Cloud Computing Explained

Data, software applications and computer power is sourced from a centralised infrastructure, as a utility service. Watch this simple explanation of cloud computing - the basic text is outlined below:

Cloud Computing Explained [5:52]

Presented by Christopher Barnatt, Associate Professor of Computing and Organizations in Nottingham University Business School.

Software as a Service SaaS

Associated with Web 2.0 - emergence of online applications SaaS. A number of providers already offer a range of SaaS office applications:

• Google Apps
• bList
• SlideRocket

Can load documents into online cloud and work on them via web brower.

Other providers host their own software, and offer it on a monthly service basis, also hosting all the user data.

• Salesforce.com - SFA / CRM and
• AppForce - a range of add on applications that work in conjunction with SFA.

Platform as a Service [PaaS]

Also known as Hardware as a Service [HaaS] computer processing capacity is purchased over the Internet

• Amazon EC2 - Elastic Computer Cloud, purchase processiong power online for each instance of use
• Google AppEngine - users can run applications on Googles platform

These services are characterized as being:

• Elastic - users can decrease or increase their hardware requirements for each instance of use
• Flexible - can choose each specification for each instance
• Inexpensive - no capital investment
• Reliable - Amazons Googen Data centers and network infrastructure

Ultility Power

Compared to the electricity network - cloud computing will transfer the responsobility for individual busiensses to provide their own computing power, and instead source this from a central provider.

Link low power, low cost devices are being referred to as computing appliances, with no user software installed, instead these devices are designed to access cloud applications.

In tandem with Web 2.0, cloud computing has the potential to change the face of computing industry:

Amazon, Google, IBM have already embraced cloud computing, and Microsoft will face the challenge of indvidual users no longer needing PC based software.

Next: Demystifying the Cloud for Non-It Managers

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