Cloud-Based Application Development: Benefits, Pitfalls & Business Opportunities [2023]

During 2020, over three-fifths of companies chose to move their workloads onto the cloud. Undeniably, 2022 has seen a further surge in businesses opting for this route with 94% now relying on its services. This is no surprise given that some of the advantages include cost savings and heightened data security. Indeed, after embracing this technology 80% claim vast improvements across their operations; an impressive statistic we cannot ignore!
 

Here are some of the top benefits businesses can experience when utilizing cloud-based solutions:
 

• High Scalability: Cloud-based solutions allow businesses to scale up or down the infrastructure and resources according to their needs. This allows them to manage costs more effectively, as there is no need for investing in costly hardware and software upgrades. 
• Flexibility: With cloud-based solutions, users can gain access to data from anywhere with an internet connection. This provides great flexibility for remote work and collaboration and makes it easier for teams to stay connected even when they are outside of the office. 

• Data Management: Cloud applications provide quick access to personalized data which helps reduce the “garbage in – garbage out” problem along with being able to quickly analyze customer feedback. 
• Competitiveness: The ability to easily scale up services without having the need for costly investments means businesses can be more competitive. 
• Data Security: Cloud-based apps must comply with certain security standards which can help protect your data and make sure it meets the required regulations. 
• Cost reduction: Cloud based solutions can help reduce the costs associated with software development, as they require less hardware and personnel to manage. 
• Remote Working: It’s easier than ever to collaborate remotely with cloud-based applications. With access from anywhere in the world, teams can stay connected without having to be in a physical office location. 

• Automatic Updates: System administrators are no longer needed for manual updates when using cloud-based solutions – these are taken care of by the platform support team. This helps businesses save time and money on maintenance costs. 
• XaaS: XaaS stands for “as a Service” and is used to refer to all possible service options available through cloud computing services. This gives businesses a better understanding of what the cloud can offer and helps them to make more informed decisions when selecting a provider

IaaS 

IaaS is the infrastructure-as-a-Service option. It is a cloud computing service that provides access to physical and virtual infrastructure such as servers, storage, and networks. IaaS solutions enable businesses to quickly scale up their IT needs without having to invest in hardware or manage additional personnel. The most popular IaaS providers are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine (GCE), and Rackspace Cloud Platform.  

IaaS allows companies to save time on setting up new services and troubleshooting existing ones since the cloud platform takes care of software installation and maintenance for them. Additionally, IaaS enables businesses to reduce operating costs by making their IT more efficient. By utilizing an automated system with flexible scaling options, companies can accurately predict the costs of their IT resources, as well as optimize them for peak performance. 

PaaS 

PaaS is the Platform-as-a-Service option. With PaaS, you can build a platform for product development without software installation on physical computers. It helps businesses to focus on customer experience and design processes instead of deep technical details.  

PaaS solutions often provide an additional set of services and tools that help in product development:  

• Database storage; 
•  Integration with other services; 

•  Hosting; Development environment;  
• Reporting tools. 

It simplifies the deployment process and makes it faster than before. A company will be able to develop an application in no time. With the help of cloud solutions, there is no need for extra employees with technical skills. The PaaS platform does most of this job instead of them: from configuring the environment to updating the software. PaaS solutions are more specific than IaaS ones and include the needed components in the package. Heroku, Elastic Beanstalk, and Microsoft Azure are the most well-known PaaS platforms.

SaaS 

SaaS is the Software-as-a-Service option. It provides a complete ready-to-use product for customers. A SaaS application can be accessed from any browser or device and does not require software installation. The most important aspect of this service is scalability.  

A company does not need to buy extra hardware for additional users; it depends on the cloud platform’s capabilities. The entire infrastructure should have enough capacity for more visitors and additional requests simultaneously, without any delays or lags in work.  

SaaS platforms provide several useful features:  

• Automatic updates.  
• Secure access.
• Integration with other solutions.
• Availability from anywhere in the world. 
•  High performance.
• Data protection and privacy. 

The most common SaaS platforms are Salesforce, Dropbox, and Google Apps. 

Why SaaS? 

Automating your business processes with the help of SaaS cloud-based applications makes life so much easier. With these systems, you can streamline document flow within and outside your organization, manage client databases more efficiently, automate sales and marketing processes, and get a better handle on IT service management. Plus, CRM (Client Relationship Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) will be amped up to new heights 

Numerous businesses are turning to modern SaaS solutions to experience the advantages of low-code and no-code approaches. While these solutions enable non-technical users to create applications, their limited functionalities often require professional web development teams for optimal results. Kiimkern has comprehensive knowledge in developing SaaS solutions. We can help to create custom-built applications tailored to your business needs. Our team of professionals will design and develop the project from scratch according to your requirements. 

Types of Cloud-based solutions may vary depending on the mode of access. Thus, modern cloud deployments are typically distinguished into four categories: private, community, public and hybrid. 

A private cloud consists of all infrastructure deployed on a remote server owned by the company, allowing only internal users to view the data. As this type of cloud requires big investments (up to billions), it is suitable for large companies or organizations.

