its data across different storage and processing
centers. It consists of a distribution of public cloud computing which allows you to manage everything from a single computer. This includes not just everything on the side of your provider but also other data centers and third-parties.
So instead of having all of the data in one place, data is spread over multiple geographical locations. However, the primary public cloud provider, or authority, manages and oversees the governance, operations and updates of all the centers. This model
for computing fixes and regulates any errors that crop up in the course of the work of multi-cloud platforms without putting a halt to the entire process, and helps to prepare against a cyberattack in unison.
The distributed cloud model also involves edge computing, which helps to bring the
data of organizations closer to its sources. This offers a whole host of benefits for the company like deeper data insights and quicker responses, which we'll cover in more depth in just a moment.
The three layers of the distributed cloud
The distributed cloud can be simply divided into three layers which we will cover in this section. They consist of the central cloud, the regional cloud, and finally, the edge cloud.
The Central Cloud is the core of the
distributed cloud, responsible for managing data and overseeing the entire cloud network. Google is an obvious example of a central cloud, acting as a huge storage for colossal amounts of data. The central cloud can be accessed from anyone, anywhere in the world.
The Regional Cloud is thought of as the middle of the distributed cloud sandwich, offering proxy, data caching and local mobility.
Finally, The Edge Cloud is located where the users are, such as mobile phones or laptops, providing services and processing data close to the users.
What's the difference between hybrid cloud and distributed cloud?
The distributed cloud and hybrid cloud models are not on totally different ends of the computing spectrum. There are some broad similarities, but there are also some subtle but significant differences.
You may already be familiar with the hybrid cloud. The hybrid cloud merges public cloud services with private cloud services, as well as on-premises infrastructure. Unlike the distributed cloud which consists of a network of hubs, all managed by the central cloud.
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The idea with the hybrid cloud is that it's able
to coordinate and manage data across all three environments, resulting in a unified and adaptable computing system where VoIP telephone systems, for example, and other companies can run their traditional workloads across these platforms as required by their business needs. One challenge however is that this switching between platforms can create extra work for users.
While with hybrid you can enjoy the
high-quality computing power of the public cloud for your small business phone system workloads and applications with less-sensitive data, and keep any sensitive data for your organization on the on-premises private server, it does require some platform hopping.
Distributed cloud computing enables you to get the flexibility and choice to run your resources where you choose [on-premises, provider
data centers, etc], without some of the potential awkwardness of hybrid. In distributed cloud, fixes, updates and other maintenance occurs centrally, unlike with hybrid, so it's a smoother experience for your call center management software company, for example.
Another way to put it is that the distributed cloud is a little more even than the hybrid model, a little less awkward.
So what are the benefits of distributed cloud?
Now that we know the distributed cloud is and what it means, let's delve into some of the perks of using this system.
Location, location, location
Distributed cloud computing allows you to bring the data physically closer to its place of consumption - in other words, closer to the user or Free Stock Videos company. This has the benefit of reducing both spend for the organization or user, and
latency of data retrieval.
In order to improve the responsiveness and performance in terms of the delivery of services, the distributed cloud is great for increasing the speed of email tracker applications and various requests. The closer you are to one of the cloud centers, the faster the data is retrieved.
Rules and Regulations
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The distributed cloud allows companies, organizations, and individuals to adhere to laws, rules, and regulations, which require data to be physically stored in a specific location or geographic area.
Certain countries have laws and regulations which stipulate that certain data cannot leave the country, for example, due to privacy concerns, for safety reasons, or sometimes just because of protocol. Distributed cloud computing is one way to adhere to these rules and regulations and avoid any legal headaches.
Talk is... expensive
Having a cloud center that's physically closer to you means that you require less computing power to make a request and get a response. This translates in having to pay a lower rate to the distributed
cloud vendor. Distributed cloud computing offers a much more cost-effective way to transfer bulk data, so you're not forking out extra cash every time you run an app.
