Cloud computing Cloud computing metaphor: For a user, the network elements representing the provider-rendered services are invisible, as if obscured by a cloud. Cloud computing is a computing term or metaphor that evolved in the late 1990s, based on utility and consumption of computer resources. Cloud computing involves application systems which are executed within the cloud and operated through internet enabled devices. Purely cloud computing does not rely on the use of cloud storage as it will be removed upon users download action. Clouds can be classified as public, private and hybrid.[1][2] Overview[edit] Cloud computing[3] relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale, similar to a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network.[2] At the foundation of cloud computing is the broader concept of converged infrastructure and shared services. Cloud computing, or in simpler shorthand just "the cloud", also focuses on maximizing the effectiveness of the shared resources.
Cloud Computing | Productivity Tools | Cloud Hosting | Microsoft Cloud Successful digital businesses are holistically applying the concepts of mobile, social, and big data to reimagine their business. Cloud creates the connections. Learn More People-focused. Delivering experiences that appeal directly to your employees and partners, increasing their engagement and allowing them to drive maximum productivity. Enterprise-grade. Fundamentally change how your business operates and competes by partnering with a company that has the experience, reach, and footprint you can trust. Comprehensive. No business is an island.
VoIP on Web2.0 Sheffield City Council CIO says you can keep your cloud and BYOD - 04 Jun 2012 Budget cuts are forcing Sheffield City Council CIO Paul Green to take a very cautious approach to new IT investments while his department focuses on getting the most out of the authority's existing infrastructure. In an exclusive interview with Computing, Green said: "A critical area for me is to demonstrate we're truly utilising what we've already invested in. Are we truly exploiting what we've implemented over the last three years, for example? We've really invested in the last three years, and we've got a CRM system, and a robust infrastructure that enables flexible and agile working." Green said Sheffield Council is "slap bang in the middle" of a seven-year contract with outsourcing firm Capita to maintain and improve IT services within the organisation. "We have a very close eye on this," he told Computing. Cost efficiency is also an issue for Green. Green is sceptical about the benefits of BYOD. "Why would an end user wish to bring their own device into my organisation?"
Getting Started With Cloud Storage Matt Stauffer Once Microsoft commercials start touting their ability to keep your data in the “cloud”, you know the word has gone mainstream. Let’s get the basics out of the way–what is the cloud, and how can you benefit from cloud storage today? What is the Cloud? Simply put, the cloud is the Internet. “Cloud computing” is a related term that often encompasses cloud storage as described above, but also hosting applications in the cloud. For a more in-depth introduction to cloud computing, read Walt Mossberg’s WSJ article Learning About Everything Under the ‘Cloud.’ Why should I want to keep my data in the cloud? There are many reasons to want to keep your data local. However, there are many compelling benefits of storing your data in the cloud. Universal access (Device and Location Independence) The primary benefit of cloud storage is the near-universal access it provides. How can I keep my data in the cloud? (photo from flickr user akakumo )
European Union Outlines New Cloud Strategy, Draws Praise in U.S. CIO As they look ahead to the next wave of technology, European leaders have staked out a firm commitment to embrace cloud computing, drawing praise from some of the leading U.S. tech trade associations. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has articulated a multi-prong strategy to boost deployment of cloud technologies among member nations, aiming to address key concerns such as trusted certification, interoperability and collaboration among stakeholders in the public and private sectors. At the highest level, the proposal (available in PDF format) seeks to establish a common set of rules of the road to develop a more cohesive market structure among the various member states for cloud providers. "[I]t represents a political commitment of the commission and serves as a call on all stakeholders to participate in the implementation of these actions," the authors of the report wrote. Continue Reading
2012: The year cloud computing took a bite out of IT | Iaas When we started talking about cloud computing five years ago, it meant one thing: Services such as Amazon or Salesforce that customers could self-provision over the Internet and pay as they go. That's what we call the "public cloud" today, as opposed to the "private cloud," which refers to the application of public cloud technologies and practices to one's own data center. And guess what? The public cloud was where the action was in 2012 -- and it's where much of the action is going to be in 2013. According to IDC, businesses will spend $40 billion on the public cloud this year, rising to nearly $100 billion in 2016. [ Download InfoWorld's special report, "Cloud computing in 2012." | Also check out our "Private Cloud Deep Dive" and "Cloud Applications Deep Dive." | Stay current on the cloud with InfoWorld's Cloud Computing Report newsletter. ] Despite that rapid growth, public cloud dollars still represent a small fraction of the trillions of dollars devoted to IT globally every year.
Understanding The Cloud Computing Infrastructure Understanding The Cloud Computing Infrastructure As a long time advocate of cloud computing, I already know most of the technology and terms surrounding cloud computing and if someone mentions a new application or feature I might be able to gleam how it works based on the technologies used. This is not necessarily true for most people even if they have been in the IT industry for a long time. That is why I write “simple” articles that the less informed might be able to grasp easily. But to get a real understanding of something, you need to get an understanding of its internal structure, understand how it works and not just what it does. To put it simply, the infrastructure or how all the hardware technology and other elements come together cloud computing is very similar to that of traditional network computing. One type of infrastructure might be better, more efficient than others depending on the way it was put together. By Abdul Salam Abdul Latest posts by Abdul (see all)
Cloud Computing And Big Data Cloud Computing And Big Data The cloud is all about applications, media and information. But of the three, media seems to be the largest with applications coming in at close second, while information ranks last place. But what we are seeing in the last two years suggests that information and other data is gaining ground and will soon overtake the other two in terms of relevance, at least in the non-consumer space, the business side. Experts are calling this “Big Data” and it is all about data processing and analytics. Everything we do online from social networking to e-commerce purchases, chatting, and even simple browsing yields tons of data that certain organizations collect and poll together with other partner organizations. On the more academic side of things, our world is undoubtedly data-driven. So what can we do with all of these data and where does the cloud come into play. By Abdul Salam Abdul Abdul Salam is IT professional and an accomplished technical writer with CloudTweaks.