Introduction to cloud computing

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Cloud computing.
(Discuss) Proposed since March 2012.
This article is an accessible, non-technical introduction to the subject. For the main encyclopedia
article, see Cloud computing.

The two words in the phrase cloud computing have the following interpretations:

Cloud: As a noun, this is a metaphor for the Internet,[1] and as an adjective it means
pertaining to the Internet.[2] This usage derives from the cloud symbols that represent the
Internet on diagrams.[1][3]

Computing: Any IT activity carried out by an entity:

o When using "a local server or a personal computer",[4] which implies that the IT
resources are under the exclusive control of the entity.
o To "store, manage, and process data",[4] which implies that the data is private to
the entity, in the sense that it is determined by them, even if it is accessible by
others.

This means that cloud computing is a type of Internet-based computing, and it consists of every
situation where the use of IT resources by an entity has the following characteristics:[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Access to the resources is:

o Controlled by the entity, and restricted by them to their authorised users.
o Delivered via the Internet to all of these users.

The resources are:

o Hosted by a service provider on behalf of the entity.
o Dedicated to the exclusive use of the entity.

Data processed by the resources is:

o Private to the entity and its associates.
o Entered or collected by them, or automatically produced for them.

Contents
[hide]

1 Characteristics

2 Terminology
o 2.1 Cloud services
o 2.2 Cloud systems
o 2.3 Cloud roles
o 2.4 Cloud tenants
o 2.5 In the cloud
o 2.6 Cloud of clouds
o 2.7 The Intercloud

o 2.8 Cloud balancing and bursting

o 2.9 Cloud clients
o 2.10 Cloud datacentres
o 2.11 Cloud operating systems
o 2.12 Cloudware
o 2.13 Cloud operations
o 2.14 Cloud washing

3 Models
o 3.1 Service models

3.1.1 Software as a Service

3.1.2 Platform as a Service

3.1.3 Infrastructure as a Service

o 3.2 Deployment models

3.2.1 Public cloud

3.2.2 Private cloud

3.2.3 Virtual private cloud

3.2.4 Community cloud

3.2.5 Hybrid cloud

3.2.6 Vertical cloud

o 3.3 Consumption model

3.3.1 Payment and pricing

3.3.2 Measured service

3.3.3 Resource pooling

3.3.4 Scaling and provisioning

3.3.5 Access

4 Examples
o 4.1 Application software
o 4.2 Third-party application providers
o 4.3 Databases
o 4.4 Email
o 4.5 Office-productivity software
o 4.6 Software production

4.6.1 Development environments

4.6.2 Customer support

o 4.7 Storage services

o 4.8 Co-operation and communication
o 4.9 Websites

4.9.1 Creation and hosting

4.9.2 Feedback

4.9.3 Visitor statistics

4.9.4 Payment

o 4.10 Personal examples

4.10.1 Cloud storage

4.10.2 Internet TV

4.10.3 Online banking

4.10.4 Social media and networking

4.10.5 Synced data

4.10.6 Online retailing

4.10.7 Blogging

4.10.8 Peer-to-peer file sharing

4.10.9 Collaborative distributed computing

o 4.11 Deployment-model examples

o 4.12 Service-model examples

5 Exclusions

6 Advantages
o 6.1 Reduced costs
o 6.2 Up-to-date software
o 6.3 Improved access
o 6.4 Sharing and co-operation
o 6.5 Flexible and infinite scaling
o 6.6 Simpler capacity planning

7 Risks
o 7.1 Privacy and security

o 7.2 Regulatory and customer requirements

o 7.3 Service-provider outages

8 History
o 8.1 Origins

8.1.1 The concept

8.1.2 Cloud symbols

8.1.3 New paradigm

8.1.4 First uses of the term

8.1.5 Widespread adoption

o 8.2 Precursor technologies

8.2.1 Virtualisation

8.2.2 Timesharing

8.2.3 Client-server computing

8.2.4 Utility computing

8.2.5 Cluster computing

8.2.6 Autonomic computing

o 8.3 Long-term trends

9 See also

8.3.1 Computer access

8.3.2 IT acquisition and management

8.3.3 Resource sharing

10 References

[edit] Characteristics
Typical versus essential characteristics
The cloud-computing consumption model represents characteristics, such as payment, resourcesharing, scaling and access methods, that typically apply only to some examples of cloud
computing, because they are optional alternatives rather than being necessary features.[7] For
example, no payment method can be an essential characteristic of cloud computing, because
there are some free services, and because each different payment method is only typical of
certain types of commercial service.
Internet versus network accessibility
There are several deployment models that make cloud computing available on the Internet in a
variety of public or private computer systems. However, there are also IT systems that have some
of the same typical characteristics and advantages as cloud computing, but that, for security
reasons, are accessible only via a private network, rather than the Internet. These have been
described as cloud computing-like,[8] but, because of the shared features, they are sometimes
included as part of cloud computing itself.[9]
Usage
Depending on the context, cloud computing can mean:

Access to and use of the resources.[4]

The hosting and delivery service that provides this access.[3]

A model for enabling such access and delivery.[9]

The hosted resources or services themselves.[10]

The computing execution carried out by the services.[11]

Technology used for the provision of the services.[12][13]

[edit] Terminology
[edit] Cloud services

As a hosting service, cloud computing is also known as cloud hosting, or as a cloud service.[1][5][9]
[14]

[edit] Cloud systems

The hosted resources are known as cloud resources or cloud systems,[5] and these include cloud
software and cloud infrastructure.[1][2][9]
Cloud software includes cloud applications,[15][16] cloud databases[17] and cloud platforms.[2][18]
Cloud infrastructure includes cloud storage, cloud servers and cloud networks.[2][9][13][19]

[edit] Cloud roles

The consumption and provision of cloud computing involves the following roles:[20]

Cloud consumer: A customer of a cloud service.

Cloud provider: An entity that delivers cloud services to cloud consumers.

Cloud auditor: An entity that vets cloud services on behalf of potential consumers, for
example to check security and privacy arrangements.

Cloud broker: An entity that negotiates and manages relationships between cloud
consumers and providers. A broker may connect a consumer with a single provider, or
aggregate services from more than one provider to satisfy the full range of a consumers
needs.[21]

Cloud carrier: An intermediary entity that connects consumers with the provider's cloud
systems, such as an ISP that provides Internet access and connectivity.

[edit] Cloud tenants

The cloud consumers serviced by the same cloud provider are known as tenants of the provider's
cloud systems, which are said to be multi-tenanted if they have many consumers, and singletenanted if they have only one consumer.[22][23]
The tenants are the entities that contract for the services, rather than an entity's individual users.
Such an entity can be an organisation with many employees, so cloud systems can have a single
tenant but many users.

[edit] In the cloud

Cloud computing happens in the cloud, and:[1][8][23][24][25]

Cloud systems are said to be hosted or located in the cloud.

Cloud consumers are said to operate in the cloud.[26]

When an entity converts its IT management to cloud computing, it is said to move into
the cloud.[27]

[edit] Cloud of clouds

When used as a noun, the term cloud is a metaphor for the Internet,[1] but it is also applied to the
cloud systems hosted by a cloud provider,[28] and these might be described, for example, as a
public cloud.
The term cloud of clouds is used for the aggregate of the clouds hosted by several providers that
co-operate in delivering cloud services.[21]

[edit] The Intercloud

The term Intercloud is used for all cloud systems, after an analogy with the word Internet,
meaning inter-networks.[29]
This is not the same as all websites on the Internet, because there are many that are excluded
from cloud computing.

[edit] Cloud balancing and bursting

Cloud balancing is the day-to-day use by a consumer of more than one cloud provider for load
balancing, and cloud bursting is the automatic overflow of demand to a different cloud provider
only at peak times.[8][29]
The term cloud spanning is also used for the on-going use of more than one cloud service to run
an application.[8]

[edit] Cloud clients

A client computer, or simply a client, is an end-user access point to a computer system, and the
term came to prominence with client-server computing.
The term cloud client is an application of this concept to cloud computing, and so it is an enduser access point to a cloud system. These include PCs, notebooks, tablets and mobile phones,
and the access may be through a web browser or a program interface running on the client.[1][9][30]
They are used only to access cloud systems, and they arent part of cloud computing themselves.

