The Cloud explained

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that's often used to represent the Internet in flow charts and diagrams.

A cloud service has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from traditional hosting. It is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; it is elastic -- a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and the service is fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). Significant innovations in virtualization and distributed computing, as well as improved access to high-speed Internet and a weak economy, have accelerated interest in cloud computing.

Why Utility Computing has come of age

• The technology landscape has changed :
• The dominance of the Internet
• The introduction of virtualisation technologies
• The commoditisation and standardisation of technologies
• Increasing bandwidth and quality of Internet connectivity
• The convergence of voice and data services from a single provider
• The growth in SaaS (Software as a Service) adoption
• The ability to access applications, services and resources when needed, regardless of device or location
• The speed of this technology change combined with the pressures of the current economic climate mean that the constraints of traditional software and hardware buying models are disappearing fast.

Forward looking businesses are already using Utility Computing services, delivered via the Cloud, to ensure they stay ahead of the competition and grow.