by Elizabeth M Young

Created on: September 14, 2010

The term "cloud computing" is an evolving concept. Some believe it to be a new way of computing while others focus on the processes involved with more efficient data transfer. The overall concept is that cloud computing is an innovation that allows users, from the smallest to the largest, to use shared hardware and software to send their data packets more effectively. It is, in effect, a new infrastructure for the world wide web and not so much of a new way of computing data.

The problems concerned traffic control for data packets under the old protocols, where traffic jams, lost bits of data and even network shutdowns occurred, especially when more than one network node (meaning greater distance) was involved. Individual users had to invest and invest and invest in more hardware and software to meet their increasing needs. What was supposed to be 100 mega bites per second (mbs) was slowing to an actual 10 mbs.

Content Delivery Networks is another term where cache based technologies moved packets of data from one place to another. Cloud computing involves more, including better traffic control, encryption and security, data storage and data accessibility online. Now, under some systems, people can collaborate to share and modify the same documents from half a world away with user friendly formats and interfaces.

The term"cloud" referred to the cloud symbol that programmers used to represent data going to somewhere else. No one was really interested in the exact details of the transfer, so a cloud was used. Once the data got to the other side, the programming details resumed.

For the past two years, there has been a massive boom in cloud computing ventures, allowing us to compile top ten lists of the major and best cloud computing services. Each service has its own way of doing things, hence the varying conceptions of "the cloud" and what it does.

According to "Cloud Computing Journal", which has compiled a list of the top 150 cloud computing players, the situation is evolving rapidly enough to caution IT pros to check each one out for themselves and to evaluate the quality of movers and shakers. The top ten from their list includes:

Google is doing in the cloud what it is doing with the web. It is a monster of cloud computing initiatives with a 91 claim patent application. Google clearly intends to dominate the cloud for some time to come.

VMWare is a historical icon and the basis for cloud computing software. It is claimed that VMWAre developed

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