[edit] Cloud datacentres

A datacentre is a facility that houses server computers. For example, a small or medium-sized
organisation may place all its servers in one datacentre, and a large organisation may need to
place them in several datacentres.
Cloud systems are hosted in a cloud datacentre.[24]

[edit] Cloud operating systems

Clients
A cloud operating system for a cloud client, such as Chrome O/S and Cloud, is a combination of
a simple O/S and a web browser that enables a user device with minimal processor and memory
resources to access cloud services.
Datacentres
Unlike a traditional server O/S, such as Windows NT and Unix, which manages the resources of
a single server computer, a cloud operating system for a cloud datacentre manages all the servers
in the entire datacentre, which are possibly in distributed locations.[31]

[edit] Cloudware
Cloud software is also known as cloudware,[8][32] and it includes cloud:

Applications[15][16]

Databases[17]

Platforms[18]

Datacentre operating systems.[31]

[edit] Cloud operations

Cloud operations are IT operations that provide, support or develop cloud systems, or that
manage cloud datacentres.[33]
Cloud operations use cloud engineering, which is the application of systems engineering and
software engineering to the design of cloud systems, and cloud architecture, which is the
structure of these systems, in terms of their components and the way they interact with each
other and with external systems.[1][33]

[edit] Cloud washing

Cloud washing is "the purposeful and sometimes deceptive attempt by a vendor to rebrand an old
product or service by associating the buzzword cloud with it.[34][35]

[edit] Models
Cloud computing has been described as a model for enabling particular types of access to and
delivery of IT services.[9]

[edit] Service models

There are three main cloud-computing service models, and these represent the three types of
computing generally required by consumers: software applications (SaaS) to process their data,
platforms (PaaS) to develop applications, and infrastructure (IaaS) to run software and store
data.[9][36]

[edit] Software as a Service

Software in the cloud
Software as a Service (SaaS) provides software that is specific to its consumers end-user
requirements, including traditional applications, such as accounting, and email. This is the largest
group of cloud services,[36] and it provides a very wide range of software.[14][15][16][37]
The host manages the software, and the infrastructure that runs this software and that stores data.
It may use its own infrastructure, which is then said to be in-house or on-premise, or it may use
another cloud provider for this infrastructure.
The consumers do not control the software, beyond the usual configuration settings, or the
infrastructure, beyond changing the resources they use, such as the amount of disk space required
for their data.
For the usual security reasons that apply when managing a datacentre, such as to mitigate against
the risk of an infrastructure outage, the host will regularly backup all data, across all tenants, but
consumers can also backup their own data in their own disk space.
SaaS may be accessible from a variety of cloud clients.
Desktop as a Service
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is the hosting of a desktop PC software environment, including
office-productivity applications, such as word processing, by a SaaS provider.[38] This is done so
that only a thin client, with perhaps just a web browser, need be used to access all the required

software, and this can be financially advantageous for the consumer. Also, it simplifies
deployment and administration of the PC environment.
DaaS is also known as a cloud desktop or desktop in the cloud.[39]
Database as a Service
Database as a Service (DbaaS) is the hosting of database software by a SaaS provider.[40]
These are known as cloud databases.
Identity as a Service
Identity as a Service (IDaaS) is the hosting of identity-management software by a SaaS
provider.[41]

[edit] Platform as a Service

Development platforms in the cloud
Platform as a Service (PaaS) consists of software-development and deployment platforms,
known as cloud platforms, located in the cloud.[18]
With this type of service, the host provides a complete software-development and run-time
environment, including programming languages and related infrastructure, so that the consumers
can either create their own software on this platform, or deploy software that was developed
elsewhere, but that needs this same environment to run.
The infrastructure can include a database and identity-management, or access-control, software.
SaaS development platforms
A form of PaaS that can be hosted by SaaS providers consists of their development environment
being made available for cloud consumption by third-party developers, so that the applications
for their main consumers can be enhanced.[36] One advantage of this approach is that the thirdparty developers have access to the user data that is stored and processed by the main
application.
Also, in some cases, consumers can use the development platform to customise the application
for themselves.
SaaS versus PaaS
Software development is itself performed using software, so PaaS and SaaS are related, but PaaS
involves software used specifically for development, and all related activities, such as testing and
deployment.[25][42]

Also, with SaaS, the application is controlled by the host, whether developed by the host or by a
third party, but with PaaS, the consumer controls which applications are created or deployed on
the providers infrastructure.

[edit] Infrastructure as a Service

Hardware in the cloud
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) consists of hardware infrastructure that is located in the
cloud. It includes cloud storage, cloud servers and cloud networks, and is also known as
Hardware as a Service (HaaS).[25] The infrastructure can be used to run software or simply to
store data.
The consumers can be end-users, developers or other cloud providers. For example, SaaS
providers can use IaaS providers to run their applications or to store their consumers data.
Application agnostic
IaaS is application and platform agnostic, which means that any software can be deployed on the
infrastructure by the consumers, including different operating systems, applications or
development platforms. On the other hand, with SaaS, only the provided application can be used
by the tenants, and with PaaS, only applications that run on the provided platform can be used.
The servers may run a hypervisor, in which case they can run several different operating systems
at the same time, and any application that runs on these operating systems.
Storage as a Service
Cloud storage is also known as Storage as a Service (SaaS).[19]
Network as a Service
Cloud networks are also known as Network as a Service (NaaS).[38]

[edit] Deployment models

There are several cloud-computing deployment models, and these represent different types of
exclusive and non-exclusive clouds provided to consumers or groups of consumers.[9]

[edit] Public cloud

Public clouds are cloud systems that are made available to any entity in a non-exclusive group,
such as the general public, or all organisations in a specific industry. Because there are many
consumers, these are multi-tenanted clouds. They are owned by cloud providers, and are offpremise for all consumers.

The cloud is public only in the sense that, potentially, any entity that requires the provided
services can become a consumer, and a public cloud may not necessarily be of interest to every
entity. For example, a SaaS public cloud might provide an accounting system that is of interest
only to certain types of small business.

[edit] Private cloud

Private clouds are cloud systems that are accessible only by a single entity, or by an exclusive
group of related entities that share the same purpose and requirements, such as all the business
units in a single organisation. They are generally single-tenanted, but they can be multi-tenanted
if the individual group members act as separate consumers. They may be owned by a cloud
provider and be located off-premise, or they may be owned and operated by the consumer and be
located on-premise. In the latter case, they can also be known as internal clouds or corporate
clouds.[43]
These clouds are usually private because of the need for system and data security, and, for this
reason, they will usually be behind a firewall that restricts access to a limited set of client
devices.[43]
There are IT systems that have some of the same characteristics and advantages as cloud
computing, but that are accessible only through a private LAN or WAN, rather than the Internet.
These have been described as cloud computing-like,[8] but, because of the shared features, they
are sometimes included as part of cloud computing itself.[9]

[edit] Virtual private cloud

When a service provider uses a public-cloud system to create a private cloud, the result is known
as a virtual private cloud.[8]

[edit] Community cloud

Community clouds are cloud systems that are supplied to a group of related entities that share a
common purpose, such as mission, security requirements, policy or compliance considerations,
and that therefore need the same type of hosting. These are multi-tenanted clouds that may be
managed by the community or by a third party, and they may be off-premise for all the
consumers, or on-premise for one of the consumers.
Unlike a private cloud, the community of consumers isn't narrowly exclusive. However, they
may not be truly public clouds, because not every entity that could use the service may be able to
become a consumer.

[edit] Hybrid cloud

A hybrid cloud is a composition of two or more public, private and community clouds,[9] that are
used on a day-to-day basis or for cloud bursting.[8]

Becoming part of such a cloud can be attractive to the providers, because it results in a larger
pool of resources that can be made available to their consumers, so that variations in demand can
be managed more flexibly. Also, for consumers, it may be that some of their data must be in a
private cloud, for security and privacy reasons, but it may be more economical to keep some
other, perhaps less sensitive, data in a public cloud, because the cost of these is generally lower.[5]
A hybrid cloud is also a cloud of clouds, but the difference with the latter is that it can contain
only one type of cloud deployment, rather than a mixture of public and private clouds, as with a
hybrid.[5][8]

[edit] Vertical cloud

A vertical cloud is a public cloud optimised for a specific, vertical industry.[44]

[edit] Consumption model

There are several features of cloud computing that affect consumers in terms of their day-to-day
use of the services, or the way they contract for the services, or their reasons for choosing one
service over another, and these have been called the consumption model.[7]
Some of them have been described as essential,[9] but it has also been observed that no single
feature is proposed by all definitions,[45] and they have been discussed using terms such as
alternatives, options, generally, recurrent ideas or typically, to indicate that they dont
necessarily apply to all cloud services.[1][5][7][9][13][45]

[edit] Payment and pricing

Free services
There are cloud services that are entirely free, and some that are offered on a freemium basis.[14]
[15][16]

Commercial services
Where payment is made, typically it is on the basis of consumption in a given time period, such
as per concurrent user per month for SaaS, or per unit of storage per month for IaaS.[5][9][25][45]
Charging by usage can be by any of the following methods:[1][5]

Utility: Consumers pay only for what they use - so called because it is similar to the
pricing of services from electricity utilities.

Subscription: Consumers pay for a fixed amount of resource whether they use it or not,
which is similar to some contracts for cable TV or mobile telecommunications.

A combination of these, where consumers pay a subscription to consume up to a certain

amount, and then as a utility for resources consumed above that amount.

Ownership
In some cases, cloud systems can be wholly owned by the consumer.[1][13]

[edit] Measured service

Payment on the basis of consumption requires a measured service and a metering capability, but
even free services may need to be metered if they apply only up to some level of resource.

