Cloud Computing in Pakistan

For all the techno geeks and computer savvy individuals cloud computing is not a novel term. It has got a nod from many companies around the world and almost 90% of them are making use of this technology. In Pakistan, businesses from all sectors have seen an upward turn since the adoption of cloud computing. In recent years, the IT sector is growing exponentially and the future seems quite reassuring and momentous.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing refers to the use of the internet in order to deliver computing services which include both applications as well as tools such as software, data storage, networking, analytics, databases, servers, intelligence etc. It is a safe repository that companies use as a backup in case there is a malfunction or other issues in the local storage system or their hard drives. You can save and have access to your data and files through a remote database. This data can only be retrieved if your devices have internet access and a well-functioning software program. For many businesses it is a top preference because of its performance, efficiency, cost effectiveness (minimizes operating cost), security, speed and productivity.

Having numerous benefits, cloud computing is a boon to businesses. Its trend is surging in Pakistan because of its competitive edge, adaptability in terms of capacity and autonomous backup system. There are different types of cloud computing including public, private and hybrid. Public clouds are controlled by third party businesses who manage and operate its overall infrastructure as well as hardware and software. It is not owned by the users and provides internet storage and services through a remote server. There are several examples of public clouds including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. On the other hand, private cloud as the name suggests, provides services to its specific clients and is solely reserved for single users which are mostly businesses. They are given isolated access, however the ownership or the location rule no longer applies as many such organizations are coming up with their off premises infrastructure. There is another type of cloud computing which is an amalgamation of both public and private clouds known as the hybrid system. This system provides better security, enhances flexibility, and helps users to take maximum advantage of the infrastructure.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

Companies are always in imminent danger when it comes to data security, especially in Pakistan where there is an influx of cyber attackers that pose a potential threat. Every company needs cybersecurity teams for the protection of their sensitive data. For this purpose, many cloud providers offer features that secure their apps, data and infrastructure. They have set stringent policies to mitigate such threats. Another advantage is that it saves users storage spaces on their devices, laptops or desktops. In case of hard disk failures, disaster or other issues, its backup and recovery feature allows individuals to immediately retrieve and access files, data, music or photos. This data and information can be recovered easily from the cloud provider's network because it is available there in the form of expendable sites. Users cannot just have access to their files but they can also keep file records by storing them on Google Drive. 

One benefit of cloud computing for large businesses is that it has saved their costs and increased their productivity by eliminating different expenses. Before cloud computing, companies had to spend huge sum of money on capital such as hardware, software and on the hiring of  IT specialist to operate and manage infrastructure and server centers. Now they don’t have to waste their time on setting up all this. They can utilize this time by directing their efforts towards achieving other business objectives. Some of the largest cloud computing services have a global network with well protected data centers. They are continuously updated according to the most recent version of computer hardware. This boosts performance and helps to achieve greater economies of scales.

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Despite the fact that cloud computing provides security against cybercrimes and sensitive information such as financial data is protected by encryption, in case you lose the encryption key that means all your data will be lost too. There can be many technical mishaps and defaults such as natural disasters or power blackouts etc. If there is power failure in one city then users in other geographical areas would be curtailed from using cloud computing services. Another issue with cloud computing in the corporate sector is that when a number of people handle and access the portal, they end up making accidental mistakes that are carried forward and disrupts the whole system.

On the whole, cloud based applications are being used in various sectors of Pakistan including telecom, health, education, manufacturing, banking etc. It has empowered employees to share data with each other regardless of time and place. From tracking employee activities to holding meetings everything can be done digitally which ultimately boosts company’s productivity and helps them to generate revenue streams.