Like any other science, paradigm shifts are a way of life for computer technology. Mainframes gave way to client servers and they, in turn, must make room for cloud computing to take over.
The old model involved a roomful of computers in each brick building downtown. The new model allows you to access your data from anywhere over the internet. Like an electrical system, data flows down the line to you. You no longer have to go to it.
Early telephone system depictions used the metaphor of a cloud, and that image has come to embody this new technology. It refers to the internet, which is everywhere around us all the time. You don't need to know exactly how it works. It just does.
But in general, the clouds serve as access points. Software or data or communication can all be accessed based on a client-server model. They are all available within the cloud.
Using this model, the end user saves on capital expenses by not owning the infrastructure itself. Like other utility services, such as water or gas, users are charged based on consumption rates. Other models also allow subscriptions that charge a base rate no matter what your actual usage is.
Increased bandwidth availability, made possible by high-speed internet connections, allow the user to access information on a server many miles away as if it was housed in his own laptop. Another benefit is that servers are rarely left idle, leading to an increase in computer usage.
Economically, the new paradigm is beneficial for both the user and the provider. The user saves money by avoiding intense capital investment in infrastructure while providers are able to spread the cost of that infrastructure over many more end users. By sharing a common resource, everyone benefits.
Major players like Amazon and Google have rushed to embrace the new technology. The association with existing utilities, like electricity and telephones, is hard to miss. These utilities played an important role in making the new technology a reality.
One side effect of all this is that computers get smaller and lighter. Because the software and data are stored at a remote location, accessed on demand, laptops and desktops don't need a great deal of storage themselves. Large projects requiring a group effort benefit as well. The project stays in one place but the people working on it can be anywhere.
The perfect storm is now on the horizon. Soon, cloud computing will be the only form or computing we know. Get ready before the storm hits!