[edit] Resource pooling

Multi-tenant hosting involves pooled resources that are shared among the several tenants. This
can be a consumer advantage, because sharing the resources may lead to lower costs for each
tenant.
However, resource pooling doesn't apply to a private cloud with only one tenant, because this
type of resource sharing applies only between different tenants, rather than among a tenant's
individual users. Sharing resources among users applies to any server or datacentre, whether it is
part of cloud computing or not.

[edit] Scaling and provisioning

Scaling means reconfiguring resources to change their size. Scaling in means to release
resources, and scaling out means to acquire more resources. Systems that can easily scale in or
out are said to be elastic. Provisioning refers to the mechanisms used to provide and release
resources, and hence to manage scaling.[9][11] Agile provisioning allows the size of resources to be
changed very easily, for example without the lengthy decision-making and budgetary process
required when purchasing IT equipment for delivery on-premise. Elastic resources and agile
provisioning are important for flexible and cost-effective management of variations in user
demand.
The following terms are used to describe the various scaling and provisioning features that are
available with some cloud services:[7][9][11][45]

On-demand self service: Scaling that can be performed by the consumer, rather than by
the host.

Dynamic scaling: Scaling that can be done via software, so that it can happen
automatically, and possibly in a way that is invisible to the consumer.

Infinite scaling: There is no effective limit to the amount of resource that the consumer
can have, although it is always actually finite at any one time.

Rapid provisioning: Provisioning that can be immediate, rather than waiting for the
cloud provider to respond to a request for resources.

There is some disagreement as to whether agile provisioning is a defining characteristic of cloud

computing.[45] This is partly because the history of IT shows that flexible scaling and
provisioning was available prior to the cloud era, and so it is more a feature of IT in general,
rather than just cloud systems in particular. However, because large public clouds can have very
many tenants, their datacentres can be much more massive than previously known, and so they
can give the appearance of unlimited scalability.[9]

[edit] Access
Broad
Access to cloud services is via the Internet, and this leads to the possibility of consumers having
broad access, which means the ability to use the services from multiple types of cloud client,
including desktop, portable and hand-held devices, or from many different locations.[1]
To achieve access from many different clients, it is necessary for the websites to be made
compatible with hand-held devices as well as PCs, for example because of the different screen
sizes and the different mechanics of scrolling within large web pages.
Access can be from any location where an Internet connection is available, either from a fixed
PC, for example in an office or Internet caf, or from anywhere that mobile telephone access is
available, for example using a USB modem attached to a notebook.
However, a private cloud may only allow access from certain sources, for example if it is behind
a firewall.
Transparent
In IT, something is transparent to users if they do not need to understand or be aware of it. For
example, with cloud computing, consumers can have transparent access, which means that the
users of a service need not be aware of who provides the service or where the host is located.[9]
However, for legal and regulatory requirements regarding the security of data, and the laws that
might apply to breaches of service levels, a consumer may need to have their hosting provided
by a known organisation in a specific location.

[edit] Examples
All cloud services have a dedicated-resource aspect, with consumer-controlled access to these
resources by authorised users, via a secure-access method, such as a login ID. Also, the resources
process data that is private to the consumer and their associates, which means that it is entered or
created by them, although it may be accessible by others, including the general public.

There are many organisations that supply cloud services, and there is a very wide range of such
services.[1][11][28][36][46][47]

[edit] Application software

A range of cloud applications is available, including common small-business applications, such
as accounting, and medium-to-large organisation line-of-business or mission-critical
applications, such as CRM and ERP.[14][15][16][37][46]
These applications are:

Part of Software as a Service, which is one of the cloud-computing service models.

Located in a private cloud if the software is supplied to just one consumer, or in a public
cloud if any entity needing the software can become a consumer. These are two of the
cloud-computing deployment models.

Hosted by an Application Service Provider (ASP).[48]

The authorised users of the hosted software include the organisation's staff, and possibly the staff
of their associates, such as customers and suppliers. The private data includes confidential
information entered by the users, such as financial-transaction amounts, but there could also be a
publicly-accessible aspect, such as a shopping-cart feature that can be used by visitors to a retail
organisation's website.

[edit] Third-party application providers

ASPs may host software that they have developed themselves, or software developed by others.
[36]

Some market-leading software systems, such as SAP and Sharepoint, are available from thirdparty ASPs.[38]

[edit] Databases
Database as a Service (DbaaS) hosts cloud databases,[40] and virtually all major database
platforms are available in the cloud,[47] including Amazon SimpleDB and Amazon Relational
Database Service.
The private data for these services consists of the records stored in the database.
DbaaS is part of Software as a Service.[40]

[edit] Email

Email computing involves two aspects:

Composing, reading and organising emails.

Sending and receiving them via the Internet.

The first of these can be done on a user-device, such as a PC, in which case it is not part of cloud
computing, or it can be done at the website of an ISP, in which case it is part of cloud computing.
[25][37]
The second aspect is part of cloud computing in both cases.
For PC-based email, composing and reading emails, and organising them in folders, is done with
software running on a PC, and all of the permanent storage, such as for the inbox, sent and other
folders, and address books, is allocated on the PC. This is not cloud computing, because the
email software and storage are not accessed via the Internet, but directly on the PC, even though
the send and receive software is hosted by an ISP. The latter software is part of cloud computing,
and the private data for this computing consists of the received and sent emails stored, perhaps
temporarily, by the ISP prior to being retrieved for reading on the PC, or sent via the Internet.
For web-based email, or webmail, such as Gmail, the data is stored for the consumer in disk
space allocated by the service provider, and emails are composed, read and organised using
software hosted by the provider at their site. The private data for this computing includes all
emails, folders and address books. Webmail is part of Software as a Service.
In both cases, a PC, or other user device, is a cloud client used to access the services.

[edit] Office-productivity software

Office-productivity software, such as Google Docs, is available as a cloud service.[15][49] The
private data for this software consists of the user's created artefacts, such as word-processor
documents and spreadsheet models, which are stored and managed on the provider's
infrastructure.
This is part of Software as a Service.

[edit] Software production

[edit] Development environments
There are cloud services, such as the Azure Services Platform, that provide softwaredevelopment environments. These are part of Platform as a Service, which is one of the cloudcomputing service models.[18]
The private data for these services consists of all development information, which would be
accessible only by the consumers and their authorised users, including any third-party
developers.

[edit] Customer support

There are cloud services, such as Get Satisfaction, that provide self-help and developer support
for the customers of a software company. This support is obtained and entered at a website that
hosts and sells the companys products.
This is a service for the software company, and the private data includes the domain names of the
websites for which support is required.

[edit] Storage services

Disk storage space can be rented from some cloud providers, and consumers of these services
can upload software or data, for example by using the service for backup of client-device
information.[14][15][16][19][46] The private data would consist of the uploaded material.
The infrastructure is:

Known as Storage as a Service, and it is part of Infrastructure as a Service, which is one

of the cloud-computing service models.

Hosted by a Storage Service Provider.[19]

[edit] Co-operation and communication

There are cloud services that use the remote connectivity features of the Internet to support
distributed co-operative activities, such as systems support, project work or voice and video
communication.
Examples of such services include:

Screen-sharing systems, such as LogMeIn and Mikogo, that can be used for remote
support or co-operation on projects among geographically distributed participants.[15]

Teleconferencing systems, such as Skype.[1][16]

For these systems, client software needs to be installed on a user device, and this isn't part of
cloud computing, but there is also central storage of a user's identity, so that they can connect
with others. This storage and the associated connectivity software are part of cloud computing.
The private data for this service includes the consumers identity.

[edit] Websites
[edit] Creation and hosting

There are cloud services that provide website creation and hosting.[16][46]
The private data for the consumers of these services includes the websites content, and the
dedicated resources would include a CMS, so that they can manage the website, and possibly a
CRM, so that they can manage customers and purchases.

[edit] Feedback
There are cloud services for website operators, that allow visitors to a website to provide
feedback to these operators, and that allow the operators to analyse this feedback.[15]
The private data includes the consumers domain names for which feedback is required.

[edit] Visitor statistics

There are cloud services, such as Google Analytics, that provide website visitor statistics to the
operators, and that provide analysis of these statistics.[16]
These are consumed by website operators, and the private data includes the consumers domain
names for which statistics are required.

[edit] Payment
There are cloud services, such as PayPal, that allow website visitors to pay for anything
purchased at the site.
These are consumed by website operators, and the private data includes information on the
consumers connected bank accounts, so that transfers of accumulated payment amounts can be
made.

[edit] Personal examples

[edit] Cloud storage
Anyone with Internet access can rent cloud storage and upload their personal data, for backup or
sharing purposes.[14][15][16] This is known as a personal cloud,[50] and it is part of Infrastructure as
a Service.
For example, with photos in the cloud, a family can share them with members and friends that
are in distributed locations, in a way that couldnt happen with data on their PCs. The private
data consists of the uploaded information, and the authorised users consist of all those given
access to this information.

Potentially, this type of service could have the largest group of tenants across all providers,
because any member of the general public with a device that can access the Internet can become
a consumer, if only to backup data.

