Cloud Computing
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Cloud Computing

Web-Based Applications That Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online

Michael Miller
QUE Publishing, 2008
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In the information technology world, the clouds keep rolling in. But this is hardly a cause for concern. These “clouds” are not threatening thunderheads but Web-based applications and services, accessible from any Internet connection. For instance, many businesses today use Salesforce for customer relationship management and many people use Gmail. In either case, users access these applications through a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. However, the users’ data (customer names, e-mails and so on) isn’t stored on their computers but “in the cloud,” the technical term – or geek-speak – for “somewhere on the Internet.” Some applications target the consumer, some target the business user and some target the software developer. Whoever the targeted users are, cloud-based applications and similar technologies are the next big trend in IT and getAbstract assures you that Michael Miller’s brief, basic and very enthusiastic guide will help you understand them even if you are a novice. Sometimes it’s useful to have your head in the clouds.

Summary

What Is Cloud Computing?

The name “cloud computing” comes from the symbol for a group of networked computers that are connected to the Internet. When network engineers draw diagrams of computer networks, they often symbolize the Internet as a puffy “cloud” shape. This symbol condenses away the unnecessary details about what is in that cloud of linked computers. For instance, when you think about the Internet, the precise location of the computers it relies on usually doesn’t matter to you. Since so many computers are involved, they are spread all over the world. Similarly, the precise configuration of these computers also doesn’t matter in many cases. They might be powerful or weak, servers or desktops. But because they are so numerous, their aggregate power is immense. These ideas – Internet scale and abstraction of unnecessary detail – are at the core of cloud computing.

Sign up for a Gmail account – or an account with any other Web-based e-mail service – and compose an e-mail. Save it. Compose another one and send it to a colleague. Where is your e-mail kept? How does your memo reach your coworker? You have no idea.

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About the Author

Michael Miller writes about technology. He has written more than 80 nonfiction books during the past 20 years.

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