What is Cloud Computing?

The new buzz word in technology for the year 2009 was CLOUD COMPUTING. Cloud Computing  is responsible for almost every service we use on the internet like Twitter, Facebook, GMail and Hotmail.

So what really is cloud computing?

Cloud Computing is a new way of providing a list of useful services to a user with high availability and minimum dependence on a user's resources.

Cloud Computing defines a shift in how we use the internet. Now anybody can use a service for E.g. GMail from a Desktop or a mobile device like an iPad.

Consider a sample presentation on Cloud Computing:



This presentation is free to download and is freely available at the following links:



1. Introduction to Cloud Computing in .pptx ( Microsoft Office 2007 and upwards)



2. Introduction to Cloud Computing in .ppt  (Microsoft Office XP - 2003 versions)




But why use Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing reduces cost both for organizations that provide services and end users who actually use those services.

Consider, this we use Microsoft Office Outlook to check emails, Microsoft Word to edit documents. Someday,  the computer just crashes. All the emails and documents are lost forever (if you have not taken a backup).

If you use Microsoft Office Online, those documents will never be lost, as they will be available on Microsoft's own servers. These documents can be accessed from anywhere and from any device provided it has an internet connection.


What about security, how safe are my documents?

The major concern for most users is security. The documents are susceptible to attack form malicious users. The same is also true for your desktop PC.

However, companies like Microsoft and Google are working really hard to protect documents hosted on their servers.

Check out this video from YouTube by SalesForce.com for more details.



Cloud Computing is here to stay.