[edit] Internet TV
Internet TV, also known as cloud TV, is a cloud service.[51]
The private data for the consumers of these services includes their multicast address.

[edit] Online banking

Online banking is an example of SaaS for the banks customers, and the private data for each
consumer includes their bank account transaction information.[52]
Besides desktop and portable computers, the cloud clients used to access this service include
ATMs, online or mobile wallets, and point-of-sale terminals.

[edit] Social media and networking

Media and networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, are part of cloud computing.[15]
The private data for the consumers includes uploaded information, and this is accessible by the
authorised network consisting of their friends or colleagues.

[edit] Synced data

Different client devices owned by the same consumer can have their data synchronised, or
synced, via the cloud, so that each device can access the data produced by all the other devices.
This is done by automatically backing up the data of each client using cloud infrastructure.
One example of this for personal use is the iCloud,[53] which provides cloud storage for an
individual's music downloads from the iTunes Store in such a way that they can be accessed
from any of their client devices. In this case, the private data consists of the tunes that are
automatically gathered for the consumer onto their cloud storage, regardless of how they are
purchased.

[edit] Online retailing

There are cloud services, such as eBay, that allow individuals to sell items on the Internet.
The private data for these services includes details of the consumers sale items.

[edit] Blogging

There are cloud services, such as WordPress, that enable individuals to create and maintain a
weblog.
The consumers of these services control access by allowing only themselves to contribute blog
topics and to respond to visitor comments, or by authorising others to do so.
The private data includes the:

Topics that are entered from time to time.

Comments entered by blog visitors, which can be published or suppressed by the

consumer.

Responses of the consumer.

Details of who can read or contribute to the blog, which can be the general public, or an
exclusive group.

[edit] Peer-to-peer file sharing

Cloud computing involves using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet.[4] These
servers can be kept in a datacentre operated by a single cloud provider, but they can also be part
of a distributed P2P network that shares resources via the Internet.[1][54] In such a network, all
participating systems are peers, which means that they are both clients and servers, and so their
users are both service consumers and service providers.
For example, P2P file-sharing is part of cloud computing. At any one time, the group
participating in this service consists of the users of all devices with the same file-sharing
software, such as BitTorrent,[1] that are on-line at any one time. For these participants, the service
is the mutual sharing of files, and this sharing is:

Consumed by each participant by uploading from another participant, or downloading to

another participant.

Provided by each participant by making available some of the files on their own device,
for downloading or uploading.

For the participants, as:

Consumers, the:
o Private data consists of the files on their own device that they allow to be shared.
o Dedicated resources include their file-sharing software, which is used for the
uploading and downloading of files, and to identify them as part of the network.

o Controlled access consists of allowing the use of their client device for uploading
to, or downloading from, the other participants.

Providers, they host on their own behalf.

[edit] Collaborative distributed computing

The Internet services that control collaborative, distributed computing, such as GIMPS and
SETI@home, are part of cloud computing.[1] This is also known as volunteer computing.
These services divide up the computation into small parts that are then distributed to the
participating user devices over the Internet. After carrying out its part of the task, a device sends
the results back to the cloudbased control as a contribution to the whole process.
The consumers of these services are the participants whose user devices carry out parts of the
computation. The private data for each consumer consists of their registration information,
including the Internet address of their device.

[edit] Deployment-model examples

There are several cloud-computing deployment models that provide public, private, community
or hybrid clouds, and there are many examples of these.[55]
Public clouds are the most ubiquitous,[55] and they include:

Personal clouds, which are storage services that can be consumed by anyone with Internet
access.[50]

Many application-software services.

Other software services, including databases, email and office-productivity software.

Platform services.[55]

Private clouds can provide similar types of software, platform and infrastructure services as
public clouds, except that they are hosted for one consumer behind a firewall that restricts access
to a limited set of client devices. They can be on or off-premise for the consumer.[55]
Google Apps is available in a community cloud for Government agencies,[55] and there is a
vertical cloud for health-care.[44]

[edit] Service-model examples

Cloud computing includes SaaS, PaaS and IaaS, and there are many examples of these.[56]

SaaS constitutes the largest group of services,[36] and the following are some specific examples:

Cloud applications[15][16]

Cloud databases[17][40]

Email[25][37]

Office-productivity software[15][49]

Cloud desktops.[39]

PaaS comprises all software-development and run-time platforms that are available as cloud
services.[18][55]
IaaS examples include:

Personal cloud[50]

Other storage services[19][46]

Cloud networks.[38]

[edit] Exclusions
Cloud computing isnt just the same as Internet computing, and the Intercloud doesnt include all
the websites on the Internet.[57]
For example, the following are excluded from cloud computing:

Publicly accessible websites that process the same data for every visitor, such as web
search engines. There is no private-data aspect for these sites.

All web pages that provide a calculation feature, but without managing private data, such
as a financial institutions loan-repayment calculator.

All sites that only provide information, rather than a computation facility.

[edit] Advantages
There are many possible advantages of cloud computing, but they may not apply to all
consumers.[57][58]

[edit] Reduced costs

Cloud services paid for on a usage basis can be financially advantageous for a consumer when
compared to the outright purchase, or long-term rental, of what would be a big-budget item.[1][5]
[10][19][45]

Also, there are reduced operating costs, because a cloud consumer does not need to house, staff
and maintain their own equipment.

[edit] Up-to-date software

SaaS consumers can always have the most up-to-date software, because versioning is controlled
centrally by the cloud provider, and when they make a new release it is automatically available to
every user.
This is particularly advantageous for cloud desktops, because deployment of new software
versions can be very costly and time consuming for a large organisation with many PCs, and
because it can therefore be difficult to ensure that everyone has the same version of the
organisation's PC software applications at any one time.

[edit] Improved access

Cloud computing involves using the Internet, and this can provide access from multiple locations
and many different types of user device.

[edit] Sharing and co-operation

Cloud services are advantageous, when compared to PCs and local servers, for activities that
require co-operation among distributed groups.

[edit] Flexible and infinite scaling

Flexible and infinite scaling can be an advantageous feature of cloud-computing services, for
example to allow for a sudden increase in demand by the users. This has traditionally been a
difficulty for fully owned and self-managed IT resources, where there can be, for example, one
server with a given, fixed size, and where some of its capacity may be wasted when demand is
low, but where it may be overloaded, resulting in slow response times, when demand is high.[59]

[edit] Simpler capacity planning

Cloud computing moves the IT capacity-planning role from the consumer to the cloud provider,
and they can be in a better position to optimise the cloud resources used by their consumers than
the consumers themselves would be for their own resources.[59]

For example, the provider may be able to supply better demand smoothing, because they can
perform capacity planning over a much larger pool of resources, and for a large group of
consumers, whose peak loads will probably not occur all at the same time.

[edit] Risks
Besides the advantages of cloud computing, there are also risks, at least for some consumers.[57]
[58]

[edit] Privacy and security

Because data is stored on a cloud provider's systems, and possibly in a location that may not be
known by the consumer, there can be data-privacy and security issues.
Concerns over lack of privacy arise because providers control the data, and so consumers could
perceive a risk that they may:[60]

Mine the data for their own use.

Share it with other organisations.

Lock the consumer out, for example if there is a commercial dispute.

Lock the consumer in, so that they cant migrate to a different provider.

Lose data, particularly if their backup practices are not adequate to cope with
emergencies.

[edit] Regulatory and customer requirements

There are some issues that may prevent the use of cloud services. For example:

Some organisations are required by regulations and laws to be responsible for the security
and confidentiality of their customer's data.

SLAs with customers and other associates may place restrictions on an organisation's IT
resource-management options.

Such issues may prevent organisations from using:

Third-party hosting

Hosting in any given location

A public cloud, however hosted.

[edit] Service-provider outages

Any accidental downtime, or outage, of cloud systems can affect some or all of the providers
tenants, and so this can deprive many users of access to their IT systems. This is particularly true
of large public clouds.[61][62]

[edit] History
[edit] Origins
[edit] The concept
Telecom networks have been known as the cloud since at least the 1990s,[63][64] and this was a
symbolic metaphor used to represent the unseen network that delivered services invisibly. The
term was also applied to large ATM networks in the early 1990s.[1]
Cloud computing can be seen as a movement to apply the telecom cloud concept to IT.[63]

[edit] Cloud symbols

Cloud symbols were used to represent the public telephone system on diagrams. Since this was
the original basis of the Internet, through the use of dial-up modems, the cloud symbol was also
adopted for the Internet, and it came into common use for this purpose in the 1990s.[65]

[edit] New paradigm

Cloud computing has been a paradigm shift in IT acquisition and management, from outright
purchase as a product, to consumption as a service.[1][66] This has involved a change from dealing
with technical capacity and performance specifications when choosing a supplier and a model
number that can cope with projected user demand, to dealing only with economic considerations
when choosing a service.[59][66]
This is because visitors to an Internet website need only be concerned with the cost of using the
available services, rather than with the IT infrastructure that supports the site. The technical
details of this infrastructure can be left to the hosting organisation, and it is up to them to ensure
that its performance and capacity specifications are adequate for the expected traffic. For these
reasons, things are simpler for the users, as opposed to acquiring, sizing, housing, staffing and
maintaining IT equipment for themselves.[1][59]
The transition from ownership to cloud computing didn't happen in one step, and in the history of
this change there were other business models, such as outsourcing, and some related
technologies, such as utility computing. However, the major shift has been from the exclusive

use of a whole resource, such as a server or entire datacentre, over an extended period of time,
such as several years, to consumption of a third-party operated service that may provide access to
only part of a shared resource possibly contracted for on a short-term basis, such as monthly.

