Cloud computing is a multi-perspective and multi-dimensional phenomenon. The answer to the question “What is cloud computing “is depends on who is answering that question. However, the most widely known perspective on cloud computing projects it as a service delivery model that uses the Internet as the common interface to reach its beneficiary. The beneficiary of cloud computing service could be a citizen, consumer or a learner depending on whether it is used by a government, business or university. When applied to business, cloud computing assumes a sharper form and becomes service composition, delivery and consumption model.
The categories of services that a business can deliver using cloud computing is currently limited to three (although some are on the horizon) and is known as “service models”. The different purposes for which an enterprise can build a cloud computing infrastructure and ways in which it can determine its scope and access is described in cloud “deployment models” and at present there are four ways in which this can be done. The cloud computing phenomenon because of its huge scope and deep potential to participate in virtually all human affairs – banking to education to health and others is tackling all important and perpetually concerned issues such as cloud security and trans-border business aspects. In sum cloud computing is a living and affecting lives of many.
