Cloud Computing is a general term used to describe a new class of network based computing that takes place over the Internet, a collection/group of integrated and networked hardware, software and Internet infrastructure (called a platform) using the Internet for communication and transport provides hardware, software and networking services to clients.

Advantages:

• The use of the cloud provides a number of opportunities:

  • It enables services to be used without any understanding of their infrastructure.

  • Data and services are stored remotely but accessible from “anywhere”.

• Lower computer costs:

  • You do not need a high-powered and high-priced computer to run cloud computing's web-based applications.

  • Since applications run in the cloud, not on the desktop PC, your desktop PC does not need the processing power or hard disk space demanded by traditional desktop software.

• Improved performance:

  • With few large programs hogging your computer's memory, you will see better performance from your PC.

  • Computers in a cloud computing system boot and run faster because they have fewer programs and processes loaded into memory.

• Reduced software costs:

  • Instead of purchasing expensive software applications, you can get most of what you need for free

• Instant software updates:

  • Another advantage to cloud computing is that you are no longer faced with choosing between obsolete software and high upgrade costs.

• Unlimited storage capacity:

  • Cloud computing offers virtually limitless storage.

• Increased data reliability:

  • Unlike desktop computing, in which if a hard disk crashes and destroy all your valuable data, a computer crashing in the cloud should not affect the storage of your data.

Disadvantages:

• In parallel there has been backlash against cloud computing:

Use of cloud computing means dependence on others and that could possibly limit flexibility and innovation:

• The others are likely become the bigger Internet companies like Google and IBM, who may monopolise the market.

• Some argue that this use of supercomputers is a return to the time of mainframe computing that the PC was a reaction against.

  Security could prove to be a big issue:

  • It is still unclear how safe out-sourced data is and when using these services ownership of data is not always clear.

There are also issues relating to policy and access:

• If your data is stored abroad whose policy do you adhere to?

• What happens if the remote server goes down?

• How will you then access files?

• There have been cases of users being locked out of accounts and losing access to data.

Requires a constant Internet connection:

• Cloud computing is impossible if you cannot connect to the Internet.

• Since you use the Internet to connect to both your applications and documents, if you do not have an Internet connection you cannot access anything, even your own documents.

Stored data can be lost:

• Theoretically, data stored in the cloud is safe, replicated across multiple machines.

• But on the off chance that your data goes missing, you have no physical or local backup.