Cloud computing is the latest buzz word in town and what is this all about? Just another marketing term coined out by the software company trying to make new things out of the old? I have decided to do a bit of research.
According to a 2008 paper published by IEEE Internet Computing "Cloud Computing is a paradigm in which information is permanently stored in servers on the Internet and cached temporarily on clients that include desktops, entertainment centers, table computers, notebooks, wall computers, handhelds, sensors, monitors, etc." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing)
This is what my initial impression:
1. The term cloud comes from our network diagram. We used to draw the Internet as a cloud (not sure who started it). The purpose is to hid the complexity of the Internet so as to represent it as a black box.
2. Cloud computer links two items: computer resouces access from the Internet anywhere. It is a way to use remote computer resources as oppose to resources in the local area network or in-premises.
3.Cloud computing enable software to be delivered using the Internet, Software as a Service (SaaS) make use of the cloud to deliver the service. In the past we call it application service providers (ASP). The idea is similar.
4. Cloud computing = Utility computing
Internet is the mean to delivery the software and hardware resources as a utility. Same idea as electricity grid. Companies can purchase what they need so don't have to invest in expensive hardware or purchase expensive software. Pay as you use or subscription model. We are putting more information on the Internet.
That all for now.