[edit] First uses of the term

The first uses of the term cloud computing were in the late 1990s, and in:

November 1996 it was coined by NetCentric, and applied as a marketing term.[64]

May 1997 it was the subject of a trademark application (which was not approved).[64]

October 1997 it was discussed in an academic conference, and described as a new

paradigm where the boundaries of computing will be determined by economic rationale
rather than technical limits.[66][67][68]

November 1997, the first newspaper article on the subject was published.[64]

[edit] Widespread adoption

Whilst there were earlier services,[69] cloud computing started to gain widespread use from 2007.
[1]

Google Docs was launched in 2006, and it went mainstream in 2007.[63] Also in 2007, Amazon,
IBM and Microsoft started calling their Internet-based offerings cloud computing.[64]
Google Trends shows cloud computing taking off as a search term in 2007, and as a news item in
2008.[65][70]

[edit] Precursor technologies

There are many technologies that were in use before cloud computing, and that are either
essential for its implementation, or that have some of the same characteristics.[45]

[edit] Virtualisation
In IT, anything that is virtual does not exist as such, but is made to appear to exist through the
use of software.[71] Of course, this software runs on real computers that do actually exist, but the
use of virtualisation techniques can make a relatively small computer appear to have a very large
capacity, so that it can be shared by many concurrent users. It has been used since the 1960s,
when multi-user computers needed to provide a virtual memory to each user, so that they could
share a relatively small real memory. Full virtualization of complete servers has been in use since
the late 1960s.

Cloud computing uses virtualisation to implement independent virtual servers, with their own
storage and software.[38] For example, one of these, or even a network of them,[38] can be made
available to each of the many tenants of a public cloud, using a much smaller collection of real
servers, or possibly only one server. This sharing of one server, or a small number, among very
many virtual servers that each support their own tenants is one reason that cloud computing is
advantageous, because there are economies of scale. It also enables flexible scaling and agile
provisioning, since another virtual server can be made available instantly, because it can be done
automatically, without necessarily purchasing any more equipment.

[edit] Timesharing
Timesharing, which originated in the 1960s, and which became a prominent computing model in
the 1970s, involved sharing the resources of a mainframe computer among many concurrent
users.
In the 1960s and 1970s, companies began to operate service bureaus that provided timesharing
access for a fee.[1]

[edit] Client-server computing

The client-server model of computing, which originated in the 1970s, is a type of distributed
computing that separates out the:

Access points, called clients, which are used by only one person at a time, and which are
therefore not shared.

Central servers, which supply applications and data, and which are shared among several
clients that can access them at any one time.

All cloud-computing service-model examples are a development of client-server computing, and

cloud datacentres contain one or more servers that are accessed via separate cloud clients. This is
in contrast to P2P networks, in which all participating devices are both clients and servers, and
there are some examples of these that are also part of cloud computing.

[edit] Utility computing

One typical characteristic of cloud computing is consumption as a utility, with payment only for
what is used. This is similar to utility computing, which was available from the 1980s.
Originally, utility computing was not necessarily Internet accessible, and it may have involved
very centralised, on-premise resources. However, later it was combined with the client-server
model and then networks, and became more distributed. Later still, when combined with the
Internet, it evolved into cloud computing.
The computer pioneer John McCarthy predicted in 1961 that computing would one day be
delivered as a public utility.[58]

[edit] Cluster computing

Cluster computing, which originated in the 1960s, is the use of a network of servers that are coordinated to achieve a common goal. It includes grid computing,[1] which originated in the 1990s,
and server farms. For example, a large organisation may provide its email service using a server
farm consisting of several computers each of which deals with email addresses beginning with a
few letters of the alphabet, such as one for all addresses beginning with a, b or c, and
another for addresses beginning with d, e or f, and so on through the alphabet.
The use of multiple servers has advantages over an equivalently powerful single computer:

Fault tolerance: If there is an outage of one server, it may only lead to a partial
degradation of service for some users, as opposed to an outage of one much larger
computer, which could lead to a total degradation for all users.

Redundancy: Extra, standby servers can be included for failover in exceptional

circumstances.

Load balancing: Further servers can be added at any time to cope with increased
demand, without disturbing the other servers.

Cost: Purchasing many midrange computers can be more cost-effective than purchasing
one large mainframe.

For these reasons, cloud datacentres can contain a cluster of servers, and each one of these may
be able to support many virtual servers so as to allow for flexible scaling and easy provisioning.

[edit] Autonomic computing

Autonomic computing, which originated in 2001, is computing carried out by self-managed
systems that can autonomously and automatically react to changing circumstances. For example,
they can be self-repairing when there are outages, or they can be self-adjusting in reaction to
changing demand from users.
Autonomic computing techniques are used to implement cloud computing because it is
advantageous for resources to self-adjust in some circumstances. For example, cloud bursting is
an application of this type of computing.

[edit] Long-term trends

[edit] Computer access
Since the adoption of computers during the 1950s, users have become more-and-more physically
removed from their IT resources, and cloud computing is a further step in this trend.

Originally, users were required to visit a special room one at a time to use the computer, and one
motivation for changing this situation was to enable more people to have concurrent use of
computer resources.
This began with the advent of batch operating systems. With these systems, users would take
their data on punched cards to the computer room, where they would be fed into the computer by
a specialist computer operator, for a batch of different users all at the same time. The users would
not be able to access the computer directly themselves. This was followed by multi-user
operating systems, which were accessed via directly connected terminals not necessarily in the
computer room, and then networks, where access to the computer would be via intermediate
switching devices so that the users and the computers could be in separate places, including in
different buildings.
The Internet, short for inter-networks, developed out of these networks to enable users to be in
one place, and their IT resources to be in any other place in the world. Also, users could access
their resources from any location with Internet access, not just a computer terminal in their
office.

[edit] IT acquisition and management

There has been a long-term trend in IT acquisition and management away from outright purchase
and self hosting of IT equipment, and cloud computing is part of this trend.
A major step before cloud computing was outsourcing, and the use of vendor hosting or thirdparty hosting, rather than self hosting. Originally, the equipment would be on the user's premises,
but with networks, the hosting could be in a different location, and then with the Internet there
was even greater flexibility as to where resources could be hosted.

[edit] Resource sharing

Originally, any increase in the size of IT resources required the purchase, delivery and
installation of extra hardware, which could involve a long delay. Because of this delay, resources
were sometimes sized so as to cope with spikes, which meant purchasing a larger than normally
required system, and so, since spikes may not occur frequently, if at all, the resources were very
often under-utilised, and this was financially wasteful.[59]
For this reason, there has been a trend in IT away from a static, fixed size of infrastructure to
systems that can be shared and that can scale to cater for changing circumstances, such as extra
users, more flexibly. Cloud computing is a further step in this trend.
One of the first developments was the use of virtualisation, and the advantage of this technology
is the ability to provision new virtual servers easily, without purchasing new equipment. This
allows new users to share the resources. Other developments included:

Pooling all of a large organisations IT resources in a datacentre, rather than housing them
in different departments. This made resource sharing easier.

Utility computing, where users have access only to part of a shared resource, and where
the size of their share can be easily changed.

[edit] See also

Computing

Information Technology (IT)

Cloud computing

Mobile cloud computing

Cloud computing comparison

Cloud computing consulting

Cloud Computing Manifesto

Cloud computing security

Cloud collaboration

Cloud database

Cloud storage

Application Service Provider

Platform as a Service

Software as a Service

[edit] References
1.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Cloud computing". Reference.com. 9 March

2011. http://www.reference.com/browse/cloud+computing. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

2.

^ a b c d e "Cloud as an adjective". Dictionary.com.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cloud. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

3.

^ a b c "When Project Management is Face to Face with Cloud Computing".

allPM.com. 9 March 2011. http://www.allpm.com/index.php?
name=News&file=article&sid=2401. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

4.

^ a b c d e "Cloud computing". Oxford University Press.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cloud+computing. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

5.

^ a b c d e f g h i "Cloud Systems: Definition and Explanation". Cloud Computing

World. http://www.cloudcomputingworld.org/cloud-computing-platforms/cloud-systemsdefinition-and-explanation.html. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

6.

^ "Cloud computing". Dictionary.com.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cloud+computing. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

7.

^ a b c d Oltsik, John (June 2010). "Whats Needed for Cloud Computing?".

