(19)List down advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing?

Answer:The following are some of the possible benefits for those who offer cloud computing-based services and applications:

Advantages of Cloud Computing

(1)Cost Savings:
  • Companies can reduce their capital expenditures and use operational expenditures for increasing their computing capabilities.
  • This is a lower barrier to entry and also requires fewer in-house IT resources to provide system support. In Cloud environment, only pay for what a customer use.

(2)Scalability/Flexibility:
  • Companies can start with a small deployment and grow to a large deployment fairly rapidly, and then scale back if necessary.
  • Also, the flexibility of cloud computing allows companies to use extra resources at peak times, enabling them to satisfy consumer demands.


(3)Reliability and continuity:
  • Services using multiple redundant sites can support business continuity and disaster recovery. Data stored in the cloud ensures it is backed up and protected in a secure and safe location.
  • Being able to access the data again quickly, allows conducting business as usual, minimizing any downtime and loss of productivity.

(4)Maintenance:
  • Cloud service providers do the system maintenance, and access is through Application Program Interface (API) that does not require application installations onto PCs, thus further reducing maintenance requirements.
  • Basically all activities are managed under Service Level Agreements (SLA) with Cloud service providers.


(5)Mobile Accessible:
  • Mobile workers have increased productivity due to systems accessible in an infrastructure available from anywhere.
  • Cloud computing allows employees to be more flexible in their work practices.

(6)Environmental Benefits:
  • Cloud solutions provide overall environmental benefits (lower carbon emissions) as many users efficiently sharing large systems.

(7)Access to automatic updates:
  • Access to automatic updates for IT requirements is possible, if it’s included in contract.
  • Depending on cloud computing service provider, system will regularly be updated with the latest technology. 
  • This could include up-to-date versions of software, as well as upgrades to servers and computer processing power.


Drawbacks of Cloud Computing

(1)Higher ongoing operating costs can turn cloud system works out to be more expensive than traditional systems.

(2) Company will be dependent on service providers for solving problems or technical issues quickly. SLAs can be useful in defining expectations; however issues have to be solved by service provider

(3)Risk of being locked into proprietary or vendor-recommended systems is possible in cloud environment. Migration to other system or service provider would be difficult. 


(4)In cloud environment, if supplier suddenly decides to stop supporting a product or system, company’s business may be impacted.

(5)Potential privacy and security risks of putting company’s valuable data on someone else's system in an unknown location is another drawback of Cloud environment.

(6)Dependency on a reliable Internet connection is another major drawback.