The community cloud is very similar to private but involves sharing applications and information between multiple organizations that need stronger security measures. This kind of model may be used in government networks that have a shared database and resources.

Public clouds are highly accessible; they consist of all data, apps, and resources alive on a public cloud platform. This type of cloud is available to all users, including companies and individuals, who can access it through an authorized device or limited browser mode.

The hybrid cloud integrates aspects from both private and public clouds, allowing some data to be restricted within the company while sharing other information with third parties. This model offers great flexibility in features and prices and is a potential solution for the future. 

There are 6 phases of cloud apps development:  

1. Project discovery – establishing project objectives and determining the data to work with.
2. Infrastructure setup – selecting a cloud platform and creating the database schema.
3. System Design and Development – building database models, integrating existing systems, coding.
4. Quality Assurance Testing – checking for errors in program logic and performance.
5. Deployment and Migration – deploying the new system on the cloud server and transferring all data from old databases.
6. Maintenance and Support – fixing bugs, addressing security issues, providing technical support for users.

1.Project Discovery

During the project discovery stage, it’s important to fully understand your business needs and customer requirements. This is when you identify the goals of the project and decide which data should be used for development. Additionally, this is a great opportunity to discuss different approaches with stakeholders, adjust the timeline accordingly, and come up with realistic budgets.

2. Infrastructure setup 

Choosing the right cloud platform is critical for successful cloud applications development. You will need to consider factors like scalability, security measures, cost-effectiveness, availability of developers that are familiar with the chosen platform, and various integrations options available. After selecting an appropriate cloud platform all necessary components need to be set up (e.g., hosting server). Additionally, a database schema must be created to store data. 

3. System design and development 

This is a crucial phase of cloud app development that requires knowledge and experience in coding, programming languages, databases (SQL, NoSQL), frameworks, libraries, etc. During this stage the frontend and backend may be built from scratch or existing systems integrated into the project. Additionally, APIs may need to be developed if an application needs to interact with multiple services or data sources simultaneously.

4. Quality assurance testing 

Testing is essential for successful deployment and migration of any cloud-based software solution. It helps identify bugs in logic before it’s released on the market as an actual product/service. Any glitchy feature can significantly decrease an application’s usability and user satisfaction. Therefore, a thorough testing process should be carried out to guarantee that the program is functioning correctly.

5. Deployment and Migration 

Moving applications from one environment (like a development server) to an actual production server requires migration. All data stored in the old database needs to be transferred, and all links should be updated. After the deployment is complete, the application should be connected to a domain name and may be accessible for real users. 

6. Maintenance and Support

After the deployment of your cloud application is complete, users may encounter bugs or security issues that need to be addressed at once. Additionally, technical support must be available to help with any queries related to the software solution. Cloud applications will continue to change as time passes and require maintenance every now and then in order for it to stay functional and up-to-date with new features/functionality. 

What Are the Pitfalls Concerning Cloud Application Development: Development Challenges? 

Cost management and containment 

Cost optimization and containment is an important aspect of building cloud applications. With the advent of cloud technology, businesses can save time and money as they no longer need to purchase hardware or on-premise infrastructure. 

Additionally, there is no longer a need to employ a specialized team to manage these resources. However, while scalability has its advantages, it can also result in difficulties when attempting to predict the required quantities which in turn could lead to unexpected costs. 

It is also important to bear in mind that the transition from on-premises services to the cloud will entail some additional expenses as organizations must restructure their operations for compliance with this new culture. As such, cost management should be considered prior to making any major changes. 

To continue to reap the benefits of cloud technology while minimizing expenditure, businesses should undertake regular reviews of their usage patterns and adjust accordingly. Regular monitoring is also essential in order to identify underutilized resources that can be eliminated or downscaled. 

Choosing the wrong vendor 

Choosing the wrong vendor to provide cloud services for your app can have serious repercussions on its performance. To ensure that your app runs optimally and without any delays, you should select a cloud service provider with a global reach. Smaller vendors may be more affordable, but they are unlikely to have the capacity or data infrastructure required for successful global operations.

On the other hand, leading vendors typically possess expansive data centers located across different countries which enable them to guarantee smooth operation of apps worldwide. By selecting an experienced, reliable vendor with an international presence, you can rest assured that your app will run efficiently no matter where in the world it is being accessed from.

Data Transfer

Data is voluminous. Although invisible to the naked eye, data takes up a certain amount of space and there’s no shortcut to this process. The duration it will take for your data to be transferred to the cloud largely depends on its size and how interconnected it is. 

Bearing these two aspects in mind should be an essential part of your assessment when evaluating cloud services. Moreover, you need to factor in the potentiality of needing to extract your data from the cloud. This can occur for various reasons, so make sure you are prepared for such an eventuality if necessary.

Security 

Clouds, both public and private, contain vast amounts of data, some of which is highly sensitive in nature. To ensure a successful development process for cloud-based applications, it is essential to guarantee that the cloud service you use provides appropriate security measures and data encryption. Adequate security protocols are necessary in order to protect confidential information from malicious actors or other inappropriate access. 

