What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is a term for hosted services like software, infrastructure and platform delivered over the Internet.
The principle of cloud computing: Computer and services available no matter where you are or what system you use. Only internet availability needed.
The principle of “the cloud” has been around for a long time but it’s only within the recent years as internet technology has gotten better and faster it has turned into what it is today.
Most likely everyone that uses internet on a frequent bases has been in contact with the basics of cloud computing many times. Even if they know it or not.
Services like e-mail, facebook, youtube, spotify and paypal all build on the principles of cloud.
The cloud makes it easy to synchronize all your files amongst your computers, smartphones and tablets so that they are always available to you wherever you are as long as you’re connected.
How it works (my understanding).
It’s more or less making it so that you deliver computing as a service rather than a product.
Computing power isn’t longer restricted to the hardware and software you have, it’s only restricted to the service you want.
The product way:
When you want computing power without cloud, you need to get hold of all the hardware and software like computers, servers and programs. Experts to install, configure, test, run, secure, and update them. This can be a very costly procedure.
The service way:
With cloud you have a professional and experienced vendor doing all this for you. The vendor provides all the hardware and managing, you only pay a subscription fee for how much computing power you want. It’s also flexible, meaning that you can increase or decrease the computing power when you need to.
Cloud services
I feel that cloud computing is mostly a business based system, but there are many other great uses for it in the private user market.
Storage space.
The ones that are most used these days that many are probably hearing about right now are services like Google Drive, Windows SkyDrive, Dropbox and so on. These are companies that are starting cloud based services building around cloud storage space.
Its all about giving costumers storage space on the internet that can easily be syncronised with all of your computers, macs, phones and tablets so that you can get access to all of your favorite files everywhere you are. Almost like bringing your exsternal hard drive, exept it doesn’t take up any weight or physical space.
Remote computing.
Ever heard of remote desktop? How about Onlive?This works by letting you take remote control over another computer from your own device and watching it on your screen.
A company or vendor of your choice that offer this service have a powerful computer or server farm that do all the processing on their end, letting all the movements and key taps you perform happen on the other side, then sending the image or video back to your computer screen.
This makes it so that you can have a low end computer and play the most demanding games.
It all boils down to internet speed.
Conclution.
I craped my pants the first time i heard of this principle, but after trying it out it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. It was still an awesome concept, it just needed some more internet advancement.
The advancement is now here and it is one of the coolest features i know of.
Cloud computing is what really gives the potential to deliver high computing power on a low end computer. As internet technology evolves even more and more you no longer need pricey, high end hardware to run your games or video edeting, you just need internet and cloud computing.
