13 Data Centers and Cloud Infrastructure
This chapter covers
- Data center design
- Types of Cloud infrastructure
- Cloud service models and deployment models
- Service agreements
In the past, organizations built and managed their own computer systems within offices, requiring significant upfront investments in hardware, licensed software, and skilled personnel. This traditional model offered control but was costly and often impractical for small and medium-sized businesses. With the rise of high-speed internet and the widespread availability of computing resources, hosting systems locally is no longer necessary. Organizations can now rent computing power and storage on demand from third-party providers through infrastructure in the Cloud.
To help you understand this concept, consider traditional infrastructure like owning a car. You buy it, fuel it, and maintain it yourself, while cloud infrastructure is like renting a car; you pay only for what you use and the provider handles maintenance and upgrades. This shift enables organizations to outsource complex IT tasks, increase flexibility, and reduce operational costs.