As data storage has evolved, tech companies have found more and more ways to deliver compute capabilities at scale and without businesses needing physical locations.
This is made possible by the cloud and specifically by cloud servers. In simple terms, this a physical server made virtual. The physical server is virtualized and divided into multiple virtual servers. Customers can then use these without a need for physical access.
Physical servers are often virtualized using a hypervisor, a piece of software used to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on one physical machine – in other words, it creates cloud servers out of a physical server.
Cloud servers are fundamental to the delivery of cloud computing as a whole, forming the bedrock of the cloud storage model. Cloud providers can essentially lease out the land of their physical servers to cloud customers in the form of virtualized cloud servers.
This creates near-endless possibilities in terms of scale and is one of the key driving factors behind the cloud computing explosion in the mid-2000s – all manner of businesses can utilize cloud servers as and when they need them to grow and trim their storage requirements.
Cloud server vs traditional server
Once you've got a sense of how cloud servers are constructed, it's pretty clear that they rely on traditional servers. Traditional – or physical – servers are what cloud servers are made out of.
Cloud servers are formed out of traditional servers through virtualization, so the process of using and interacting with a cloud server is logically quite different from how one might interact with a traditional server.
When dealing with a traditional server, a user must purchase the physical object before undergoing the setup process, gearing the server to store the correct forms of content or host the correct networks.
By contrast, dealing with a cloud server is a process of navigating a cloud provider's website and selecting how much storage is needed or how much compute power is required.
No physical interaction is needed to operate a cloud server, as the physical object is managed and maintained elsewhere. That is unless you seek to establish your own cloud server for other users. In this case, a business or enterprise would need to purchase a physical server before virtualizing it and establishing distinct VMs within the traditional server environment.
The benefits of a cloud server
There are several benefits to using a cloud server, but the bulk of them can be defined under one neat banner: ease of use.
Also known as the hyperscalers, the big-name cloud providers - AWS, Microsoft, and Google - have all established hugely successful global markets through their development and delivery of cloud servers to end users.
These firm's huge data center portfolios allow them to virtualize and rent out vast portfolios of compute real estate to thousands of businesses across the planet. The reason these markets are so big is that businesses are more than willing to pay for cloud server storage if it means they don't have to maintain their own physical servers.
To use a cloud server, all an enterprise customer needs to do is pick a provider, select their requirements, and start paying a cloud bill, either monthly or annually. The ease of use of a cloud server therefore makes it an attractive option for many businesses.
Part of this ease of use is the flexibility and scalability offered by a cloud server. For an end user, there is no limiting factor of physical space and they can keep purchasing more VMs, compute power, and storage space. This is particularly helpful for newer businesses growing at unpredictable rates.
However, this scalability and flexibility depend on cloud providers having physical servers en masse which they can keep selling space for. With the sudden rush of AI services, there are conversations about the extent to which physical servers can be built quickly enough to provide for growing cloud server demand.
Types of cloud server
The most prevalent type of cloud server is a public one. This is the kind of cloud server delivered to users via the typical 'big three' cloud providers and is used by consumers and businesses alike. It runs on the physical servers of the respective cloud provider and is part of a public ecosystem of cloud servers, a reality that can present problems for some enterprises depending on the sort of data being processed.
If data is particularly sensitive, there may be internal concerns at an enterprise that the data would be vulnerable in the public cloud. Where its security can be less closely handled by the company itself.
Similarly, data processing laws often differ between geographical regions, meaning storing data in the public cloud can lead to violations of rules when the company can't keep as close an eye on it. There has been much discussion about how cloud providers can establish sovereign cloud regions in recent months to curb this issue.
In this case, businesses may opt to use private cloud servers. Private cloud servers function in the same way as public cloud servers but the VMs are delivered to the company either directly via an in-house data center or from a separate cloud provider using a private network.
There are also hybrid cloud servers, which are a combination of both public and private cloud servers. These allow for data to be moved between the different environments.
How to choose a cloud server
Taking on board the points from the previous section, the choice of a cloud server will depend largely on whether or not your business needs a public cloud, private cloud, or a combination of both.
Smaller businesses and startups may find it relatively straightforward to use the public cloud as they can navigate scaling with ease. Larger companies or those dealing with more sensitive data will probably consider combining their public cloud use with private cloud deployments.
Within public cloud servers specifically, there are also choices to be made. While Microsoft, AWS, and Google rule the roost on public cloud computing provision, there are other options available.
Companies should take note of what public cloud providers charge and should be wary of software licensing or vendor lock-in issues.
