Cloud computing refers to using applications and services provided over the Internet rather than software installed locally. It allows users to access applications from any device with a web browser. Key benefits are lower upfront costs since users pay monthly fees rather than purchasing software licenses, and easier maintenance since applications are hosted remotely rather than on individual devices. However, concerns about downtime, data security and managing cloud services remain challenges to adoption.

1. Cloud Computing
What is Cloud Computing?

2. What is Cloud Computing?
Internet
A basic definition of cloud computing is the use of
the Internet for the tasks you perform on your
computer. The "cloud" represents the Internet.

3. What is Cloud Computing?
From a user's point of view, a good cloud
computing definition is using Web applications
and/or server services that you pay to access
rather than software or hardware that you buy and
install.

4. What is Cloud Computing?
"Cloud Computing" is a somewhat nebulous word
to describe users "renting" or borrowing online
software instead of actually purchasing and
installing it on their own computers. It is the same
business model as people using Gmail or Yahoo
mail services, except that cloud computing goes
much further.

5. What does this mean to us?
• access a broad range of applications, services, and
hardware that you might not be able to access
otherwise
• cut costs by "renting" software and applications
rather than paying to have software and applications
installed on your own equipment - which you may
also have to buy or upgrade
• save time by not having to install and or upgrade
software and applications
• access applications specific to your business needs
that are only available over the Internet

6. What does this mean to us?
Cloud Example 1:
Instead of selling you a copy of Microsoft Word for $300, a
cloud computing model would "rent" word processing
software to you through the Internet for perhaps 5 dollars a
month. You would not install any special software, nor
would you be confined to your home machine to use this
rented online product. You simply use your modern web
browser to login from any web-enabled computer, and you
can access your word processing documents in the same
way that you would access your online mail account.

7. What does this mean to us?
Cloud Example 2:
Your Real Estate business would not spend any
dollars on a database. Instead, you would "rent“
access to a sophisticated online database, and all
team members/assistants would access that
information through their web-enabled computers
or handhelds.

8. What does this mean to us?
Cloud Example 3:
You decide to start a your own Real Estate Office, and
need computer tools for your receptionist, office manager,
and 4 salespeople. But you do not want the headaches
nor the cost of paying part-time IT staff to build and
support those computer tools. Instead, you give all your
staff and salespeople access to the cloud of the Internet,
and rent their office software online, which will be stored
and supported somewhere in Arizona.
You will not need any regular IT support staff then; you will
just need occasional contract support to ensure that your
physical on-site hardware is maintained.

9. What is Cloud Computing?
Internet
This brings us back to the initial question. What is
cloud computing? It is the process of taking the
services and tasks performed by our computers
and bringing them to the web.

10. The Benefits of Cloud Computing:
The primary benefit of cloud computing is reduced
cost for everyone involved. Software vendors do not
have to spend thousands of hours supporting users
over the phone... they would simply maintain and
repair a single central copy of the product online.
Conversely, users wouldn't have to shell out the large
up-front costs of fully purchasing word processing,
spreadsheet, or other end user products. Users would
instead pay nominal rental fees to access the large
central copy.

11. The Case Against Cloud Computing
Downsides to cloud computing include the
difficulty of managing cloud computing and the
legal and business risks to using cloud computing,
such as the problem of downtime and data
security.

12. Links:
Read more here:
http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/workingontheroad/f/cloudcomputing.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
http://www.cio.com/article/477473/The_Case_Against_Cloud_Computing_Part_One
Examples of a Cloud Hosting Environment (not a recommendation):
http://www.gogrid.com/?_kk=cloud%20computing&gclid=CNGclt7Iq6cCFUHt7QodhTWNAw
http://www.sentryds.com/products/datanex/buy-now/?gclid=CLmy_ZzJq6cCFdVf2god6nqCDg
You Tube Video about cloud Operating Systems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RMWO9JxZjA