The cloud terminology omnibus brings you many of the content we have published on cloud-related topics together. Read on.
The rise of cloud technology has its an impact on almost all industries across the globe. This rise also has led to developments in other related technology. Over the years, we have published much explanatory content on cloud-related terms. This omnibus and its ensuing parts aim to bring you all of those valuable, informational content together so that you can access it all from a one-stop solution. Each section is linked to a detailed blog where you can find more information about the said topic.
Without further ado, here we go.
What is Enterprise Architecture?
Enterprise architecture is defined as the overall process an enterprise undergoes, from analysis, design, planning, and implementation, to developing and executing business strategies to produce the desired results. Having a successful EA will help businesses stay on top of their goals and change trends in terms of the markets they operate and technological advances.
With newer and still evolving cloud-based EA systems, businesses get a more efficient and faster method than legacy systems. Cloud does not entirely replace them but rather enhances the potential multifold. Cloud-based enterprise architecture systems can also shorten the time for development and implementation and thereby reduce time and resource utilization.
What is SaaS?
SaaS, the short form for software as a service, is an internet-based software delivery model where users can access software services via a browser. The software is centrally hosted in the service provider's data center and accessed in a subscription framework. With SaaS, customers don't have to install the software on their devices or update them from time to time – the SaaS provider is responsible for the smooth running of the application on devices.
SaaS applications can be in various forms – they can be personal or organizational. Some examples of SaaS are email/messaging services, calendaring, office software, enterprise resource planning (ERP), human resources management (HRM), geographic information systems (GIS), virtualization, and CAD software. SaaS helps organizations to start functioning smoothly without the burden of setting up all software infrastructure from scratch.
What is Bare Metal?
A bare-metal server is a physical computer server dedicated to a single tenant. It comes without the additional virtualization/hypervisor layer typical in a cloud-based infrastructure. Even though the user rents the server from a provider in bare-metal environments, every decision regarding how the server can be used lies with the renter, including the OS. The term 'bare metal' distinguishes between servers that utilize virtualization and cloud hosting and often run multiple tenants in a single environment.
As mentioned, bare metal servers are used by a single tenant and are not shared between customers. The user can determine to run any amount of work or have multiple users within the environment if they choose to do so. Unlike servers in a public cloud environment, the server resources are not shared between numerous customers. The physical separation makes bare metal servers avoid the “noisy neighbor” effect that's often seen as a problem with some virtual environments. They are ideal for customers who need maximum flexibility and minimum interference from providers.
What is Business Intelligence?
Business intelligence is a tech-driven process to analyze data and provide actionable results that help enterprises and decision-makers to make informed choices. Organizations gather data from internal and external sources, collate it for analysis, analyze it, and create data visualizations, helping strategic planning and decisions.
Business intelligence isn't just limited to software. BI data is stored in a data warehouse built for organizations. Furthermore, they also use data lakes as repositories for all types of unstructured or semistructured data. Here are the basic steps involved in BI processes.
- Source system data is integrated into data warehouses or similar repositories.
- Data sets are organized into models ideal for analysis.
- Various entities run the data through analytic queries.
- Results are made into data visualizations, reports, etc.
- Decision-makers act on the inferences to produce real-world results.
What is Persistent Storage?
Persistent storage, also referred to as non-volatile storage, can be defined as any data storage device capable of retaining data after the power supply to the said device is shut off. Common types of persistent storage are magnetic media like hard disk drives, tape, and optical storage devices such as DVDs. This storage system can be in the form of a file, object, or block storage.
Mostly, persistent storage is a fundamental part of any storage system, regardless of whether it is a single drive, shared or networked, or even cloud storage. Because of this commonality, persistence is rarely mentioned while discussing the specs for storage systems or devices.
What is Data Visualization?
In simple terms, data visualization is an approach where collected data is translated into visual contexts to make the information more accessible for human users. Data visualization is used to identify patterns, trends, etc., in enormous data sets such as a data lake.
Data visualization works as an effective way to communicate information visually. The practice also helps organizations identify factors affecting customer behavior and pinpoint areas that need improvement. Data visualization can also grasp and analyze data faster, fostering faster decision-making by improving insights. It also can maintain audience interest with comprehensive, easy-to-understand information. Furthermore, data visualization allows for accessible data and insight distribution with everyone involved. Finally, it lets businesses succeed faster with increasingly accurate information with fewer mistakes than otherwise.
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