Cloud computing involves the hosting and delivery of scalable services over the Internet. The term "cloud" is used because clouds are generally used as representations in computer networking diagrams.
Early Adopters
Cloud computing has a long way to go before it proves to be a widely accepted and valuable resource, but companies like Amazon, Google and IBM are already investing in its future. IBM has invested over $100-million (USD) in three cloud computing labs in Asia. Amazon has invested in a media server on its S3 storage cloud, and Google has g-mail and other business apps in its cloud.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Cloud computing provides great advantages, especially for small start-up companies. It allows them to have the IT system they need without purchasing unnecessary hardware. Because you pay for what you use with , there's no waste with cloud computing. Scaling up or down can be done as needed. All of this can result in a more agile business that is capable of handling changes in strategy.
Along with the benefits are potential problems that keep cloud computing a risky option. The most obvious problem is that large amounts of data can be lost or temporarily unavailable if the storage servers crash. There is also a need for a constant Internet connection to be able to access the information.
 G-Mail, EC2 and Beyond
G-mail is an example of cloud computing that has been around for years. Even with a couple of problems resulting in downtime, g-mail is still dependable. You can create an account and access your email from anywhere you can connect to the Internet. Amazon's EC2 has been around since 2006 and allows users to rent computers to run their applications.
Cloud computing certainly shows potential in many different areas. To be accepted into the mainstream, however, businesses need to be assured of its safety, and able to realize its benefits. If cloud computing is going to stay around, who will be the next early adopters? What will some of the most valuable long term uses for cloud computing be?
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_S3
http://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/16/aws_s3_cloudfront_media/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/184165/ibm_adding_data_centers_cloud_computing_lab_in_asia.html
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Re: Cloud Computing's Future
