Difference Between The Internet And Cloud Computing

The internet, also known as the Net, offers tremendous resources and services which include- the World Wide Web and Email. The internet connects millions of individuals, businesses, government agencies, etc worldwide. When an internet service that stores data on the internet is used, this is considered Cloud computing but what exactly is the difference between the internet and Cloud computing?

The major difference is that the internet is a network of networks that provides an infrastructure that creates and maintains the connectivity of computers worldwide while Cloud computing is an internet service that offers various kinds of resources over the internet

To understand the difference between the internet and Cloud computing, it’s important to understand what exactly the internet is and what exactly the Cloud is. In this article, I’ll dissect their details and explain their differences.

What Is The Internet?

The internet is a global system that comprises numerous interconnected autonomous networks. One of the major reasons individuals, businesses, large corporations, and other users purchase computers is mainly for internet access. With internet access, their tasks can be carried out and completed easily with no stress.

The internet has grown so much in recent days and reshaped global existence. The estimated number of internet users in 2019, according to Wikipedia, totaled over seven billion people. Today, more than one billion homes and businesses around the world access a variety of services on the internet. 

In the 90s, it was estimated that traffic on the internet grew by 100 percent each year, while the mean actual growth was estimated to be between 20% and 50%. 

The World Wide Web, also known as the web, and Email are the most widely used internet services. Other services include instant messaging, Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP), Chat Rooms, two-way interactive video calls, etc. Internet protocol/Transfer control protocol (IP/TCP) is used by the internet for interconnected computer communications.

Internet Protocols(IP) is the most prominent component of the internet model. This model enables internetworking and also establishes the internet itself. There are two versions of the Internet Protocol, they are- IPv4 and IPv6.

Internet devices, also known as computers remain connected through optical, electronic, and wireless technology infrastructure. To locate individual computers on the network, the internet provides IP addresses. The internet infrastructure is used by IP addresses to direct internet packets to their destinations. 

The internet comprises different networks owned by both private and public bodies. Many Local, National, Regional, and International networks are owned by these bodies but not a single body or government owns the internet. Each organization on the internet is only responsible for maintaining their networks, they cannot alter the existence of the internet. 

Since the internet is a collection of networks, its characteristics, for example, the data transfer rates of connections vary widely. It exhibits “emergent phenomena” that depend on the particular organization in charge of their particular network. 

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the processing and delivery of different internet services through the internet. Without direct active management by the user,  Cloud Computing provides the availability of computer system resources, such as data storage, servers, databases, etc., and computing power. In simpler terms, it is the delivery of on-demand computing services which includes- applications, data storage, etc over the internet with a pay-as-you-go model.

Instead of keeping files on a local storage device or a proprietary hard drive, files can be stored in remote databases with Cloud-based storage. All you need is access to the web to access data stored on Cloud-based storage. Cloud computing has been considered a popular option for businesses and large corporations due to its cost-effectiveness, speed and efficiency, performance, and security.

Cloud computing solves the problem that accompanies storage and data processing time by moving storage from physical computer hardware to cyberspace. Cloud computing services provide users with several functions such as Email, Storage backup and data retrieval, data analysis, on-demand software delivery, audio, and video streaming. These services do not require your physical presence with computer hardware as the services can be easily delivered via the Cloud.

Since the early 2000s, Cloud computing has been in existence but the concept of computing-as-service has been in existence for way longer, dating back to the 1960s. These services were overtaken by the adoption of the PC which led to the ease of owning a computer while companies referred to storing vast amounts of data in corporate data centers. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the concept of renting computing power access resurfaced recurringly with application service providers, utility computing, and grid computing.

Today, Cloud computing continues to grow at a faster rate with large enterprises adopting the service. No more spending on hardware servers for applications and operating system updates, as all of these have been moved to the Cloud, and finances have been poured to structure and support Cloud computing.

Differences Between The Internet And Cloud Computing

The internet encompasses all kinds of networks and provides software/hardware infrastructure to establish and maintain connectivity of the computers all over the globe while Cloud computing is a newer technology that delivers several types of resources using the internet. Hence, Cloud computing can be said to be a technology that operates by using the internet to deliver its services.

S/N	Internet	Cloud computing
1.	The internet is a network of networks that encompasses all internet services.	Cloud computing is an internet service that allows the accessing, processing, and storage of data.
2.	The internet had its first use as far back as the 1960s	Cloud computing is a new technology that surfaced in the 2000s
3.	The internet is not dependent on Cloud commuting for its operations	Cloud computing is dependent on the internet for its operations
4.	The internet provides software/hardware infrastructure to establish and maintain connectivity all over the globe.	Cloud computing is a software infrastructure on the internet.
5.	The internet consists of different other internet services such as chat rooms, voice over internet protocols (VoIP), etc.	Cloud computing is an internet service itself.
6.	The internet is free	Cloud computing has a pay-as-you-go model that allows users to get more access to internet service.

Although it’s possible for Cloud services to be offered within an organization using a Local Area Network, the Cloud cannot operate internationally without the internet. When an organization uses the computing resources on a Local Area Network (LAN), they pay a fee with respect to the number of resources and time they want to consume.

How Are The Internet And Cloud Connected?

Since the Cloud is an internet service, the Cloud is dependent on the existence of the internet. The cloud can be divided into two sections to understand how it works. The sections are- the frontend and the backend.

The frontend is the client-side of the computer, also known as what the user sees when they try to access the web. The backend is “the Cloud” section of the entire system. Both sections are connected through a network, otherwise known as the internet.

To access the Cloud system, the frontend consists of the user’s computer, its network, and the application required. Not all Cloud computing systems need to have the same user interface as different user interfaces can be built to suit the style of the admin or the demand of the end-user. 

On the backend, the Cloud technology system is made up of various servers, data storage systems, and databases. Computer programs, that involve, for example, data processing are included in Cloud computing systems. These computer programs are created and integrated with the frontend, by a particular programming language of choice.

In contrast, each application has its own server. This is where the application is called from when a user tries to access it over the internet. This sums up the connection between the Cloud and the internet.

Why Is The Internet Not A Cloud?

The internet as earlier defined is the global network of billions of interconnected computers around the world. The internet allows the use of several internet services including the Cloud hence without the internet, Cloud services will be useless. Hence, the internet proves its superiority over Cloud services.

Does The Cloud Use The Internet?

The Cloud does use the internet for its mode of communication between the Cloud service and several users’ computers. A frontend software needs to communicate with its Cloud service to help a user access a particular web application or a web service. The internet allows the internetwork connection between a user’s computer, the application server, and its Cloud services.

Can You Access The Cloud Without The Internet?

The Cloud cannot work without the internet hence the service will be unavailable without the Net. Cloud computing means accessing and storing data and programs on the internet instead of your local storage or your hard drive. Cloud computing needs the internet to connect user computers with Cloud servers, to manage traffic and client demands to ensure seamless operations.