Enterprise Strategy Group, Inc..
http://viewer.media.bitpipe.com/1103725483_536/1280958977_896/ESG__What's_Needed_for_Cloud_Computing.pdf. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

8.

^ a b c d e f g h i "Cloud Computing Vocabulary". Google.

http://sites.google.com/site/cloudcomputingwiki/Home/cloud-computing-vocabulary/.
Retrieved 28 February 2012.

9.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Mell, Peter; Grance, Timothy (September 2011). "The

NIST Definition of Cloud Computing". National Institute of Standards and Technology,
U.S. Department of Commerce. http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800145/SP800-145.pdf. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

10.

^ a b "Cisco Cloud Computing - Data Center Strategy, Architecture, and

Solutions". Cisco Systems. 2009.
http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/gov/CiscoCloudComputing_WP.pdf. Retrieved
28 February 2012.

11.

^ a b c d "Cloud Computing Wiki". Google.

http://sites.google.com/site/cloudcomputingwiki/Home. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

12.

^ "An Industry Shift Toward Cloud Computing". Microsoft.

http://mictunis.micnetwork.org/Technology/CloudComputing.aspx. Retrieved 28
February 2012.

13.

^ a b c d "What is Cloud Computing?". Computer Sciences Corporation.

http://www.csc.com/au/ds/39454/40514-what_is_cloud_computing/. Retrieved 28
February 2012.

14.

^ a b c d e f Lynn, Samara (18 March 2010). "13 Terrific Cloud Services for Small
Business". PCMAG.com. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2361500,00.asp.
Retrieved 28 February 2012.

15.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Top 10 Cloud Applications for Freelancers and Small

Business". IT Freelancers and Contractors. http://www.touchstone-blog.com/2011/03/top10-alternative-cloud-applications-for-freelancers-and-small-business/. Retrieved 28
February 2012.

16.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k Widjaya, Ivan (29 December 2010). "Top 10 Cloud Applications

for Small Business". Noobpreneur business blog.
http://www.noobpreneur.com/2010/12/29/top-10-cloud-applications-for-small-business/.
Retrieved 28 February 2012.

17.

^ a b c "Cloud Database". Xeround.com. http://xeround.com/. Retrieved 28

February 2012.

18.

^ a b c d e Chappell, David (August 2008). "A Short Introduction to Cloud

Platforms". Chappell & Associates. http://www.davidchappell.com/CloudPlatforms-Chappell.pdf. Retrieved 28 February 2012.

19.

^ a b c d e f "Storage as a Service (SaaS)". TechTarget.

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/Storage-as-a-Service-SaaS/. Retrieved 28
February 2012.

20.

^ Bohn, Robert (21 June 2011). "NIST Cloud Compu

Android (operating system)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Android

Home screen displayed by Samsung Galaxy Nexus,

running Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich"
Google Inc, Open Handset
Company /
Alliance, Android Open Source
developer
Project
Programmed in C (core),[1] Java (UI), C++
Working state
Current
Source model
Open Source[2][3]
Initial release
20 September 2008
Latest stable
4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich)[4] / 31
release
January 2012; 44 days ago[5]
Package manager Google Play / APK
Supported
ARM, MIPS,[6] x86[7][8]

platforms
Kernel type

Monolithic (modified Linux

kernel)

Default user
interface

Graphical

License
Official website

Apache License 2.0

Linux kernel patches under GNU
GPL v2[9]
www.android.com

Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet
computers. It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google.[10][11]
Google purchased the initial developer of the software, Android Inc., in 2005.[12] The unveiling of
the Android distribution in 2007 was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance,
a consortium of 86 hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing
open standards for mobile devices.[13][14][15][16] Google releases the Android code as open-source,
under the Apache License.[17] The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is tasked with the
maintenance and further development of Android.[18]
Android has a large community of developers writing applications ("apps") that extend the
functionality of the devices. Developers write primarily in a customized version of Java.[19] Apps
can be downloaded from third-party sites or through online stores such as Google Play (formerly
Android Market), the app store run by Google. As of February 2012 there were more than
450,000 apps available for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from
the Android Market as of December 2011 exceeded 10 billion.[20][21]
Android was listed as the best-selling smartphone platform worldwide in Q4 2010 by Canalys[22]
[23]
with over 300 million Android devices in use by February 2012.[24] According to Google's
Andy Rubin, as of February 2012 there are over 850,000 Android devices activated every day.[25]

Contents
[hide]

1 History
o 1.1 Foundation
o 1.2 Acquisition by Google
o 1.3 Open Handset Alliance

o 1.4 Android Open Source Project

o 1.5 Version history

2 Design
o 2.1 Linux
o 2.2 Features

3 Uses

4 Applications
o 4.1 Google Play (Android Market)
o 4.2 Security
o 4.3 Privacy

5 Marketing
o 5.1 Market share
o 5.2 Usage share
o 5.3 Retail stores

6 Intellectual property
o 6.1 Trademarks
o 6.2 Licensing
o 6.3 Patents

7 See also

8 References

9 External links

History
Foundation
Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October, 2003 by Andy
Rubin (co-founder of Danger),[26] Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.),[27]
Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile),[28] and Chris White (headed design and interface development
at WebTV)[29] to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its
owner's location and preferences".[29] Despite the obvious past accomplishments of the founders
and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing only that it was working on
software for mobile phones.[29] That same year, Rubin ran out of money. Steve Perlman, a close
friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in cash in an envelope and refused a stake in the company.
[30]

Acquisition by Google
Google acquired Android Inc. on August 17, 2005, making Android Inc. a wholly owned
subsidiary of Google Inc. Key employees of Android Inc., including Andy Rubin, Rich Miner
and Chris White, stayed at the company after the acquisition.[12] Not much was known about
Android Inc. at the time of the acquisition, but many assumed that Google was planning to enter
the mobile phone market with this move.[31][32][33]
Speculation about Google's intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to
build through December 2006.[34] Reports from the BBC and The Wall Street Journal noted that
Google wanted its search and applications on mobile phones and it was working hard to deliver
that. Print and online media outlets soon reported rumors that Google was developing a Googlebranded handset. Some speculated that as Google was defining technical specifications, it was
showing prototypes to cell phone manufacturers and network operators.
In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had
filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.[35][36]

Open Handset Alliance

Main article: Open Handset Alliance
On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of several companies which
include Broadcom Corporation, Google, HTC, Intel, LG, Marvell Technology Group, Motorola,
Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Texas Instruments
unveiled itself. The goal of the Open Handset Alliance is to develop open standards for mobile
devices.[15] On the same day, the Open Handset Alliance also unveiled their first product,
Android, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6.[15]

On December 9, 2008, 14 new members joined, including ARM Holdings, Atheros

Communications, Asustek Computer Inc, Garmin Ltd, Huawei Technologies, PacketVideo,
Softbank, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba Corp, and Vodafone Group Plc.[37][38]

Android Open Source Project

The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is led by Google, and is tasked with the maintenance
and development of Android.[39] According to the project "The goal of the Android Open Source
Project is to create a successful real-world product that improves the mobile experience for end
users."[40] AOSP also maintains the Android Compatibility Program, defining an "Android
compatible" device "as one that can run any application written by third-party developers using
the Android SDK and NDK", to prevent incompatible Android implementations.[40] The
compatibility program is also optional and free of charge, with the Compatibility Test Suite also
free and open-source.[41]

Version history
Main article: Android version history
Android has seen a number of updates since its original release, each fixing bugs and adding new
features. Each version is named, in alphabetical order, after a dessert.[42]
Recent releases

2.3 Gingerbread refined the user interface, improved the soft keyboard and copy/paste
features, improved gaming performance, added SIP support (VoIP calls), and added
support for Near Field Communication.[43]

3.0 Honeycomb was a tablet-oriented[44][45][46] release which supports larger screen

devices and introduces many new user interface features, support for multi-core
processors, hardware acceleration for graphics[46] and full system encryption.[47][48] The
first device featuring this version, the Motorola Xoom tablet, went on sale in February
2011.[49][50]

3.1 Honeycomb, released in May 2011, added support for extra input devices,
USB host mode for transferring information directly from cameras and other
devices, and the Google Movies and Books apps.[51]

3.2 Honeycomb, released in July 2011, added optimization for a broader range of
screen sizes, new "zoom-to-fill" screen compatibility mode, loading media files
directly from SD card, and an extended screen support API.[52] Huawei MediaPad
is the first 7 inch tablet to use this version[53]

4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, announced on October 19, 2011, brought Honeycomb features
to smartphones and added new features including facial recognition unlock, network data

usage monitoring and control, unified social networking contacts, photography

enhancements, offline email searching, app folders, and information sharing using NFC.
Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich is the latest Android version that is available to
phones. The source code of Android 4.0.1 was released on November 14, 2011.[54]

Design

Architecture diagram
Android consists of a kernel based on the Linux kernel, with middleware, libraries and APIs
written in C and application software running on an application framework which includes Javacompatible libraries based on Apache Harmony. Android uses the Dalvik virtual machine with
just-in-time compilation to run Dalvik dex-code (Dalvik Executable), which is usually translated
from Java bytecode.[55]
The main hardware platform for Android is the ARM architecture. There is support for x86 from
the Android x86 project,[56] and Google TV uses a special x86 version of Android.

