Cloud Computing

Today I would like to share information about cloud computing, which is becoming a common buzz among IT industries.

Following question comes to our mind.

What is cloud? 
What does it mean to us? is this a new technology?

If we are computer programmer, then another set of questions comes to our mind with above sets.

How to get on cloud technology? Should I select this to one of my career path? How should I get experience on cloud computing?

AND common question among us are; is cloud a real solution of current challenges or is it a hype.

Simple answer of this question is "Old wine is in a new bottle", with some difference which I will describe below.

Cloud: It is true that we are on the cloud since we have subscribed free email services on the internet such as Hotmail, Yahoo etc.  Our all emails are lying on the cloud; present within their infrastructure. We are accessing it as a service. So we are using cloud since we created first free email service.

Then what is the difference in cloud terminology if we hear today. Now companies like Microsoft, Google etc. are coming up with business solution on the cloud such as Google doc, Microsoft BPOS and now it is Office 365 etc. Companies who does not want to invest and maintain them on premise infrastructure they can go on cloud to fulfill their business need. All their business computation takes place in the cloud so the name cloud computing.

Take the example of Office 365, it has got everything in one bundle such as MS lync, MS exchange online, SharePoint 2010 online. So it fulfills the SMBs requirement at low cost. If you want to have Office 365 bundle on premise you have to invest a lot on licensing, infrastructure, backup and security.

For SMBs (Small Medium Business companies) cloud computing is becoming a trend. They want to invest on cloud and focus on their line of business.

For Developer Microsoft has provided a platform i.e. Windows Azure and database SQL Azure. They can build .Net application and deploy it on Windows Azure. Microsoft has provided a set of SDKs which will be used for Azure. Existing application also can be migrated or converted and deployed on Azure.

We have already converted and deployed one of our products PowerERM on Azure. http://owpowererm.cloudapp.net/Pages/Users/Login.aspx

-Shahnawaz