With so much talk about “cloud computing,” it’s easy to feel lost in the clouds. The term cloud is used as a metaphor for internet, it being the foundation of cloud computing.

To define cloud computing in the simplest form would be: a set of shared resources, delivered over the web, powered by software. It involves the interaction of several virtualized resources and is often provided “as a service” over the internet. Instead of running your applications yourself, they run on a shared data center. When you use any application that runs in the cloud, you just log in, customize it, and start using it.

Broadly speaking, cloud computing can be grouped into 3 categories:

1. Software as a Service (SaaS); Simplest form would be a web service or anything as extensive as a full blown application. For eg CRM on Demand, SalesForce.com, Gmail etc.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS); It encapsulates a layer of software and provides it as a service that can be used to build higher level services. For e:g Yahoo Pipes, Force.com etc
3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS); Delivers basic storage and compute capabilities as standardized services over the network. Servers, storage systems, switches, routers, and other systems are pooled and made available to handle workloads that range from application components to high-performance computing applications

Then there are public, private and hybrid clouds. Public clouds are hosted environments, private being on premise and Hybrid clouds are co-located.

The benefits “Cloud” brings to a business is the independence from buying and maintaining the physical infrastructure and resources for the business applications. It helps companies reduce their TCO ( total cost of ownership) and keeps the business competitive with quicker time to market.

A few concerns that businesses may have with cloud computing are data security issues, compliance and control, SLAs, hidden costs like setups, early termination etc.

TarKia in Cloud Computing Space:

As more and more companies adopt cloud-based enterprise solutions, cloud computing has grown to represent a multi-billion-dollar business opportunity. Not to mention its biggest growth is still ahead. This trend has not only translated into real revenue opportunity, but it also given TarKia the chance to help shape an emerging market. As a Oracle Partner, TarKia offers implementation, integration, and custom application services that leverage the latest cloud computing technologies.

Something to talk about next would be clouds integration!