Four in 10 Small Businesses Planning Cloud Computing, Says Microsoft

About Cloud Computing:

The term “cloud” is used as a metaphor for the internet, but what happens when you combine it with “computing?” Cloud computing makes infrastructure, applications, and business processes accessible entirely on the internet without breaking your budget or cloning your IT department.


Almost 40 percent of SMEs expect to be paying for one or more cloud services within three years, according to a Microsoft report.

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What is Cloud Computing and how does it work?

The term “cloud” is used as a metaphor for the internet, but what happens when you combine it with “computing?” Cloud computing makes infrastructure, applications, and business processes accessible entirely on the internet without breaking your budget or cloning your IT department.

The Picture below Illustrates the Cloud Computing Architecture.



How it Works:
When a user accesses the cloud for a popular website, many things can happen. The user's IP for example can be used to establish where the user is located (geolocation). DNS services can then direct the user to a cluster of servers that are close to the user so the site can be accessed rapidly and in their local language. The user doesn't login to a server, but they login to the service they are using by obtaining a session id and/or a cookie which is stored in their browser.

Online resources for Cloud Computing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
http://cloudcomputing.sys-con.com/node/579826