While this might seem minute on the grand scale of things, that extra distance can rack up costs, especially over a longer period of time. Distributed cloud is not only more affordable for the user, it can end up making cloud computing more equitable and accessible for users around the world.
Simplicity and Clarity
Distributed cloud computing allows for clear and transparent data management from one centralized place. This is quite different to hybrid cloud, where users have to switch between private and public platforms to manage data, which creates extra burdens and inevitably creates a challenge when it comes to clarity [and simplicity!].
Instead, with the distributed cloud, you can manage everything from one dashboard, and deal with just one cloud vendor for your sales management team. This is a huge time saver, and can greatly simplify your processes. Anyone who has ever worked in some kind of administrative role or in IT can probably attest to the fact that the more you are able to simplify and streamline processes, the easier everyone's jobs become. And with simplicity inevitably comes clarity.
Real-time data analysis
Many organizations require real-time data analysis and quick responses without having to send or receive the data from the central cloud [e.g. self-driving cars!]. The distributed cloud delivers the required data quickly and accurately for these kinds of purposes.
Resilience
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As the distributed cloud consist of a network of decentralized servers in different locations, if one server fails, it won't have a domino effect on the functioning of the rest. This makes the system much more robust. In this system, requests can be channeled and managed by the closest server to the user, rather than overloading a single central server. This also leads to faster content distribution by the distributed cloud system, as we mentioned above.
Safety, security, control
The distributed cloud offers
companies the ability to retain specific information and processes in their own private cloud, while still enjoying the benefits of being integrated in the public cloud. This means that highly sensitive data can be controlled and stored easily by the organization without fears of hacking, and without missing out on the benefits of the public cloud.
Cloud data protection strategies are frequently being updated to make the public cloud more secure, but many companies prefer to store their most sensitive data on private servers, and that's something they can choose to do within the distributed cloud framework.
Flexibility
The distributed cloud allows you to compute on your Cloud Solution Provider's infrastructure, as well as in colocation centers, on-premises, and other CSP infrastructure. The freedom to compute from various platforms is very useful to a lot of organizations with multiple departments that work together across different locations. Flexibility isn't just a great work perk, it's also a great work management perk.
Delivering content
A content delivery network is integrated in the distributed cloud, and the goal is to improve the content performance and, as a result, the user experience.
Scalability
With the distributed cloud, users can add in more machines to expand the geographic availability of their nz domain registration tool, for example. Resources can easily be scaled without affecting the cloud system since workloads are handled by local servers.
How popular are distributed cloud solutions?
Image source: Accelerate Agency
Well, we know that over 80% of companies are using a
multi-cloud strategy and that 78% are using over three public clouds. There's also an expected rise of distributed cloud computing alongside the evolution of IoT, 5G and AI capabilities. The increase of apps and data across various edge sites and various clouds is signaling an increase
in distributed cloud usage.
What the distributed cloud offers is a more dynamic and adaptable computing model for these emerging trends. It's well-suited to a fast-paced, ever-changing data landscape because of its flexibility and relative simplicity. Instead of working across multiple clouds, organizations can pay just one provider, and access the cloud hub closest to them from that provider.
The distributed cloud market is projected to reach $3.9 billion by 2025, so these are not small potatoes.
The forecast is cloudy
The distributed cloud seems to be here to stay for the time being, and it even looks set to increase over the coming years. It's not surprising considering its ease of use, and the other many benefits we outlined above. While applications and software become more diverse and complex, the tools we require to host them are invariably becoming more user-friendly and practical, which is where the distributed cloud model seems to shine and stand out from the crowd.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Conn - Senior Director, Demand Generation, 8x8
Richard Conn is the Senior Director for Demand Generation at 8x8, a leading contact centre solutions platform with integrated contact center, voice, video, and chat functionality. Richard is an analytical & results-driven digital marketing leader with a track record of achieving major ROI improvements in fast-paced, competitive B2B environments. Richard Conn also published articles for domains such as MaxBounty and Krisp. Check out his LinkedIn.