Applied Cloud Computing in Higher Education

The current global pandemic has made it essential for educational institutions to fully embrace the power of the cloud. University professors and researchers are turning to cloud-based technologies to provide and maintain their online resources and, as the benefits of cloud computing align perfectly with the key priorities of the higher education sector, this transition is unsurprising. So, how can cloud computing deliver a vital academic solution?

Benefits of Cloud Computing for Academic Research

Scientific research demands fast and intense compute power, flexible turn-key solutions, and the resources to store vast data volumes. What are the key benefits of leveraging the power of the cloud in academic research?

Turn-key flexible terms

Academic research teams generally seek a one-stop-shop computing platform that enables them to get up and running immediately. Cloud providers can deliver a turn-key solution with flexible terms to ensure maximum performance while saving time and money. Implementing a managed service ensures that an institution deploys a highly effective and secure IT infrastructure that is routinely maintained and updated.

Set Pricing

When working within academic research, funds can be restrictive and must be spent wisely. When choosing a managed service provider, lead researchers may wish to consider cloud providers that offer their clients fixed pricing or subscription model. Under this type of model, the client is charged a set fee for a specific number of service units. This is much easier to understand than dynamic pricing structures and can be seamlessly factored into a grant proposal.

Communication and Collaboration

The year 2020 has highlighted how essential collaboration is when we seek to drive scientific innovation and discovery. Global collaboration has led to the successful discovery and approval of several COVID-19 vaccines and therapies. Cloud-based technologies support a collaborative research environment, allowing data and resources to be securely shared, anywhere and at any time.

Scalability

By providing flexible scalability, cloud-based technologies allow researchers to meet the computing demands of working with large data sets. Whether your research involves highly complicated computations or complex run models, cloud computing delivers the flexibility and elasticity required to efficiently match computing power to demand.

Innovation and Agility

The cloud can improve both the quality and quantity of scientific research, helping to drive novel scientific discoveries. Scientists are now able to do what was once impossible, analyzing vast datasets to discover exciting patterns and correlations. By leveraging the power of cloud technology and AI/machine learning, scientists can even identify new and exciting areas of research.

Benefits of Employing Cloud Technology in a Higher Education Setting

Accessibility

The cloud enables students and staff to access online lessons, coursework, digital textbooks, and journals remotely. This makes online content more accessible and helps to enhance productivity. Higher education often requires the use of specialized hardware and software that can be expensive to purchase. Cloud technology allows individual terminals to access shared resources remotely, from anywhere with internet access. This content and infrastructure can be accessed 24/7.

Security

When employing cloud-based services within a higher education setting, robust security is essential. Data safety and privacy and intellectual property are key concerns for university professors and researchers who must consider relevant federal regulations, such as FERPA, HIPAA, HITECH, and COPPA, and opt for a cloud provider that can ensure full compliance with these standards.

Scalability

Cloud computing enables a university professor or researcher’s infrastructure to be highly and dynamically scalable. On-demand scalability allows professors to quickly and efficiently expand their compute and storage capabilities in response to the traffic spikes and usage peaks that are inevitable given the vast amount of staff and students accessing services at any given time. It also enables academics who are engaged in research projects to offset intense workloads to the cloud, automating resource deployments using the power of cloud API’s,

Reduced infrastructure

Cloud technology significantly reduces physical hardware requirements, resulting in a significant cost saving. Just like utility companies, cloud providers enable university professors to only pay for the resources that they use, saving money and consolidating space. As space is often at a premium within universities, the elimination of on-premise servers allows valuable space to be utilized for more pressing needs.

How Can Atlantic.Net Help?

With over 30 years of experience, Atlantic.Net can deliver a turn-key solution that will fast-track research and development within your institution.

If you are an educator or researcher looking for a managed service provider that can help to boost productivity, streamline your workload and accelerate time to science, then Atlantic.Net can help. By deploying our services, you can trust that your valuable data is safe and secure and that you remain fully compliant with the necessary regulations. We can also offer you peace of mind by providing you with a free trial of our services.

Unlike Hyper-scale cloud providers, Atlantic.Net is willing and able to adjust our terms of service so that they can meet the requirements needed to be cleared by your legal team.

Contact the team today to see how Atlantic.Net can provide the powerful infrastructure needed to drive your education and research forwards.