History of Cloud Computing

The term “cloud computing” was most probably derived from the diagrams of clouds used to represent the Internet in textbooks

The concept was derived from telecommunications companies who made a radical shift from point-to-point data circuits to Virtual Private Network (VPN) services in the 1990s. By optimizing resource utilization through load balancing, they could get their work done more efficiently and inexpensively.

The first time the term was used in its current context was in a 1997 lecture by Ramnath Chellappa where he defined it as a new “computing paradigm where the boundaries of computing will be determined by economic rationale rather than technical limits alone.

” One of the first movers in cloud computing was Salesforce. com, which in 1999 introduced the concept of delivering enterprise applications via a simple website. Amazon was next on the bandwagon, launching Amazon Web Service in 2002.

Then came Google Docs in 2006 which really brought cloud computing to the forefront of public consciousness 2006 also saw the introduction of Amazon’s Elastic Compute cloud (EC2) as a commercial web service that allowed small companies and individuals to rent computers on which to run their own computer applications.

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This was soon followed by an industry-wide collaboration in 2007 between Google, IBM and a number of universities across the United States.

Next came Eucalyptus in 2008, the first open source AWS API compatible platform for deploying private clouds, followed by OpenNebula, the first open source software for deploying private and hybrid clouds. 2009 saw Microsoft’s entry into cloud computing with the launch of Windows Azure in November.

Now, suddenly, there were major players jumping on to cloud computing from left, right and center. Definition of Cloud Computing Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over a network (typically the Internet).

The name comes from the 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. Advantages of Cloud Computing If used properly and to the extent necessary, working with data in the cloud can vastly benefit all types of businesses. Mentioned below are some of the advantages of this technology:

* Cost Efficient Cloud computing is probably the most cost efficient method to use, maintain and upgrade.

Traditional desktop software costs companies a lot in terms of finance. Adding up the licensing fees for multiple users can prove to be very expensive for the establishment concerned. The cloud, on the other hand, is available at much cheaper rates and hence, can significantly lower the company’s IT expenses. Besides, there are many one-time-payments, pay-as-you-go and other scalable options available, which make it very reasonable for the company in question.

* Almost Unlimited Storage Storing information in the cloud gives you almost unlimited storage capacity.

Hence, you no more need to worry about running out of storage space or increasing your current storage space availability.

* Backup and Recovery Since all your data is stored in the cloud, backing it up and restoring the same is relatively much easier than storing the same on a physical device. Furthermore, most cloud service providers are usually competent enough to handle recovery of information. Hence, this makes the entire process of backup and recovery much simpler than other traditional methods of data storage. Automatic Software Integration In the cloud, software integration is usually something that occurs automatically. This means that you do not need to take additional efforts to customize and integrate your applications as per your preferences.

This aspect usually takes care of itself. Not only that, cloud computing allows you to customize your options with great ease. Hence, you can handpick just those services and software applications that you think will best suit your particular enterprise. Easy Access to Information Once you register yourself in the cloud, you can access the information from anywhere, where there is an Internet connection. This convenient feature lets you move beyond time zone and geographic location issues.

* Quick Deployment Lastly and most importantly, cloud computing gives you the advantage of quick deployment. Once you opt for this method of functioning, your entire system can be fully functional in a matter of a few minutes. Of course, the amount of time taken here will depend on the exact kind of technology that you need for your business.

Why Cloud Computing Can Save You Money?

