Maybe you have heard about Cloud Computing, maybe not. One thing is for sure: It is all “the-buzz,” and companies like Google and Microsoft are investing in it, along with many others. Here is a quick primer on Cloud Computing, what it is, how it can be used and more.
Like the song says, “Let’s start at the very beginning, because it’s a very good place to start.” For me the beginning is a definition. Basically, Cloud Computing is Internet computing, where “cloud” is a metaphor for the Internet. Using SaaS (software as a service), Web 2.0 and other virtual technologies, applications are provided to users via the net with the data stored on the provider’s servers. In other words, it is the Internet version of remote computing, just way more virtual in nature.
Cloud Computing has its roots in the service bureau concepts of the 1960s. The cloud part, dates back to the 1990s, when the term was used to refer to ATM networks. Network diagrams use a cloud symbol to represent the Internet. So, don’t let the term “cloud” mess you up–it simply represents the Internet.
Cloud Computing provides an alternative to investing in one’s own infrastructure and software. Instead, through Cloud Computing, companies can subscribe to an online service using a per use model, thus reducing capital investments and making computing a variable vs. Read more ……