Linux
Android's kernel is based on the Linux kernel and has further architecture changes by Google
outside the typical Linux kernel development cycle.[57] Android does not have a native X Window
System nor does it support the full set of standard GNU libraries, and this makes it difficult to
port existing Linux applications or libraries to Android.[58]
Certain features that Google contributed back to the Linux kernel, notably a power management
feature called wakelocks, were rejected by mainline kernel developers, partly because kernel
maintainers felt that Google did not show any intent to maintain their own code.[59][60][61] Even
though Google announced in April 2010 that they would hire two employees to work with the
Linux kernel community,[62] Greg Kroah-Hartman, the current Linux kernel maintainer for the
-stable branch, said in December 2010 that he was concerned that Google was no longer trying to
get their code changes included in mainstream Linux.[60] Some Google Android developers hinted
that "the Android team was getting fed up with the process", because they were a small team and
had more urgent work to do on Android.[63]

However, in September 2010, Linux kernel developer Rafael J. Wysocki added a patch that
improved the mainline Linux wakeup events framework. He said that Android device drivers that
use wakelocks can now be easily merged into mainline Linux, but that Android's opportunistic
suspend features should not be included in the mainline kernel.[64][65] In 2011 Linus Torvalds said
that "eventually Android and Linux would come back to a common kernel, but it will probably
not be for four to five years".[66]
In December 2011, Greg Kroah-Hartman announced the start of the Android Mainlining Project,
which aims to put some Android drivers, patches and features back into the Linux kernel, starting
in Linux 3.3.[67] further integration being expected for Linux Kernel 3.4.[68]

Features

The Android Emulator default home screen (v1.5)

Current features and specifications:[69][70][71]
Handset layouts
The platform is adaptable to larger, VGA, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics library based
on OpenGL ES 2.0 specifications, and traditional smartphone layouts.
Storage
SQLite, a lightweight relational database, is used for data storage purposes.
Connectivity
Android supports connectivity technologies including GSM/EDGE, IDEN, CDMA, EVDO, UMTS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, NFC and WiMAX.
Messaging
SMS and MMS are available forms of messaging, including threaded text messaging and
now Android Cloud To Device Messaging (C2DM) is also a part of Android Push
Messaging service.
Multiple language support

Android supports multiple languages.[43]

Web browser
The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit layout engine,
coupled with Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. The browser scores 100/100 on the Acid3
test on Android 4.0.
Java support
While most Android applications are written in Java, there is no Java Virtual Machine in
the platform and Java byte code is not executed. Java classes are compiled into Dalvik
executables and run on Dalvik, a specialized virtual machine designed specifically for
Android and optimized for battery-powered mobile devices with limited memory and
CPU. J2ME support can be provided via third-party applications.
Media support
Android supports the following audio/video/still media formats: WebM, H.263, H.264 (in
3GP or MP4 container), MPEG-4 SP, AMR, AMR-WB (in 3GP container), AAC, HEAAC (in MP4 or 3GP container), MP3, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WAV, JPEG, PNG,
GIF, BMP.[71]
Streaming media support
RTP/RTSP streaming (3GPP PSS, ISMA), HTML progressive download (HTML5
<video> tag). Adobe Flash Streaming (RTMP) and HTTP Dynamic Streaming are
supported by the Flash plugin.[72] Apple HTTP Live Streaming is supported by RealPlayer
for Android,[73] and by the operating system in Android 3.0 (Honeycomb).[46]
Additional hardware support
Android can use video/still cameras, touchscreens, GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes,
barometers, magnetometers, dedicated gaming controls, proximity and pressure sensors,
thermometers, accelerated 2D bit blits (with hardware orientation, scaling, pixel format
conversion) and accelerated 3D graphics.
Multi-touch
Android has native support for multi-touch which was initially made available in
handsets such as the HTC Hero. The feature was originally disabled at the kernel level
(possibly to avoid infringing Apple's patents on touch-screen technology at the time).[74]
Google has since released an update for the Nexus One and the Motorola Droid which
enables multi-touch natively.[75]
Bluetooth
Supports A2DP, AVRCP, sending files (OPP), accessing the phone book (PBAP), voice
dialing and sending contacts between phones. Keyboard, mouse and joystick (HID)
support is available in Android 3.1+, and in earlier versions through manufacturer
customizations and third-party applications.[76]
Video calling
Android does not support native video calling, but some handsets have a customized
version of the operating system that supports it, either via the UMTS network (like the
Samsung Galaxy S) or over IP. Video calling through Google Talk is available in Android
2.3.4 and later. Gingerbread allows Nexus S to place Internet calls with a SIP account.
This allows for enhanced VoIP dialing to other SIP accounts and even phone numbers.
Skype 2.1 offers video calling in Android 2.3, including front camera support.
Multitasking
Multitasking of applications is available.[77]

Voice based features

Google search through voice has been available since initial release.[78] Voice actions for
calling, texting, navigation, etc. are supported on Android 2.2 onwards.[79]
Tethering
Android supports tethering, which allows a phone to be used as a wireless/wired Wi-Fi
hotspot. Before Android 2.2 this was supported by third-party applications or
manufacturer customizations.[80]
Screen capture
Android supports capturing a screenshot by pressing the power and volume-down buttons
at the same time.[81] Prior to Android 4.0, the only methods of capturing a screenshot were
through manufacturer and third-party customizations or otherwise by using a PC
connection (DDMS developer's tool). These alternative methods are still available with
the latest Android.
External storage
Most Android devices include microSD slot and can read microSD cards formatted with
FAT32, Ext3fs or Ext4fs file system. To allow use of high-capacity storage media such as
USB flash drives and USB HDDs, many Android tablets also include USB 'A' receptacle.
Storage formatted with FAT32 is handled by Linux Kernel VFAT driver, while 3rd party
solutions are required to handle other popular file systems such as NTFS, HFS Plus and
exFAT.

Uses
See also: Comparison of Android devices

Galaxy Nexus, the latest "Google phone"

Google TV Home Screen

While Android is designed primarily for smartphones and tablets, the open and customizable
nature of the operating system allows it to be used on other electronics, including laptops and
netbooks, smartbooks,[82][83] and ebook readers.[84] Further, Google intends to bring Android to
televisions with Google TV, and the OS has seen applications on wristwatches,[85] headphones,[86]
car CD and DVD players,[87] smart glasses, refrigerators, vehicle satnav systems, home
automation systems, cameras, games consoles, mirrors,[88] digital cameras,[89] portable media
players[90] and landlines.[91]
The first commercially available phone to run Android was the HTC Dream, released on 22
October 2008.[92] In early 2010 Google collaborated with HTC to launch its flagship[93] Android
device, the Nexus One. This was followed later in 2010 with the Samsung-made Nexus S and in
2011 with the Galaxy Nexus.
iOS and Android 2.3.3 'Gingerbread' may be set up to dual boot on a jailbroken iPhone or iPod
Touch with the help of OpeniBoot and iDroid.[94][95]
In December 2011 it was announced the Pentagon has officially approved Android for use by its
personnel.[96][97][98]

Applications
See also: Android software development and List of open source Android applications
Applications are usually developed in the Java language using the Android Software
Development Kit, but other development tools are available, including a Native Development Kit
for applications or extensions in C or C++, Google App Inventor, a visual environment for
novice programmers and various cross platform mobile web applications frameworks.

Google Play (Android Market)

The Play Store on the Galaxy Nexus

Main article: Google Play
Google Play, formerly Android Market, is the online software store developed by Google for
Android devices. An application program ("app") called "Market" is preinstalled on most
Android devices and allows users to browse and download apps published by third-party
developers, hosted on Android Market. As of October 2011 there were more than 300,000 apps
available for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from the Android
Market as of December 2011 exceeded 10 billion.[20][21] The operating system itself is installed on
130 million total devices.[99]
Only devices that comply with Google's compatibility requirements are allowed to preinstall
Google's closed-source Play Store app and access the Market.[100] The Market filters the list of
applications presented by the Market app to those that are compatible with the user's device, and
developers may restrict their applications to particular carriers or countries for business reasons.
[101]

Google has participated in the Play Store by offering several applications themselves, including
Google Voice (for the Google Voice service), Sky Map (for watching stars), Finance (for their
finance service), Maps Editor (for their MyMaps service), Places Directory (for their Local
Search), Google Goggles that searches by image, Gesture Search (for using finger-written letters
and numbers to search the contents of the phone), Google Translate, Google Shopper, Listen for
podcasts and My Tracks, a jogging application. In August 2010, Google launched "Voice Actions
for Android",[102] which allows users to search, write messages, and initiate calls by voice.
Alternatively, users can install apps directly onto the device if they have the application's APK
file or from third party app stores such as the Amazon Appstore.[103]

Security

An example of app permissions in Android Market.

