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