Most businesses have to deal with the challenge of tedious workloads and time-consuming network upgrades and related crashes. It also makes it problematic to anticipate the IT needs of a company with the growing demand for flexibility and mobility.

This does not even account for how it massively complicates cost control. The good news is that cloud development is a viable solution to these various challenges, which is why businesses leverage it actively.

According to studies on cloud development, 48 percent of enterprises today store some of their most sensitive information in the cloud. The most active cloud users’ industries include retail, telecom, insurance, consumer products, and banking.

Cloud application development services are critical for any business that requires processing and data storage in large bulks.

The popularity and growth of cloud solutions also raise many questions for companies of all sizes. The most prominent questions are "what is cloud app development" and "how does one build a cloud solution."

This article will answer all the essential questions businesses typically ask about cloud application development. It will also tackle the benefits your company can take advantage of for your business.

Key Takeaways

• Cloud-based applications are software that functions from a remote server instead of a localized computer system or device.
• There are four types of cloud-based applications, each with its own functions, benefits, and drawbacks. These are private, public, hybrid, and community clouds.
• There are three primary cloud application development solutions. These are Software as a Service or SaaS, Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS, and Platform as a Service or PaaS.

What is a cloud-based application?

A cloud-based application is software that functions under a remote server instead of a localized or in-house device or computer system. Other terms to describe this type of application are online or web-based apps.

Here is an example that will help you understand what a cloud-based application is.

An application you access and utilize on your smartphone is an example of a local app. The software runs on the operating system of your smartphone and stores data on that smartphone locally.

On the other hand, a cloud-based application also runs on an operating system. However, a big difference between local and cloud-based applications is that cloud-based apps are not stored locally. Cloud-based applications are stored in a remote server, what most users call "in the cloud," where it is accessible through the internet on demand.

Google Docs and the other applications under Google Drive are perfect examples of cloud-based applications that almost everyone uses. For those unfamiliar, Google Docs is a word processing application that enables users to create and edit word documents online and from the web browser.

Additionally, Google Docs enables users to share these documents with others, allowing them to work together on the same paper in real time. Like many cloud-based applications, you can access Google Docs from any device with an internet connection.

How the Cloud Application Market Looks Today

The cloud-based application marketplace has been booming in recent years. The statistics show that the cloud-based application market had a value of $133 billion in 2020. These same statistics project that the value of the market will skyrocket to $168 billion by 2025.

There are three critical drivers for the state of the cloud application market. These drivers include the following:

• The mounting requirements for mobility in data management and usage
• The lowering of costs for the IT infrastructure
• The need for businesses to access information from several locations and multiple devices

Many enterprises incorporate the cloud environment in their systems because it provides mobility, accessibility, cost-efficiency, and scalability.

In the early days, only large enterprises functioned as the core drivers of cloud-based applications. The primary function of these cloud-based apps was to boost productivity across the enterprises' offices.

Today, several small-to-medium startup businesses have emerged and have played a critical role in boosting the growth of the cloud application development market. These applications can be found in many industries and domains, such as:

• Insurance
• Government
• Education
• Entertainment and media
• Telecommunication
• Information Technology
• Healthcare
• Oil and gas
• Banking and fintech

What are the types of cloud-based solutions?

Even though they follow the same general format, there are various types of cloud-based solutions. Each cloud application has its benefits, features, and disadvantages.

Here are some of the most well-known options.

Private Cloud

A private cloud is an on-site cloud solution used only by a single organization. The advantages of using a private cloud include better data security, a boost in performance, and better control over the company environment. Its disadvantages, on the other hand, include initial investment requirements and complex setup and management.

A private cloud solution can be either PaaS or IaaS.

Public Cloud

A public cloud is a cloud-based solution designed to be available to the general public. Massive companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft typically offer these solutions.

A public cloud provides various benefits, including flexibility, cost savings, and scalability. However, the drawbacks include problems such as subjection to downtime and less control over security and data.

A public cloud also helps companies save money on infrastructure costs. This is because businesses only need to pay for resources they use when utilizing a public cloud.

Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud combines the best traits of private and public cloud services with automation and orchestration. Its advantages include better control and security, adaptability to fit specific requirements, and utilization of the best parts of private and public clouds. Its disadvantages, however, are the requirement for IT expertise and on-premises infrastructure.

Community Cloud

A community cloud involves a shared environment, typically among organizations with common interests. It enables these organizations to access a compilation of resources, such as data and applications, which they can share and use.

The advantages of the community cloud include pooled resources, improved collaboration, and shared responsibility. The disadvantages, however, are security risks, limited control, and dependence on another organization.

The 3 Major Cloud-based Application Development Solutions

Similar to cloud-based applications, there are several cloud application development solutions. Here are the top three most significant cloud-based application development solutions.

