Cloud computing is becoming a buzzword. It refers to a computing system in which tasks are assigned through a combination of connections, service and software over a network. This collective of connections is known as �the cloud�. Computing at this level allows users to sort through a vast amount of data. A number of characteristics define cloud data, applications services and infrastructure:
Remotely hosted: Services or data are hosted on someone else�s infrastructure.
Ubiquitous: Services or data are available from anywhere.
Commodified: The result is a utility computing model similar to traditional that of traditional utilities, like gas and electricity. You pay for what you would like.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS is a model of software deployment where an application is hosted as a service provided to customers across the Internet. SaaS is generally used to refer to business software rather than consumer software.
Cloud Storage
Several large Web companies are now exploiting the fact that they have data storage capacity which can be hired out to others. This approach, known as �cloud storage� allows data stored remotely to be temporarily cached on desktop computers, mobile phones or other Internet-linked devices.
Opportunities
The use of the cloud provides a number of opportunities:
It enables services to be used without any understanding of their infrastructure.
Cloud computing works using economies of scale. It lowers the outlay expense for startup companies, as they would no longer need to buy their own software or servers. Cost would be by on-demand pricing. Vendors and Service providers claim costs by establishing an ongoing revenue stream.
Data and services are stored remotely but accessible from �anywhere�.
