About Cloud

Cloud Computing

What's Cloud computing?

Cloud Computing is often described as a stack, as a response to the broad range of services built on top of one another under the moniker "Cloud." generally accepted definition of Cloud Computing comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).NIST definition runs to several hundred words, but essentially says that:

"Cloud Computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned" released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

What this means in plain terms is the ability for end users to utilize parts of bulk resources and that these resources can be acquired quickly and easily. NIST also offers up several characteristics that it sees as essential for a service to be considered "Cloud." these characteristics include:

1. On-demand self-service. the ability for an end user to sign up and receive services without the long delays that have characterized traditional IT.
2. Broad network access. Ability to access the service via standard platforms (desktop, laptop, mobile etc).
3. Resource pooling. Resources are pooled across multiple customers.
4. Rapid elasticity. Capability can scale to cope with demand peaks.
5. Measured service. Billing is metered and delivered as a utility service.

Cloud computing has three categories, however a very simplified way of diferentiating these flavors of Cloud Computing is as follows: