What is cloud computing?
Q: What is cloud computing?
A: Cloud computing is when computing services are provided by a company or place outside of where they are being used. It is like the way in which electricity is sent to users, allowing them to access these services through the Internet ("in the cloud").
Q: How does cloud computing work?
A: The user can simply use storage, computing power, or development environments without having to worry how they work behind the scenes. The cloud hides the complex infrastructure that makes the Internet work and allows IT-related actions to be provided “as a service”.
Q: What is an example of cloud computing?
A: An example of cloud computing would be Google's office suite apps which are accessed from a web browser. Unlike other software that does the same tasks, including Microsoft Office, the software and data are stored on Google's servers instead of on the machine in which they are used.
Q: What does IEEE say about cloud computing?
A: According to IEEE, cloud computing is a concept where information is placed on servers and sent over the Internet to other devices such as computers, laptops, handhelds and sensors. It includes having software as a service (SaaS) such as Web 2.0 that depend on the Internet to meet their users' needs.
Q: What do users not have to know or control with regards to using cloud services?
A: Users do not have to know or control the technologies behind using cloud services in order prevent running into ethical and legal problems.
Q: How does paying for electricity compare with paying for cloud services?
A: Just like when paying for electricity each month you pay only for what you used and nothing more; similarly with paying for cloud services you will only pay for what you use and nothing more.
