What is Cloud Computing

Defination:
1. Cloud computing describes computation, software, data access, and storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services. Parallels to this concept can be drawn with the electricity grid where end-users consume power resources without full understanding of every component device in the grid required to provide said service.

2. Cloud computing is an emerging computing technology that uses the internet
and central remote servers to maintain data and applications.

INTRODUCTION

The underlying concept of cloud computing dates back to 1960, when
John McCarthy opined that "computation may someday be organized
as a public utility"; indeed it shares characteristics with service bureaus
that date back to the 1960s.

The actual term "cloud" borrows from telephony in that
telecommunications companies, who until the 1990s primarily offered
dedicated point-to-point data circuits, began offering ³VIRTUAL
PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN)´ services with comparable quality of
service but at a much lower cost.

The cloud symbol was used to denote the demarcation point between
that which was the responsibility of the provider from that of the user.
Cloud computing extends this boundary to cover servers as well as the
network infrastructure.

Cost is claimed to be greatly reduced and capital expenditure is
converted to operational expenditure. Device and location
independence enable users to access systems using a web browser
regardless of their location or what device they are using.

USES

Helps to use applications without installations.

Access the personal files at any computer with
internet access.


This technology allows much more efficient
computation by centralizing storage, memory,
processing and band width.