Historically, for software to run on a computer, an individual copy of the software had to be installed on
the computer, either from a disk or, more recently, after being downloaded from the Internet. The concept
of “cloud” computing changes this, however.
To understand cloud computing, we first have to understand what the cloud is. “The cloud” refers to
applications, services, and data storage on the Internet. These service providers rely on giant server farms
and massive storage devices that are connected via Internet protocols. Cloud computing is the use of these
services by individuals and organizations.
You probably already use cloud computing in some forms. For example, if you access your e-mail
via your web browser, you are using a form of cloud computing. If you use Google Drive’s applications,
you are using cloud computing. While these are free versions of cloud computing, there is big business in
providing applications and data storage over the web. Salesforce (see above) is a good example of cloud
computing – their entire suite of CRM applications are offered via the cloud. Cloud computing is not limited
to web applications: it can also be used for services such as phone or video streaming.