1) You no longer have to pay for someone (or a team of someone’s) to do things such as install and update software, install and manage email servers and/or fine servers, run backups – the beauty of cloud computing is that all of the business of maintaining the service or application is the responsibility of the cloud vendor, not yours.
2) You no longer have to buy software. Besides the convenience of not having to buy software programs and install them on your own servers/computers, using cloud applications instead can be cheaper. But be sure you read the caveat about this in The Disadvantages of Cloud Computing)
3) You may be able to consolidate your separate application needs into one multi-application cloud computing service. For instance, Google Apps for Business includes email, a calendar scheduling application, Google Docs for creating documents, presentations and forms and using online file storage and Google Sites for creating websites, all for only $5/month for each person on your account.
Now think about the price of, let's say, Microsoft Office (including Microsoft Outlook for email) – and note that Office doesn't include a website application. Cloud computing vendors such as Infostreet provide a suite of cloud applications including CRM, calendar scheduling, email, conference calling, file sharing and an employee directory for as little as $10 per person per month.
4) You may be able to cut back on system hardware. File storage, data backup and software programs all take up a lot of space on servers/computers. With cloud computing, you use someone else's servers to store all this data instead, freeing up your in-house computer equipment for other purposes or even letting you get rid of some of it. 5) A cloud computing application may make integration easier. Because many cloud computing applications include an Application Programming Interface (API) you may be able to find "compatible" applications rather than having to pay to have the applications you want to be integrated customized for you.
6) Cloud computing applications are regularly updated, so you don't have to spend time and money doing it – and giving you the advantage of always having access to an application's latest features and functions. Other Cloud Computing Advantages
7) Cloud computing allows you and your employees easy access to applications and data from different computers and devices. "As more consumers and businesses adopt tools such as smart phones and tablets, the ability to host data in the cloud and access it from just about anywhere on the planet is quickly becoming vital", says Omar El Akkad in Outsource IT Headaches to the Cloud (The Globe and Mail).
8) Cloud computing lets you start up or grow your small business quickly. It's a lot easier and faster to sign up for a cloud computing application than to buy a server, get it up and running and install software on it.

And because you don't need to buy hardware and software, your start up or expansion is cheaper, too. Cloud Computing Is for Every Small Business So why aren't you cloud computing already? Oh wait - you probably are. Hotmail, Gmail, Flickr and Google Maps are all examples of cloud computing applications that you've probably used at some point or even use regularly. When it comes to using cloud computing for business purposes, though, you need to consider the disadvantages of cloud computing as well as the advantages.

Then you'll be able to make an informed decision about how much of your business should be in the cloud. Disadvantages of Cloud Computing In spite of its many benefits, as mentioned above, cloud computing also has its disadvantages. Businesses, especially smaller ones, need to be aware of these cons before going in for this technology. The Risks Involved in Cloud Computing * Technical Issues Though it is true that information and data on the cloud can be accessed anytime and from anywhere at all, there are times when this system can have some serious dysfunction.

You should be aware of the fact that this technology is always prone to outages and other technical issues. Even the best cloud service providers run into this kind of trouble, in spite of keeping up high standards of maintenance. Besides, you will need a very good Internet connection to be logged onto the server at all times. You will invariably be stuck in case of network and connectivity problems. * Security in the Cloud The other major issue while in the cloud is that of security issues.

Before adopting this technology, you should know that you will be surrendering all your company’s sensitive information to a third-party cloud service provider. This could potentially put your company to great risk. Hence, you need to make absolutely sure that you choose the most reliable service provider, who will keep your information totally secure. * Prone to Attack Storing information in the cloud could make your company vulnerable to external attacks and threats. As you are well aware, nothing on the Internet is completely secure and hence, there is always the lurking possibility of stealth of sensitive data.

The Risks Involved in Cloud Computing Problems Associated with Cloud Computing and How Companies can tackle them Cloud computing has now emerged to become one of the best methods for companies wanting to revamp and enhance their IT infrastructures. However, there are certain issues and problems associated with cloud computing. Needless to say, it is very advantageous for everyone to adapt to new technology, but it is also wise to recognize some of the risks associated with this technology, so as to avoid the possibility of future issues.

Here, we bring you information on the risks associated with cloud computing, along with suggestions on how to deal with the same. Generally speaking, most cloud computing service providers are already familiar with the issues involved and can deal with them right at the beginning. This makes the process more of less safe for you. But it also implies that you make wise decisions while choosing your service provider. You need to clarify all your doubts and issues with your provider before choosing them. Security in the Cloud Security is one of the most major issues of cloud computing.

Being entirely based on the Internet makes it vulnerable to hack attacks. But logically speaking, all the modern IT systems today are invariably connected to the Internet. Hence, the level of vulnerability here is much the same as everywhere else. Of course, the fact that cloud computing is a distributed network also makes it easier for companies to quickly recover from such attacks. What you need to do to minimize the problem is to study and examine your provider’s security policies, before going ahead and signing a contract with them.