Cloud computing
means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your
computer's
hard drive.
There
is an entirely different "cloud" when it comes to business. Some businesses
choose to implement Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), where the business subscribes
to an application it accesses over the Internet. (Think Salesforce.com.)
There's also Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), where a business can create its own
custom applications for use by all in the company.
Of
course, cloud computing is big business: The market was already generating $100
billion a year in 2012.
A
combined form of private
clouds and public
clouds in which some critical data resides in the enterprise’s private
cloud while other data is stored in and accessible from a public cloud. Hybrid clouds seek to deliver
the advantages of scalability,
reliability, rapid deployment and potential cost savings of public clouds with
the security and increased control and management of private clouds.
Private
cloud
is the phrase used to describe a cloud computing platform
that is implemented within the corporate firewall, under the
control of the IT department.
A
private cloud is designed to offer the same features and benefits of public
cloud systems, but removes a number of objections to the cloud computing model
including control over enterprise and customer data, worries about security,
and issues connected to regulatory compliance.
Private Cloud Security
A
private cloud implementation aims to avoid many of the objections regarding
cloud computing security. Because a private cloud setup is implemented safely
within the corporate firewall, a private cloud provides more control over the
company's data, and it ensures security, albeit with greater potential risk for
data loss due to natural disaster.
Some
other major examples of cloud computing you're probably using:
Google Drive:
This is a pure cloud computing service, with all the storage found online so it
can work with the cloud apps: Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.
Drive is also available on more than just desktop computers; you can use it on
tablets like the iPad
or on smartphones, and there are separate apps for Docs and Sheets, as well. In
fact, most of Google's services could be considered cloud computing: Gmail,
Google Calendar, Google Maps, and so on.
Apple iCloud:
Apple's cloud service is primarily used for online storage, backup, and
synchronization of your mail, contacts, calendar, and more. All the data you
need is available to you on your iOS, Mac OS, or Windows device (Windows users
have to install the iCloud control panel). Naturally, Apple won't be outdone by
rivals: it offers cloud-based versions of its word processor (Pages),
spreadsheet (Numbers), and presentations (Keynote) for use by any iCloud subscriber.
iCloud is also the place iPhone users go to utilze the Find My iPhone feature
that's all important when the phone goes missing.
Amazon Cloud Drive:
Storage at the big retailer is mainly for music, preferably MP3s that you
purchase from Amazon, and images—if you have Amazon Prime, you get unlimited
image storage. The Cloud Drive also holds anything you buy for the
Kindle. It's essentially storage for anything digital you'd buy from Amazon,
baked into all its products and services.
Hybrid
services like Box, Dropbox, and SugarSync all say
they work in the cloud because they store a synced version of your files
online, but most also sync those files with local storage. Synchronization to
allow all your devices to access the same data is a cornerstone of the cloud
computing experience, even if you do access the file locally.
Cloud Hardware
Right
now, the primary example of a device that is completely cloud-centric is the
Chromebook. These are laptops that have just enough local storage and power to
run the Chrome OS, which is essentially turning the Google Chrome
Web browser into an operating system. With a Chromebook, most everything you do
is online: apps, media, and storage are all in the cloud.
Dictionary
of cloud computing
Airframe
An open source cloud computing platform targeted at organizations in the
thinking stage of adopting a private cloud services model or evaluating options
and alternatives for private cloud solutions. (
Learn More)
Amazon EC2
Short for Amazon Elastic Computer Cloud, Amazon EC2 is a commercial Web
service that lets customers "rent" computing resources from the EC2
cloud. (
Learn More)
Anything-as-a-Service
Anything-as-a-service, or XaaS, refers to the growing diversity of services
available over the Internet via cloud computing as opposed to being provided
locally, or on premises. (
Learn
More)
Apache CloudStack
An open source cloud computing and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
platform developed to help make creating, deploying and managing cloud services
easier by providing a complete “stack” of features and components for cloud
environments. (
Learn
More)
Cloud App (Cloud Application)
Short for
cloud application, cloud app is the phrase used to
describe a software application that is never installed on a local computer.
