Using a Private Cloud
Many organizations are understandably nervous about giving up control of their data and some of their applications by
using cloud computing. But they also see the value in reducing the need for installing software and adding disk storage
to local computers. A solution to this problem lies in the concept of a private cloud. While there are various models of a
private cloud, the basic idea is for the cloud service provider to section off web server space for a specific organization. The
organization has full control over that server space while still gaining some of the benefits of cloud computing.
As we saw in chapter 2, smartphones and tablets are becoming a dominant form of computing, with many more
smartphones being sold than personal computers. This means that organizations will have to get smart about developing
software on mobile devices in order to stay relevant.
3
Disadvantages of Cloud Computing
Virtualization
One technology that is utilized extensively as part of cloud computing is “virtualization.” Virtualization is the process of
using software to simulate a computer or some other device. For example, using virtualization, a single computer can
perform the functions of several computers. Companies such as EMC provide virtualization software that allows cloud
service providers to provision web servers to their clients quickly and efficiently. Organizations are also implementing
virtualization in order to reduce the number of servers needed to provide the necessary services. For more detail on how
virtualization works, see this informational page from VMWare.