Android applications run in a sandbox, an isolated area of the operating system that does not
have access to the rest of the system's resources, unless access permissions are granted by the
user when the application is installed. Before installing an application, Play Store displays all
required permissions. A game may need to enable vibration, for example, but should not need to
read messages or access the phonebook. After reviewing these permissions, the user can decide
whether to install the application.[104]
Android has been criticized for providing an ineffective and too coarse grained permission
system.[105][106] In Android Permissions Demystified, Felt, Chin, Hanna, Song, and Wagner
observe "... an install-time permission system is ineffective if developers routinely request more
permissions than they require. Overprivileged applications expose users to unnecessary
permission warnings and increase the impact of a bug or vulnerability." The authors then go on
to survey overprivileged applications, including a Google authored reference implementations,
using their Stowaway tool.[105] In Dr. Android and Mr. Hide: Fine-grained security policies on
unmodified Android, Jeon, Micinski, Vaughan, et al. comment on the coarse grained permissions,
stating "[the] deviation from least privilege increases the threat from vulnerabilities and malware.
To address this issue, we present a novel system that can replace existing platform permissions
with finer-grained ones."[106]
Several security firms have released antivirus software for Android devices, in particular, AVG
Technologies,[107] Avast!,[108] F-Secure,[109] Kaspersky,[110] McAfee[111] and Symantec.[112]

Privacy
Android smartphones have the ability to report the location of Wi-Fi access points, encountered
as phone users move around, to build databases containing the physical locations of hundreds of

millions of such access points. These databases form electronic maps to locate smartphones,
allowing them to run apps like Foursquare, Latitude, Places, and to deliver location-based ads.[113]
Third party monitoring software such as TaintDroid,[114] an academic research-funded project,
can, in some cases, detect when personal information is being sent from applications to remote
servers.[115]
In March 2012 it was revealed that Android Apps can copy photos without explicit user
permission,[116] Google responded they "originally designed the Android photos file system
similar to those of other computing platforms like Windows and Mac OS. [...] we're taking
another look at this and considering adding a permission for apps to access images. We've always
had policies in place to remove any apps on Android Market that improperly access your
data."[117]

Marketing
The Android logo was designed along with the Droid font family made by Ascender
Corporation.[118]
Android Green is the color of the Android Robot that represents the Android operating system.
The print color is PMS 376C and the RGB color value in hexadecimal is #A4C639, as specified
by the Android Brand Guidelines.[119] The custom typeface of Android is called Norad (cf.
NORAD). It is only used in the text logo.[119]

Market share
Research company Canalys estimated in Q2 2009 that Android had a 2.8% share of worldwide
smartphone shipments.[120] By Q4 2010 this had grown to 33% of the market, becoming the topselling smartphone platform. This estimate includes the Tapas and OMS variants of Android.[22]
By Q3 2011 Gartner estimates more than half (52.5%) of the smartphone market belongs to
Android.[121]
In February 2010 ComScore said the Android platform had 9.0% of the U.S. smartphone market,
as measured by current mobile subscribers. This figure was up from an earlier estimate of 5.2%
in November 2009.[122] By the end of Q3 2010 Android's U.S. market share had grown to 21.4%.
[123]

In May 2010, Android's first quarter U.S. sales surpassed that of the rival iPhone platform.
According to a report by the NPD group, Android achieved 25% smartphone sales in the US
market, up 8% from the December quarter. In the second quarter, Apple's iOS was up by 11%,
indicating that Android is taking market share mainly from RIM, and still has to compete with
heavy consumer demand for new competitor offerings.[124] Furthermore, analysts pointed to
advantages that Android has as a multi-channel, multi-carrier OS.[125] In Q4 2010 Android had
59% of the total installed user base of Apple's iOS in the U.S. and 46% of the total installed user
base of iOS in Europe.[126][127]

As of June 2011, Google said that 550,000 new Android devices were being activated every
day[128] up from 400,000 per day a month earlier and more than 100 million devices had
been activated.[129] Android hit 300,000 activations per day back in December 2010. By July 14,
2011, 550,000 Android devices were being activated by Google each day, with 4.4% growth per
week.[130] On 1 August 2011, Canalys estimated that Android had about 48% of the smartphone
market share.[131] On October 13, 2011, Google announced that there were 190 million Android
devices in the market.[132] As of November 16, 2011, during the Google Music announcement
"These Go to Eleven", 200 million Android devices had been activated.[133] Based on this number,
with 1.9% of Android devices being tablets, approximately 3.8 million Android Honeycomb
Tablets have been sold.[134] On December 20, 2011. Andy Rubin announced that Google was
activating 700,000 new Android devices daily. Two months later, on February 27, 2012, Andy
Rubin announced that Google was activating over 850,000 Android smartphones and tablets
daily.[25]

Usage share

Usage share of the different versions, by February 1, 2012

Usage share of the different versions, by February 1, 2012.[135]
Version
Distribution
4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich
3.x.x Honeycomb
2.3.x Gingerbread
2.2 Froyo
2.0, 2.1 Eclair
1.6 Donut
1.5 Cupcake

API level
14-15
11-13
9-10
8
7
4
3

1.0%
3.4%
58.6%
27.8%
7.6%
1.0%
0.6%

There were two more internal releases, called "Astro" and "Bender". The code names are in
alphabetical order, and were allegedly changed from robots to desserts to avoid trademark issues.
[136]

Retail stores

Main article: Androidland

The carrier Telstra opened the world's first Android store, Androidland, on Bourke Street,
Melbourne in December 2011.[137]

Intellectual property
Trademarks
In order to use the Android trademark, device manufacturers must ensure that the device
complies with the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) and then get permission from
Google. Devices must also meet this definition to be eligible to license Google's closed-source
applications, including the Play Store app.[138] Participation in the compatibility program is free
of charge.[41]
In September 2010, Skyhook Wireless filed a lawsuit against Google in which they alleged that
Google had used the compatibility document to block Skyhook's mobile positioning service
(XPS) from Motorola's Android mobile devices.[139] In December 2010 a judge denied Skyhook's
motion for preliminary injunction, saying that Google had not closed off the possibility of
accepting a revised version of Skyhook's XPS service, and that Motorola had terminated their
contract with Skyhook because Skyhook wanted to disable Google's location data collection
functions on Motorola's devices, which would have violated Motorola's obligations to Google
and its carriers.[140]

Licensing
The source code for Android is available under free and open source software licenses. Google
publishes most of the code (including network and telephony stacks)[141] under the Apache
License version 2.0,[142][143][144] and the rest, Linux kernel changes, under the GNU General Public
License version 2.
The Open Handset Alliance develops the changes to the Linux kernel, in public, with source
code publicly available at all times. The rest of Android is developed in private, with source code
released publicly when a new version is released. Typically Google collaborates with a hardware
manufacturer to produce a flagship device (part of the Google Nexus series) featuring the new
version of Android, then makes the source code available after that device has been released.[145]
In early 2011, Google chose to temporarily withhold the Android source code to the tablet-only
Honeycomb release, the reason, according to Andy Rubin in an official Android blog post, was
because Honeycomb was rushed for production of the Motorola Xoom,[146] and they did not want
third parties creating a "really bad user experience" by attempting to put onto smartphones a
version of Android intended for tablets.[147] The source code was once again made available in
November 2011 with the release of Android 4.0.[148]

Patents

See also: Oracle Corporation#Lawsuit against Google

Both Android and Android phone manufacturers have been the target of numerous patent
lawsuits. On 12 August 2010, Oracle sued Google over claimed infringement of copyrights and
patents related to the Java programming language.[149] Specifically, the patent infringement claim
references seven United States patents including US 5966702 "Method and apparatus for preprocessing and packaging class files", and US 6910205 "Interpreting functions utilizing a hybrid
of virtual and native machine instructions".[150]
In response, Google submitted multiple lines of defense, counterclaiming that Android did not
infringe on Oracle's patents or copyright, that Oracle's patents were invalid, and several other
defenses. They said that Android is based on Apache Harmony, a clean room implementation of
the Java class libraries, and an independently developed virtual machine called Dalvik.[151][152][153]
Microsoft has also sued several manufacturers of Android devices for patent infringement, and
collects patent licensing fees from others. In October 2011 Microsoft said they had signed license
agreements with ten Android device manufacturers, accounting for 55% of worldwide revenue
for Android devices.[154] These include Samsung and HTC.[155]
Google has publicly expressed its dislike for the current patent landscape in the United States,
accusing Apple, Oracle and Microsoft of trying to take down Android through patent litigation,
rather than innovating and competing with better products and services.[156] In August 2011,
Google started the process of purchasing Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion, which was
viewed in part as a defensive measure to protect Android, since Motorola Mobility holds more
than 17,000 patents.[157] In December 2011 Google acquired in the region of a thousand patents
from IBM,[158] which may aid in defense against Oracle.[159]

See also