1. Software as a Service or SaaS

In software as a service, you receive software through the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. Users generally access SaaS applications using a web browser or a dedicated mobile application.

Software as a service enables organizations to utilize the software without needing to install or manage their cloud servers. The best examples of applications based on software as a service include:

• Google Apps
• QuickBooks Online
• Salesforce
• Microsoft Office 365
• Adobe Creative Cloud

2. Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS

Infrastructure as a service functions as cloud computing that delivers computer infrastructure on a pay-as-you-go basis. Examples of these computer infrastructures include data center space, cloud storage, networking, and servers.

• DigitalOcean
• Azure Virtual Machines
• Amazon EC2
• IBM Cloud Pak for Data
• Compute Engine

Platform as a Service or PaaS

Platform as a service entails users enjoying a platform for developing, testing, and deploying applications on the Cloud. PaaS providers provide tools and services that simplify applications' development, testing, and deployment on the Cloud.

The best examples of applications based on platform as a service include:

• Google Cloud
• Engine Yard
• Microsoft Azure Pipelines
• IBM Cloud
• Red Hat OpenShift
• Amazon Web Services or AWS

What are the advantages of cloud-based applications?

Cloud technology can provide a plethora of benefits for many businesses. These can range from flexibility in optimization to cost-effectiveness and scalability. Here are some of the key benefits companies can receive from cloud solutions.

Ready-to-Use Infrastructure

Cloud-based apps provide a ready-to-use infrastructure, which can be a massive time-saver for companies. This is because they no longer have to worry about installing and maintaining their servers and other IT infrastructure.

Instead, these businesses can utilize the cloud service provider's cloud infrastructure. As it saves the business time, it also saves a lot of money long-term.

Flexibility and Security

Cloud-based apps have incredible flexibility as you can access them anytime from anywhere using web apps or mobile devices. You can also share data and files with anyone, regardless of location.

Additionally, cloud-based apps have incredible security and data storage located in the Cloud. If anything should happen to your device, your data remains safe and secure. You also no longer have to worry about data loss, since cloud-based apps constantly back up information.

Cost Reduction

Reducing business costs is another great benefit of using cloud-based apps. This is because it saves energy costs and eliminates the need to invest in expensive on-premises software and hardware.

Additionally, you can scale cloud software up or down depending on your changing requirements. That means you only need to pay for what you use when you need to use it.

How To Construct a Cloud-based Application

There are many different methods for how DevOps build a cloud-based app. Here are some of the necessary steps to create a cloud-based application.

Define your Scope

The scope of a cloud solution refers to the set of functionality that the software can provide for the users. Essentially, you need to determine your users’ needs and what they can expect from your app to define the scope of your application.

It is critical to understand that the scope must be realistic and achievable. Defining your scope based on unachievable goals and unrealistic requirements makes no sense.

Defining the scope is arguably the most critical phase of cloud software development. This is because you cannot start the planning or development process without a definite scope or framework.

Hire a Credible Cloud-based Application Development Company

Before you go any further into the planning or building phase of cloud-based solution development, you need to understand what it entails. Cloud based-application development is not only challenging, it also requires years of experience and expertise.

For your project, you should hire a credible and reliable cloud application or mobile app development company such as Brain Box Labs.

The company you select will be responsible for understanding the requirements, determining the project scope, and developing a custom solution that meets the requirements. Additional responsibility includes ensuring the application is secure, scalable, and accommodating to the needs of your users.

While you can handle the project's development, it is not the best idea. This is because it takes years of experience and expertise to develop an application which correctly functions while meeting all requirements.

Determine the Technology Stack

When choosing development tools for cloud solutions, you need to research the features, necessities, and designs that align with your application. You also need to consider the scalability factor when selecting the tech stack.

Design the Architecture

There are a few core aspects to keep in mind when designing the architecture for the application. The first thing is deciding on what cloud platform you will use that best fits your needs.

Once that is done, you can move on to the actual design of the application's architecture. This includes determining the structure, components, and how they will interact.

After the basic designs are in place, you can add functionality and features. While doing that, you must also keep scalability and performance in mind. Your end game is to build an app that will not slow down or crash even after handling massive traffic.

PRO TIP:

Ensure you do not skip any of the steps above, as they could significantly affect how it will turn out in the implementation phase.

Get On the Cloud Now

As mentioned, cloud application development provides a wide array of functionality that can assist your company in reaching its goals. Cloud solutions play such a significant role in the success of large and small businesses that they have slowly become non-optional.

That is why most businesses hire software solution developers like Brain Box Labs for their cloud app needs. You can expect your company to work like clockwork with suitable cloud applications.

Need a development team to help you with your Cloud and other web application design and development needs? Look no further than Brain Box Labs and its software development and design experts.