How Does Cloud Computing Work

Cloud computing is a phenomenon made possible from the increasing speed of broadband Internet and the ability for people to access web pages at lightning speeds. Without these lightning speeds, people would never access to compute in the clouds. In order to better understanding of mechanism of cloud computing, it is vital to understand what it is.

Cloud computing is a grid or farm of computer servers that provide software and data to other computers(users). Its purpose is to deliver software and the software functionality that might be put on the farm by a company to individual computers connected to the Internet. For example, Google Documents is software that is “in the clouds” that delivers a word processing software to people without software installation required on their computer. And, with the power of Google’s servers, they can then save those files right “in the clouds” without requiring to store on their own hard drive.

How Does Cloud Computing Work?

To understand how it works, it is important to think of cloud computing in two levels. The front level is the user level which is what you use such as your Google Email or the webpage where you are downloading the latest version of Flash or even a Sales Tracking Software. The other level is the backend which is all of the hardware and the software architecture in the Grid. It’s here that the actual Gmail or Facebook or Sales Tracking Software is held waiting to be accessed by you.

Because all of the different servers in farm are running together in cloud computing approach, one application can have the computer power of multiple servers. This allows something like Facebook to run and able to serve million of users.

Thus, the cloud brings together a large collection of server computers to operate a single service application. And anything that is stored anywhere other than your local hard drive is labeled as being in the clouds.

One of the main advantages of cloud computing is it enables companies to deliver files or services to customers without having to send an physical disk or CD. For example, if you are using a HP laptop and you need to get a patch for your Driver. Instead of having to have it sent to you, HP can deliver to you over the Internet. If HP wants to sell you a new piece of software, they can do that over the Internet and have it installed without needing the physical CD. It saves time and money both company and customers.

Article Source: Kenny Blog