Instead, it is accessed via the Internet. (
Learn More)
Cloud Application Management for Platforms (CAMP)
CAMP, short for
Cloud Application
Management for Platforms,
is a specification designed to ease management of applications -- including
packaging and deployment -- across public and private cloud computing
platforms. (
Learn
More)
Cloud Backup
Cloud backup, or cloud computer backup, refers to backing up data to a
remote, cloud-based server. As a form of cloud storage, cloud backup data is
stored in and accessible from multiple distributed and connected resources that
comprise a cloud. (
Learn
More)
Cloud Backup Service Provider
A third-party entity that manages and distributes remote, cloud-based data
backup services and solutions to customers from a central data center. (
Learn
More)
Cloud Backup Solutions
Cloud backup solutions enable enterprises or individuals to store their data
and computer files on the Internet using a storage service provider, rather
than storing the data locally on a physical disk, such as a hard drive or tape
backup. (
Learn
More)
Cloud Computing
A type of computing, comparable to grid computing that relies on sharing
computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to
handle applications. The goal of cloud computing is to apply traditional
supercomputing, or high-performance computing power, normally used by military and
research facilities, to perform tens of trillions of computations per second,
in consumer-oriented applications such as financial portfolios or even to
deliver personalized information, or power immersive computer games. (
Learn More)
Cloud Computing Accounting Software
Cloud computing accounting software is accounting software that is hosted on
remote servers. It provides accounting capabilities to businesses in a fashion
similar to the SaaS (Software as a Service) business model. Data is sent into
"the cloud," where it is processed and returned to the user. All
application functions are performed off-site, not on the user's desktop.
(
Learn
More)
Cloud Computing Reseller
A company that purchases hosting services from a cloud server hosting or
cloud computing provider and then re-sells them to its own customers. (
Learn More)
Cloud Database
A database accessible to clients from the cloud and delivered to users on
demand via the Internet from a cloud database provider's servers. Also referred
to as Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS), cloud databases can use cloud computing to
achieve optimized scaling, high availability, multi-tenancy and effective
resource allocation. (
Learn More)
Cloud Enablement
The process of making available one or more of the following services and
infrastructures to create a public cloud computing environment: cloud provider,
client and application. (
Learn More)
Cloud Management
Software and technologies designed for operating and monitoring the
applications, data and services residing in the cloud. Cloud management
tools help ensure a company's cloud computing-based resources are working
optimally and properly interacting with users and other services. (
Learn More)
Cloud Migration
The process of transitioning all or part of a company's data, applications
and services from on-site premises behind the firewall to the cloud, where the
information can be provided over the Internet on an on-demand basis. (
Learn More)
Cloud OS
A phrase frequently used in place of
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
to denote an association to cloud computing.
Cloud Portability
In cloud (cloud computing) terminology, the phrase "cloud
portability" means the ability to move applications and its associated
data between one cloud provider and another -- or between public and private
cloud environments. (
Learn More)
Cloud Provider
A service provider who offers customers storage or software solutions
available via a public network, usually the Internet. (
Learn More)
Cloud Provisioning
The deployment of a company’s cloud computing strategy, which typically
first involves selecting which applications and services will reside in the
public cloud and which will remain on site behind the firewall or in the
private cloud. Cloud provisioning also entails developing the processes
for interfacing with the cloud’s applications and services as well as auditing
and monitoring who accesses and utilizes the resources. (
Learn More)
Cloud Server Hosting
Cloud server hosting is a type of hosting in which hosting services are made
available to customers on demand via the Internet. Rather than being
provided by a single server or virtual server, cloud server hosting services
are provided by multiple connected servers that comprise a cloud. (
Learn More)
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage means "the storage of data online in the cloud,"
wherein a company's data is stored in and accessible from multiple distributed
and connected resources that comprise a cloud. (
Learn More)
Cloud Testing
Load and performance testing conducted on the applications and services
provided via cloud computing -- particularly the capability to access these
services -- in order to ensure optimal performance and scalability under a wide
variety of conditions.(
Learn More)
Desktop-as-a-service
Desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) is a form of virtual desktop infrastructure
(VDI) in which the VDI is outsourced and handled by a third party. Also called
hosted desktop services, desktop-as-a-service is frequently delivered as a
cloud service along with the apps needed for use on the virtual desktop. (
Learn
More)
Enterprise Application
The term used to describe applications -- or software -- that a business
would use to assist the organization in solving enterprise problems. When the
word "enterprise" is combined with "application," it
usually refers to a software platform that is too large and too complex for
individual or small business use. (
Learn More)
Enterprise Cloud Backup
Enterprise-grade cloud backup solutions typically add essential features
such as archiving and disaster recovery to cloud backup solutions. (
Learn More)
Eucalyptus
An open source cloud computing and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform
for enabling private clouds. (
Learn More)
Hybrid Cloud Storage
A combination of public cloud storage and private cloud storage where some
critical data resides in the enterprise's private cloud while other data is
stored and accessible from a public cloud storage provider. (
Learn More)
IBM Cloud
IBM Cloud refers to a collection of enterprise-class technologies and
services developed to help customers assess their cloud readiness, develop
adoption strategies and identify business entry points for a cloud environment.
