If you use web email like Yahoo or Gmail or on-line backup such as Carbonite,  then you are using cloud computing.  You could even say that your web site is a form of cloud computing, unless you have a server in house that host your web site.

 

Cloud computing is simply using a service or software hosted by a company that you access over the internet.  There are three basic services that describe cloud computing.

 

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is a service you can store and share files with others and or backup your pc. Egnyte and Box.net are service providers that offer this type of service as well as Carbonite.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offers software products such as GoogleApps or Microsoft Web Apps.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). is a broader market. Services can be anything from Web-based email to inventory control and database processing. Because the service provider hosts both the application and the data, the end user is free to use the service from anywhere. Salesforce and Microsoft are two compaines that provide this type of service.

Cloud computing may not totally reduce the need for in-house servers, it does offer a more cost effective alternative to email servers and backup. 

If you would like more information on what cloud computing service you could use, give me a call.

510.490.2685