What´s All The Fuss About Cloud Computing?

This article was first published in The Cookie Jar, the monthly e-newsletter produced by the Bristows IT Team.

First of all, what is cloud computing? At its simplest, it is an arrangement whereby IT resources are provided as a service via the Internet, typically on demand and often without reference to geography or specific local infrastructure. Popular awareness of "the cloud" has grown recently with the launch of high profile offerings such as Amazon Web Services, Apple's MobileMe, and the growing popularity of the various services provided by Google, including Gmail and GoogleApps. However, many mainstream outsourcing and offshoring arrangements have for a long time been delivered in a way that depends on cloud computing concepts and infrastructure.