IBM's cloud computing strategy is based on a hybrid cloud model that focuses on
integrating the private cloud services of a company with the public cloud. (
Learn More)
IBM CloudBurst (CloudBurst)
CloudBurst is a “ready-to-go” solution from IBM that’s designed to provide
resource monitoring, cost management and services availability in a
cloud. IBM CloudBurst is a key component in the company’s lineup of cloud
computing solutions, which also includes IBM Smart Business Storage Cloud, IBM
Smart Desktop Cloud and IBMSmartCloud Enterprise. (
Learn More)
Infrastructure-as-a-Service
IaaS is defined as computer infrastructure, such as virtualization, being
delivered as a service. IaaS is popular in the data center where software and
servers are purchased as a fully outsourced service and usually billed on usage
and how much of the resource is used - compared to the traditional method of
buying software and servers outright. May also be called enterprise-level
hosting platform. (
Learn
More)
Internal Cloud
Another name for a
private cloud.
Mobile Cloud Storage
A form of cloud storage that applies to storing an individual's mobile
device data in the cloud and providing the individual with access to the data
from anywhere. (
Learn More)
Multi-Tenant
In cloud computing, multi-tenant is the phrase used to describe multiple
customers using the same public cloud. (
Learn More)
Online Backup
In storage technology, online backup means to back up data from your hard
drive to a remote server or computer using a network connection. Online backup
technology leverages the Internet and cloud computing to create an attractive
off-site storage solution with little hardware requirements for any business of
any size. (
Learn
More)
OpenStack Grizzly
The follow-up to the Folsom release of the OpenStack open source cloud
computing platform, OpenStack Grizzly debuted in April 2013 as the seventh
release of OpenStack. With OpenStack Grizzly, the OpenStack Foundation has
focused on adding broader support for compute, storage and networking
technologies as well as greater scalability and ease of operations. (
Learn More)
Personal Cloud Storage
A form of cloud storage that applies to storing an individual’s data in the
cloud and providing the individual with access to the data from anywhere.
Personal cloud storage also often enables syncing and sharing stored data
across multiple devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers. (
Learn More)
Private Cloud
The phrase used to describe a cloud computing platform that is implemented
within the corporate firewall, under the control of the IT department. A
private cloud is designed to offer the same features and benefits of cloud
systems, but removes a number of objections to the cloud computing model
including control over enterprise and customer data, worries about security,
and issues connected to regulatory compliance. (
Learn More)
Private Cloud Project
Companies initiate private cloud projects to enable their IT infrastructure
to become more capable of quickly adapting to continually evolving business
needs and requirements. Private cloud projects can also be connected to public
clouds to create hybrid clouds. (
Learn More)
Private Cloud Security
A private cloud implementation aims to avoid many of the objections
regarding cloud computing security. Because a private cloud setup is
implemented safely within the corporate firewall, it remains under the control
of the IT department. (
Learn More)
Private Cloud Storage
A form of cloud storage where the enterprise data and cloud storage
resources both reside within the enterprise's data center and behind the
firewall. (
Learn
More)
Public Cloud Storage
A form of cloud storage where the enterprise and storage service provider
are separate and the data is stored outside of the enterprise's data center. (
Learn More)
Red Hat Cloud Computing
Red Hat Cloud Computing refers to solutions for private clouds, hybrid
clouds, and public clouds offered by Red Hat. (
Learn More)
Red Hat CloudForms
Red Hat CloudForms is an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering that
builds upon a collection of more than 60 open source projects. CloudForms
include application lifecycle management capabilities as well as the capability
to create hybrid public and private clouds from the broadest range of computing
resources with unique portability across physical, virtual and cloud computing
resources. (
Learn
More)
Red Hat OpenShift
OpenShift provides developers with a choice in languages, frameworks, and
clouds to build, test, run, and manage Java, Ruby, PHP, Perl and Python
applications. Developers can also choose the cloud provider the applications
will run on. (
Learn More)
Software as a Service
SaaS is a software delivery method that provides access to software and its
functions remotely as a Web-based service. Software as a Service allows
organizations to access business functionality at a cost typically less than
paying for licensed applications since SaaS pricing is based on a monthly fee.
(
Learn More)
Software Plus Services
Software Plus Services (Software + Services) is Microsoft's philosophy for
complementing the software company's on-premises software offerings with
cloud-based remote computing software options. (
Learn More)
Storage Cloud
Storage cloud refers to the collection of multiple distributed and connected
resources responsible for storing and managing data online in the cloud. (
Learn More)
Vertical Cloud Computing
A vertical cloud, or vertical cloud computing, is the phrase used to
describe the optimization of cloud computing and cloud services for a
particular vertical (e.g., a specific industry) or specific use
application. (
Learn More)
VMware vCloud Connector
The VMware vCloud Connector is a tool that facilitates hybrid cloud
computing for organizations. The vCloud Connector essentially helps to
orchestrate and administer the migration of VMs across different data centers
and clouds. (
Learn More)
