In regards to hosting, "The Cloud" is a broad brush stroke phrase that's inclined to be flat-out misleading for website owners.
That's correct, I mentioned it.
But wait, you might be thinking, I thought the cloud was the solution to everything for everyone! Is not it a magic online panacea that can do ... anything, anytime, anywhere?
Despite what you may have heard, regardless of nebulous advertising messages and the incessant, despite the hype, the cloud - itself - isn't an option for you, the site owner.
Rather, "the cloud" is an IT term for technologies which make life simpler for IT people. That's who it is a solution for.
The sorts of alternatives you desire?
Services that will scale to satisfy traffic spikes that won't penalize you with utility meter established charges.
Peace of mind when it comes to malware and security.
Operational processes like error detection and backups.
Support ranging from IT questions to Search Engine Optimization impact of CMS settings choices.
Any highend hosting provider is going to use cloud technologies to produce these options to you personally, though possibly not for the reasons you might expect. The cloud does not just magically make these solutions all happen, and it does not automatically get them happen better than non-cloud means would. But it does help us to keep prices down, which in turn allows us to provide advanced levels of support and revolutionary new features that make life better for our customers.
So the cloud is not useless. Quite useful in fact. It simply is not an option in-and-of-itself, like you may think of it. And how cloud technologies are employed is crucial.
Here are some of fallacies about the cloud, which you should remember as it connects to your WordPress.
1. The cloud automatically scales
The cloud isn't magic. I mentioned this but it bears repeating. The way some people talk about the cloud (and the way it's occasionally used in hosting) sure makes it seem like people believe some type of magic is going on.
However there isn't. It is only complicated technology.
There appears to be a notion that the cloud will enable a web site to scale to boundless levels of chips and memory at the drop of a hat. But you do not just go to a supercomputer from the power of an iPhone only because you've a cloud report. You will still probably have to update, configure, alter applications ... you'll need to do things to leverage the scalability. Are you going to understand what you're doing? Will your supplier?
And where do you start? Most cloud suppliers sell services based on the estimated computing power that will be demanded for a given settings. So you have to take a guess. Less? Are you wasting some or maximizing your resources?
A plethora of resources and alternatives are available with the cloud, but only because you sign up doesn't mean you get them all.
Don't confuse adaptive with automatic.
2. Cloud technology = protected technology
Sure, the bits and pieces that make up what we know as "the cloud" are all housed in secure data centers, but application security is the actual problem. As it relates to WordPress, this means PHP files being hacked, brute force login attempts on the admin user, etc.
Unless your provider has specific software written for program-level malware prevention and detection, there is little worth to the cloud in terms of security. If they don't provide WordPress specific security features for injection blockers and brute force login sensors, then the cloud actually is not part of a security solution.
What is the cloud doing to protect you from these possible security breaches? Not substantially. Do not get lulled into a false sense of security. Instead, make sure any hosting provider has a non-nebulous, activity-oriented strategy to keep your site safe.
3. Cloud is a synonym for "your data is safe"
Talking of keeping your site safe about your data? How safe is it? Again, the cloud can be part of the alternative here, but it's not a total solution itself.
Do you recognize just how many bits of info are backed up in the cloud each day?
Petabytes.
The question is, how much time does it take your provider to locate and take out your backup from the ocean of of information? And what's in place to ensure that there isn't some sort of failure during the process? Should you've got to wait 24 hours to regain a single CSS file for your site?
4. Cloud technologies equate to improved up time
There are really two sorts of clouds in hosting used.
One uses cloud technologies to ease operational processes. If underlying hardware is failing, you have to endure days of issues as the container of your website can be placed by the touch of a button on new alloy. In case you want more storage or memory, this can be used instantaneously without server or downtime migrations.
The other variation basically connects a couple of computers together in a complicated fashion using routing, caching, and database sync technologies to host lots of websites. This second form of cloud presents many problems when it comes to hosting, particularly if it is relied upon too heavily.
The reason is because every one of these complications has a failure point. And if failure is experienced by one point, it is going affect the remainder of the settings.
There is really likely a higher likelihood of the having problems due to the complexity. Complex isn't consistently worse.
We use our stack to be managed by cloud technologies, but at the end of the day we still set little numbers of websites on servers that are actual, not cloud configurations. We see the world in the server level. We only use cloud technologies to remove the pains of server management from our operations.
5. Clouds are created for publishers
Cloud technologies are options for us. Or perhaps a better way to put it is that the cloud is a tool which helps us deliver solutions to the publishers you and online business owners.
And alternatives for you involve traffic, design, and traffic conversion in a safe and sound manner.
So that the cloud allows us to deliver a faster page load time? Excellent. That's what you're expecting. It is like when an airplane lands. That's what should occur. While you are on board, however, what happens?
On-line publishing solutions are built by Copyblogger Media. Through our package of software -- Scribe StudioPress, Assumption, and Synthesis -- we provide you with the actual tools along with the knowledge to take your publishing to the next level.
Don't get lulled into believing cloud-established hosting is going to make all of your web goals come true.
Now, there are cloud-based hosting options out there that are dedicated to WordPress, with WordPress.com being a prime example. But there are clear constraints, specifically the lack of ownership and control you've when you host on WordPress.com as opposed to self hosting.
So it is appropriate for some, but not right for all.
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Cloud technology is not credible.
We use it here at Synthesis to address extremely time consuming technology problems which have plagued the IT business for decades. For instance, in both cases this last year where one of our customer sites endured issues due to underlying hardware, we simply pushed a button and moved it to different hardware.
Yes, the hardware could be repaired, but content publishers aren't interested in going days on end with questionable site functionality while "hardware issues" are fixed.
In addition, we use cloud technologies to process and present helpful data to our clients that was cryptic and difficult to deliver.
When you utilize a managed hosting provider, you pay that supplier to solve these problems for you, and they are likely going to utilize the cloud as a tool to do so. Just do not think, nevertheless, that because you see "the cloud" as part of the option that all your worries will be erased.
What is more significant is partnering with the right supplier who comprehends it is strengths and shortcomings comprehends the fallacies of the cloud, and knows how to apply these technologies to deliver the service you want.