Cloud Computing and Windows Azure Platform

I was going through couple of URLs in last week and liked the way, example was given by Arun.


What is Cloud Computing?


To start with let’s understand what exactly “Cloud computing” is?


Cloud computing is providing computing resources (Software, Platform and Infrastructure) as a service over the network. Cloud computing users can use the services provided by the Cloud Computing service provider without taking the trouble of planning, procuring, building, configuring and maintaining the infrastructure. Cloud is a metaphor used for Internet.



To take a real world example, it’s more like if you need to travel from one city to another you don’t buy a train. You just buy a ticket and “pay as you use”. And train service provider will take care of maintaining trains and rail-treks and manpower. Similarly cloud computing is using computing resources managed by provider and “pay as per usage”. The service provider will take care of infrastructure management and user needs to pay only for services used.

To know more about the cloud basics, go through Arun's blog
One more article by Arun --> Windows Azure - Step by Step guide for Designing, Developing , Deploying and Administrating a Windows Azure Applications

Cloud Computing

Today many companies are providing cloud computing related services. Cloud computing has many different types and different features altogether.

What is Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) which are available in a remote location and accessible over a network (typically the Internet). Users are able to buy these computing resources (including storage and computing power) as a utility, on demand. The name comes from the common 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. [ Source: Wikipedia - Cloud Computing ]


Advantages of Cloud Computing

• Low initial Cost-No need to spend so much on setting up hardware and software. Also you can get world-class service in less cost.
• Accessibility-Applications would be available on internet and can access from anywhere and any time.
• Utilization-Charges are based on utilization of hardware, software and time.
• Focus On Demand-Customer can focus on the business, instead of managing hardware and software
• Quick Revenue-Customer can scale up or down their services based on business demand. Plus the deployment stuff should be simplified
• Risk Reduction of Data Center-Currently many players are having global data centers for cloud computing. Customer can manage the data and application well on disaster events
• Best Practices & Advanced Technologies-Users can leverage vendors' advanced technologies and best practices on security, authentication etc.

Also refer Wiki Answers & Cloud Weeks

Limitations of Cloud Computing

• Less control on data-How the organization's data is managed and secured? It would be maintained by cloud vendors.
• Long run-Charges are made based on the time and usage. How much a company has to spend, If an enterprise application is hosted for 15-20 years and serving for millions of users.

Top 10 cloud computing companies

• Microsoft
• Amazon
• IBM
• Google
• Salesforce
• CSC
• Rackspace
• BlueLock
• Joyent
• Verizon

[ Source: Cloudcomputing-companies.org ]