It is also important to regularly review and update existing security practices as needed to stay ahead of cyber threats. Using a trusted provider with established policies and processes can help maintain a secure environment within the cloud infrastructure. 

Furthermore, organizations should conduct thorough due diligence when selecting a cloud vendor to ensure they are taking all necessary steps to safeguard their data and comply with any industry regulations related to their particular field of business. Overall, it is essential to prioritize security in order to ensure a successful cloud development experience.

Performance 

Optimizing the performance of a cloud application is one of the most important considerations when developing cloud-based software. Slow loading times and latency issues can be caused by several factors including poor data transfer practices, inefficient coding, or insufficient resources for processing power. To ensure optimal performance, developers must take steps to address any potential issues before they arise. 

By leveraging advanced analytics tools such as machine learning and AI-driven optimization, organizations can gain insights into their app’s performance and identify areas that need improvement. This helps detect any bottlenecks in an application’s architecture and optimize it accordingly. Additionally, monitoring services should be implemented to track usage metrics such as response times, concurrent users and user demand in order to observe how the cloud application is responding under normal and peak load times.

Lack of resources & expertise 

It is a common issue that companies are facing when transitioning to the cloud. As more and more businesses choose cloud technologies, it requires providers to continually upgrade their offerings to meet the demands of these organizations. This can be a challenge for an organization’s IT team as they must keep up with changes in order to remain competitive. 

To overcome this challenge, there are several paths you can take. Training your team on how to manage cloud technologies is essential in order to ensure successful operations. Additionally, introducing new processes such as DevOps will help streamline development while making sure that all tasks related to working with cloud-based solutions are automated where possible. By focusing on these areas and remaining proactive about updates and changes in the industry, your business can effectively manage its cloud operations. 

[Read also: Top 10 Cloud Migration Mistakes – and how to prevent them]

The cost of a cloud-based application development 

When creating a cloud-based application, the scope of the project is an important factor to consider. A simple microservice may cost as little as $500, while more complex applications could take hundreds or even thousands of hours of development time and run upwards of $15,000 or more.

The features that are included in the cloud platform can also impact costs; standard features like role-based access control, analytics dashboards and CRM tools are usually accounted for but additional functionality such as payment processing (e.g., Stripe/PayPal) may add significantly to the total price tag. A medium to large scale SaaS product could take over 1000 hours of development time and reach up to $50,000+. 

The cost for cloud-based development is dependent on the location of your chosen software team. The timeline for the project may range from a couple of months to years depending on the type of application and size of the dev team

It is important to note that maintenance and support are usually ongoing processes throughout a cloud application’s lifetime, and are not included in the initial pricing. As such, any extra costs associated with this should be taken into account when budgeting for your project. 

Conclusion

Cloud solutions have become increasingly important tools when it comes to accelerating business digital transformation. This guide has sought to provide an overview of the fundamentals behind SaaS, PaaS and IaaS models and how they can be used effectively in order to decide if building a SaaS solution is the right choice for a particular situation.  

If there is any confusion or uncertainty about how best to proceed with developing a cloud-based application then professional help from our experienced development company is recommended. We have seven years of expertise in this industry and would be more than happy to share our knowledge and assist you in achieving your goals of successfully creating cloud applications that are suited best for your business. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How important is to know web development to build a cloud-based mobile app? 

It is essential to have some knowledge of web development when building a cloud-based mobile app. Web development techniques such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can be used in order to create the front end user interface of the application. Additionally, a basic understanding of back-end technologies like databases and server management will help when setting up the cloud services needed to get the application up and running.  

What type of cloud services are typically used? 

The most common types of cloud service used in mobile applications are IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service). These three models allow for a wide range of possibilities when it comes to setting up a cloud-based application. IaaS is typically used for managing the infrastructure (servers, storage, and networking), PaaS for platform-level services such as databases and analytics, and SaaS for hosting the actual application itself.  

What is the difference between a web application and a cloud application? 

A web application is typically hosted on a single server or multiple servers that are in the same physical location. This means that if one of the servers fails, the application will go offline until it can be restored.  

In contrast, a cloud application is spread across multiple virtual machines on different physical locations. This makes it more resilient to unexpected downtime and allows for scalability if more resources are needed. Additionally, cloud applications can take advantage of features such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics that would not be available on a regular web application.  

What is the cost of developing a SaaS product? 

The cost of developing a large-scale SaaS product could range from $20,000 to over $50,000 depending on the complexity of the project and the experience level of the team working on it. Additionally, maintenance and support are usually ongoing processes throughout an application’s lifetime and will incur additional costs. It is important to take this into account when budgeting for a software development project.   

How does one determine if a SaaS solution is the right choice for their business? 

There are a few key factors to consider when deciding whether or not a SaaS product is the best solution for a particular business. These include the cost of development, scalability, and flexibility of the application, maintenance and support requirements, integration with existing applications and services, and the overall user experience. Professional help from a development company can be very useful when making these decisions.  

We at Kiimkern are committed to helping our clients understand their options and make the best decision for their business needs. Our team of experts has years of experience in developing cloud applications and can provide guidance on how best to implement a SaaS solution. Contact us today to get started!