What is Cloud Computing?

What is Cloud Computing?

We get asked this SO often, this video takes a light-hearted look at the evolution of computing services.

http://youtu.be/109LIJ8BNc4

A few salient points.

1. Cloud-based, tends to mean that the software is hosted in a data centre and that users connect to and use the software via the Internet.
2. This opens the way for software vendors to charge for the software on a “pay-as-you-go" basis. So users of the software can effectively “rent" the software (as a) service including all hardware and software. All you need is a computer an Internet connection.

That’s the basics - a little more

Ok why bother? If you follow the steps above what you're effectively doing is outsourcing the delivery of computer resources, so it may be better to ask why not? After all unless you are in the business of setting up and managing computer resources e.g. file servers, backup systems, security and anti-virus protocols, then you are probably already outsourcing the delivery of those services, it's just that your hosting them yourself.

Broadband allows us to connect to data centres quickly and efficiently that can “professionally" host, manage and secure your file servers, why bother doing it yourself?

These data centres bring a level of expertise (that you were unlikely to be able to provide yourself) economies of scale mean that they are able to deliver those services to you cheaper than you can obtain them. A process called virtualisation is key, this allows large file servers to be segmented or split up into smaller manageable portions. You can connect to one of those portions that is just the right size for your needs. Virtualisation allows the size of these portions to be increased or decreased as required. The upshot being that you can buy just as much, or just as little computing power as you need and you can be charged accordingly.

This outsourcing model really does deliver a better service at a better price!