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Uppity AI/ML tools have been hogging the digital limelight as of late. However, all the hubbub over them can't detract from one of the modern internet's true pillars – cloud technology. In many ways, cloud technology is the unsung hero of the digital revolution of the last decade. The fact that businesses from the world's farthest corners have been able to digitize and keep up with changing times is a testament to the significance of cloud computing .
But, as years go by, cloud tools are becoming increasingly inaccessible for small businesses that can't afford (or decide they just don't need) fancy AWS packages. Is this the internet we envision for our future?
Table of Contents show
the great equalizer
an all-american cloud
a budget-friendly alternative
a more accessible cloud
The Great Equalizer
Cloud services were first introduced in 2006 as a revolutionary idea that democratized access to the internet and its technologies. They allowed businesses worldwide to gain access to cutting-edge data storage and computing resources that would otherwise be beyond their means. These businesses could now rent and use some of Silicon Valley's best servers for a fraction of what it would cost to own them. Needless to say, the cloud was an instant hit.
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Its popularity has grown substantially ever since, with nearly 94% of businesses worldwide relying on cloud services today. However, the number of major cloud service providers has remained relatively constant despite the tremendous market growth. Most companies rely on the same four or five big tech corporations for all their cloud computing needs. Not only is this bad for competition and innovation, but it also means that all our business data has ended up in the hands of a handful of corporations.
This problem had haunted tech professionals for years before american cloud founders Aron Wagner and Dane Nakamura tackled it head-on.
An All-American Cloud
Wagner and Nakamura set out to create a simple, yet pioneering cloud services company that isn't reliant on big tech servers and is more scalable than existing options currently available. By using this business model, the founder realized that it provides more flexibility to create a more affordable pricing structure.
The Florida-based, all-American cloud service company, a brainchild of CEO and co-founder Aron Wagner, came from a need to make a difference and work towards finding more palatable could-service solutions as opposed to those offered by big tech firms,
Wagner, who started in the industry on the consulting side says,“I was working to help enterprises find the right data center space and other cloud services. However, after a point, I realized no major provider had services that could truly cater to these businesses.”
At one point Wagner realized the need for change was dire when the mission-critical infrastructure aspect of the business was not taken seriously.
Throughout the years, the company has expanded its core infrastructure, and now Apache Cloud Stack, Ceph, PDNS, and Zabbix, are four key open-source projects that underpin American Cloud's operations.
Wagner's co-founder Nakamura shares the same sense of enthusiasm against big tech's monopoly over the current cloud service industry. Nakamura explains,“We needed to find a cloud provider that was going to be industry agnostic, a utility of sorts for people whereby they can harness the power of the cloud.”
American Cloud's platform leverages open-source technology frameworks, which the company has been working with for several years. Wagner goes on to add,“We've built a resilient infrastructure, but there's no reason someone else couldn't build something similar. Clients can bring the infrastructure in-house if that's the decision they want to make.”
However, it ultimately boils down to the fact that clients want ease of use, and are not willing to continue managing backend infrastructure aspects of a cloud. Simply put, American Cloud is selling the convenience of having services configured and managed by a team of industry professionals.
A Budget-Friendly Alternative
American Cloud's flexible services at a fixed-cost approach allow the company to maintain a simple and easily affordable pricing structure.
“We don't charge any network egress fees,” explains Wagner, adding that“It's a fixed cost for us and a fixed cost for our customers. That means customers don't have to worry about some crazy usage hike on their bill at the end of the month.”
A quick cost comparison between American Cloud and competitor offerings makes this point clear.
Having to navigate a challenging market monopolized by big tech allowed American Cloud to deliver a service that's transparent, user-friendly, and customer-focused. Using native infrastructure and leveraging the enthusiasm of a young team allows American Cloud to slowly start revolutionizing the cloud service market, providing a business model that seeks to change the way businesses approach their technology and digital needs.