Ethicalguy gopal
Cloud computing is the concept of using someone else's computer
equipment instead of your own. It allows a person or a business to
forget about technical details like whether a hard drive is big enough
and puts that concern on another party. Sometimes those third parties
charge for the use of the equipment or computer programs, which they are
making available for you to use. Other times, the service is available
as a public service; for example, Apple Inc. does not charge for the use of the iCloud
for basic services. The iCloud saves your music and documents and other
files and it does not use any space on your personal computer or mobile
device. Those hard drives that store your information in the iCloud are
maintained entirely by the Apple Corporation, and they have a guarantee
of reasonable use with minimal interruption of service. One advantage
of using the Apple iCloud is that because it is not your hard drive, and
because all of your Apple devices are linked to the same cloud device,
you as an end-user are able to access your files from all devices at any
time. This advantage is a benefit of using someone else's hard drive
across a computer network, which is the purpose of the cloud, and not
the primary definition of what a cloud is or does. (Some people think
that the Cloud's purpose is to allow a common access to data across
multiple devices; this is actually a secondary advantage.) Another
example of a cloud based system that is available for no charge is the
free version of Ubuntu One, which allows up to 5 GB of storage space to any user. Ubuntu One is targeted to a Linux user as opposed to a Macintosh or PC user. For more technical and more accurate information, please continue reading the remainder of the article below.
Cloud computing is the use of computing
resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over a
common use of a cloud-shaped symbol as an abstraction for the complex
infrastructure it contains in system diagrams. Cloud computing entrusts
remote services with a user's data, software and computation.
End users access cloud-based applications through a web browser or a light-weight desktop or mobile app while the business software
and user's data are stored on servers at a remote location. Proponents
claim that cloud computing allows companies to avoid upfront
infrastructure costs, and focus on projects that differentiate their
businesses instead of infrastructure.[1]
Proponents also claim that cloud computing allows enterprises to get
their applications up and running faster, with improved manageability
and less maintenance, and enables IT to more rapidly adjust resources to
meet fluctuating and unpredictable business demand.[1][2][3]
In the business model
using software as a service, users are provided access to application
software and databases. Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and
platforms that run the applications. SaaS is sometimes referred to as
"on-demand software" and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis. SaaS
providers generally price applications using a subscription fee.
Proponents claim that the SaaS allows a business the potential to
reduce IT operational costs by outsourcing hardware and software
maintenance and support to the cloud provider. This enables the business
to reallocate IT operations costs away from hardware/software spending
and personnel expenses, towards meeting other IT goals. In addition,
with applications hosted centrally, updates can be released without the
need for users to install new software. One drawback of SaaS is that the
users' data are stored on the cloud provider's server. As a result,
there could be unauthorized access to the data.
