Cloud computing is Internet based computing where shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand. Cloud computing describes a new delivery model for IT services based on the Internet. The word cloud is a metaphor that is used to describe the Internet and is derived from the cloud drawing that has been used in the past to represent the telephone. Typically speaking, cloud service providers provide business applications which are then accessed from another web service and the data is stored on servers.
In most cases, cloud customers do not own the physical infrastructure, thus avoiding capital expenditure because the usage is being rented from a third party. The resources consumed are done so as a service and customers only pay for the resources that they use. Some cloud computing companies provide their services as a subscription based service, while others use the utility computing model. The utility computing model is similar to how utility services, such as electricity, are used.
Cloud service gets many of its characteristics from many things but should not be confused with them. Examples include autonomic computing, which is computer systems that are capable of self management, client-server, which refers to any distributed application that differentiates between servers and clients and mainframe, which are computers that are mostly used by large organizations for important applications, such as consumer statistics and financial transaction processing.
A cloud client consists of computer hardware/software that relies on cloud computing to deliver their applications or has been purposefully designed to deliver cloud services. Some examples include certain computers, phones, operating systems and browsers. Cloud application services, also known as Software as a Service (SaaS), deliver software as a service via the Internet and therefore the need to install applications is avoided. Eliminating the need to install and run software is useful because it simplifies the support and maintenance.
The security of cloud services may be delaying the adoption of its more widespread usage. The Cloud Security Alliance is a nonprofit organization that promotes the best practices of providing security assurance for Cloud computing. While there have been no published studies to confirm the assumption, cloud computing has been referred to as a form of green computing. The lack of need for software installation is a great highlight for cloud computing clients. One less thing to own is one less thing to worry about.
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