CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is a broad term used to describe the delivery of hosted services over the Internet. This type

of delivery service allows users to access computing resources such as processing, storage, messaging and databases outside the confines of your home. Unlike traditional hosting services, a cloud service is sold on an as needed basis, (usually by the minute or hour) and is solely managed by the provider.

It becomes clear as to why cloud computing has become so popular to ordinary computer users: all it requires of them as the consumer is a personal computer and Internet access. The ability to check your email, facebook, or sports scores while waiting in line for your morning starbucks, fuels the clouds popularity amongst the everyday computer users.

In addition to the everyday computer users, start-up companies are also taking advantage of Cloud Computing. The use of a Cloud service allows any entrepreneur an easy and cost efficient way to test an idea. Michael Fitzgerald talks about how Combining the ability to rapidly shift capacity with a new distribution and marketing channel like Facebook is what makes the cloud exciting for entrepreneurs, in his New York Times article, "Cloud Computing: So You Don’t Have to Stand Still". Fitzgerald also points out that Traditional companies are also beginning to adapt their computing infrastructure to the cloud.

However, there are many dangers surrounding cloud computing that hinder buisiness and social use of its services. Many people are uneasy about the idea that their documents are being stored on places such as GoogleDocs rather than their own private local machine. Many critics argue that established companies will not adapt to and use the cloud because of these security concerns. However, it is clear that the convenience provided by the cloud is more of an appeal than it's dangers. Progressive companies are joining the cloud because they recognize the huge consumer popularity behind the convenience of being able to access internet from anywhere.