Cloud Computing

The term Cloud Computing can be used for anything which involves delivering hosted services with easy access over the internet.Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over a network (Internet). 

This technology uses the internet and central remote servers to maintain/hosting data and applications.This allows consumers and business enterprise to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. The name came from the use of a cloud-shaped symbol to indicate the complex infrastructure that contains in system diagrams. The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that's often used to represent the Internet in flowcharts and diagrams. 

Cloud computing provides remote services with a user's data, software and computation. This technology provides more efficient computing by centralizing data storage, processing and bandwidth.

These services or cloud providers are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). These three types differ in the level of control that the user have over their own information, and conversely, the type of services the user can expect from the service provider.

Cloud computing service has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from normal service hosting.

• It is sold on demand
• It is stretchable which means a user can get availability of service for small duration or long duration as they want at any given time
• The service is fully managed by the provider which means the user just need an internet access and a device to access it.

A cloud can be Private/Public/Community/Hybrid Cloud but the goal of cloud computing is to provide easy, scalable access to computing resources and IT services. Read more on Types of Cloud Computing

So Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, which provides easy and scalable access of software ,hardware, shared resources ,information and other hosted services over the internet to users,computers,business enterprise and other devices on-demand.

Examples of cloud computing are Yahoo email, Gmail, or Hotmail etc. The server and email management software is all on the cloud.