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The cloud that comes ...

For quite some time there has been talk of cloud computing. Taking as a starting point to Wikipedia is defined as:

Cloud computing (cloud computing) is a technology which can deliver computing services over the Internet. In this kind of computing can offer everything that a computer system is provided as a service so that users can access the services available "in the Internet cloud" without knowledge (or at least without being expert) in the management of the resources they use.

From the very definition of cloud computing may draw some important conclusions on the use of such systems as:

1. Reduced costs: Any company can have the computing elements to meet your needs with a lower cost than necessary when riding own dedicated servers.
2. Scalability of the system: The extension or reduction of the computing capacity of the company can achieve in a simple and fast, being able to create dynamic computation structures for carrying out specific processes at key moments. With this scalability avoids expensive licenses for long periods of time (you pay only when used).
3. Potentiation and creation of new markets: Obviously you'll begin seeing new startups dedicated solely to the creation of cloud services to both businesses and for individuals, thus creating new market opportunities.

As in any system, not all benefits. Cloud computing from my point of view presents a major drawback, Security. The fact that your information is collected online on servers not controlled put on trial some aspects regarding information confidentiality and security of stored data.

To show what can be cloud computing, then show some of the existing services in the network:

Zoho: Suite of tools for personal production / business online. Zoho allows creation of text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, mail manager, CRM system, online repository and one or more functionality. And they provide plugins to integrate with Microsoft Office and Zoho integration into mobile devices.

Amazon Web Services: Honestly impressive is the system that has mounted Amazon. Amazon Web Services is a fully configurable system where you can have online virtual servers with different operating systems, storage systems, databases, etc ... The funny thing about Amazon's system is charging. For example, the servers are billed per hour of use. Furthermore, storage systems only charged on the time you upload or download information from the system (internal transfers between virtual servers and storage systems and data bases are billed).

EyeOS: It is an operating system fully online. This draft is currently Spanish origin, from my point of view, one of the online operating system more stable and with more features. The Online Operating System includes an office suite, email manager, FTP manager, VCRs and audio viewer / generator pdfs. All this free of charge and with the possibility of installing the operating system on your own server.

Given some of the solutions currently available, I think cloud computing will become an alternative to implementing computer systems in small and medium enterprises. On the other hand, I think it opens an important market for developers, since in such systems integration processes of enterprises in the cloud are fundamental and in many cases service providers do not provide this integration.

To expand a bit more information here leave some sources:

Enrique Dans article on his blog

Cloud Computing and government

Blog on cloud computing