The term Cloud was originally coined to refer generically to the internet. Every host (a computer serving internet content) that was accessible from the internet was said to be in the Cloud.
The image of a cloud cluster became the symbol, in network diagrams,that represents the internet. Technology's foothold in our lives rapidly grew to the point that all of us had to learn to interact with each other 'on line' for the most ordinary, everyday tasks. For better or worse, our environment became inseparably intertwined with the internet.
Some of the industry giants (Microsoft, Amazon and Google) have brilliantly leveraged this situation by radically expanding and simplifying access to the Cloud. They provide the hosting environment, the servers, the operating systems and the vast array of database and business productivity software. They also provide the gamut of appliances such as firewalls and PBXs.
To top it all off, they have developed on online platform for selecting, firing up and deploying these resources to give you the ability to create an internet presence instantaneously.
The term "Cloud" has thus evolved to mean far more than merely having an internet presence. It now signifies the ability to place content and entire business operations online with a few clicks of the button.
While proponents of the Cloud claim that deployment is simple and fast, this is an over-simplification. Before the migration can be meaningful, you need to know your requirements and how best to implement you goals. As you take a better look at your needs, you will run into questions as to whether you should move to a SAAS model or keep the Application model. You will have to address security concerns as well as efficiency concerns.
When extending you private WAN to the Cloud you must consider how to maintain privacy, security and high performance. We can help you design and implement your optimal strategy. We can also ensure that our SD-WAN solution will work seamlessly with the Cloud's virtual environment.