Introduction

Cloud computing refers to the use and access of multiple server-based computational resources via a digital network (WAN, Internet connection using the World Wide Web, etc.). The internet or online connectivity started out as a simple information exchange. Almost anything that users want to learn is possible because of the internet. They just go online, make a few searches and a minute or two, they will have the information they need. Personal communication became a lot easier as email was developed into one of the greatest innovations of the century Instead of sending a snail mail which could take weeks, a single email could be read in a matter of seconds. Even with a simple connection, exchange of information could be done chat and updates on new data can also be done through the internet. Although the same things could be done without internet, the experience that come from internet has become so much more. Through improvement of communications infrastructure, the internet was able to move away from the regular phone line and has a dedicated connection. Dial-up connection is almost a thing of the past as more household adapt to dedicated lines with increasing internet connection. Wireless connectivity with almost the same speed is not possible. You do not need to drag a cable around, you just have a decent internet connection. Because of the increasing capability of the internet, developers have looked beyond information sharing. Certain functions in desktop could now be done online. Office documents could be uploaded and extracted or even worked on at the same time online. Data processing is not limited anymore to your desktop as the increasing capacity of online connectivity has made it possible to emulate or even surpass local data processing.

Cloud Computing is Born

In gist, cloud computing is all about implementing process online instead in your local gadget. Data and processes could be done online without the need of any local software or client. As long as the user knows the process and have the right security credentials, he could access the system and make the necessary changes.

Cloud Computing Advantages There are many advantages a company would have if they would consider cloud computing as part of their business plan. Among them is ease of operations. Every employee will be able to have access to the system wherever they are. A traveling salesman could easily update their database so that the company will be informed immediately about their performance. Another advantage is the ease of troubleshooting. A specific software installed in the local gadget would need to have a repair from the companys tech group. But when the company uses cloud computing, any bugs, user problems or error in function could be immediately looked into by its developers. There is no need for every user to wait for their turn to have their application fixed. There is also the monetary consideration in cloud computing. There will be eventual savings the company would experience through cloud computing. Instead of tedious work with local connections and additional infrastructure, a company would just consider a cloud computing vendor which will ensure uptime of the processes. Disadvantages of Cloud Computing On the other hand, there are disadvantages the company would have when they opt to use cloud computing. The biggest of them all is security. Since cloud computing uses the power of online connectivity to handle processing requests, the data could be available for everyone and could be used for malicious purposes. There is also the challenge of the end-user connectivity. Cloud computing will only be possible if there is a strong internet connection. Cloud computing might not work in areas where internet connection is weak. Although there are applications that might be work with simple dial-up connectivity, the application could easily go down especially when there is too many data to be processed. Infrastructure is also a challenge for cloud computing. A company who opts to have their own server would have to ensure the infrastructure will be able to deal with consistent and massive data and processing requests. But even with these challenges, cloud computing is seen as one of the futures of the internet. It is changing the way businesses complete their transactions and it will certainly make some changes the way people look at the internet.

Cloud Computing Architecture

The success of cloud computing is largely based on the effective implementation of its architecture. In cloud computing, architecture is not just based on how the application will work with the intended users. Cloud computing requires an intricate interaction with the hardware which is very essential to ensure uptime of the application. These two components (hardware and application) have to work together seamlessly or else cloud computing will not be possible. If the application fails, the hardware will not be able to push the data and implement certain processes. On the other hand, hardware failure will mean stoppage of operations. For that reason, precaution has to be done so that these components will be working as expected and necessary fixes has to be implemented immediately for prevention as well as quick resolution.

Data Centers
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of cloud computing architecture is its close dependency on the hardware components. An online application is just a simple application that could be launched in different servers but when the application is considered with cloud computing, it will require massive data centers that will ensure the processes are done as expected and timely. Data centers for cloud computing architecture are not your run-of-the-mill data processing centers. Its composed of different servers with optimal storage capacity and processing speed. They work together to ensure that the application will be operating as expected. The area is usually in a highly controlled environment where it would be constantly monitored through various applications and manually checked for actual physical problems. The data center could be considered as the backbone of cloud computing architecture. The destruction of it could easily mean millions of dollars in additional spending for companies. For that reason, data centers of large companies are often kept secret to avoid infiltration either by hacking or actual physical damage.

Applications in Cloud Computing Architecture

Enabling the capacity of the data centers is the software that does the processing. With the help of the data centers, the processing time will be fast as the speed of transaction will be suggested by the hardware capabilities of the data center. The application in cloud computing will call on the assistance of the hardware not only in processing but also in data gathering. Although it would be possible that data will come from another source, data centers will usually house the data in their server farms for faster access and easier processing. The challenge for applications in cloud computing is largely based on the number of requests the application could handle. Although this factor could be highly suggested by the data center, the application will usually have a threshold if they are not properly written. To deal with this concern, developers use metadata to enable personalized services to their users as well as data processing. Through metadata, individualized requests will be entertained and will be properly implemented. Metadata also ensures uptime of transaction as data requests will be slowed down if the developer chooses to do so.

Cloud Computing Basic Components

Successful implementation of cloud computing requires proper implementation of certain components. Without any of these components, cloud computing will not be possible. These components cant be easily implemented by one person alone. Cloud Computing will require persons with different expertise, experiences and backgrounds. As it will require more people in the industry, its no wonder why cloud computing is a very expensive venture. But even with the expenses that the company would often have to spend, the advantages provided by cloud computing is far more than the initial spending.

Some would resort to a cloud computing vendor because of the lack of resources while others have the resources to build their cloud computing applications, platforms and hardware. But either way, components have to be implemented with the expectation of optimal performance. The Client The End User Everything ends with the client. The hardware components, the application and everything else developed for cloud computing will be used in the client. Without the client, nothing will be possible. The client could come in two forms: the hardware component or the combination of software and hardware components. Although its a common conception that cloud computing solely relies on the cloud (internet), there are certain systems that requires pre-installed applications to ensure smooth transition. The hardware on the other hand will be the platform where everything has to be launched. Optimization is based on two fronts: the local hardware capacity and the software security. Through optimized hardware with security, the application will launch seamlessly.

The Service the Functions in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing always has a purpose. One of the main reasons cloud computing become popular is due to the adoption of businesses as the easier way to implement business processes. Cloud computing is all about processes and the services launched through cloud computing always has to deal with processes with an expected output. The optimization on services is based on two things: the proper development of the application and the end user. Sometimes, the service could be used by the user wherein their experience is greatly affected by their gadget.

The Application Backbone of Service

The service is often though as the application. Although its partly correct given the fact that it provides the functions, the application is entirely different because it is through the application that the service is realized. This is where software developers have to focus in terms of ensuring the application will work as expected. Optimization of the application is based the actual coding of developers. Through extensive testing on load handling, security and functionality, the application could work as expected.

The Platform Soft Infrastructure for the Application

In regular websites or applications that dont deal with cloud computing, the application is directly connected to the server. In cloud computing, the application is still launched to another application called the platform. The platform usually comes as the programming language such as Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) or Ruby on Rails. At this point, those who opted to seek cloud computing providers will have to follow the set programming languages that could be run in the platform. Although most programming languages could be launched in different platform, a powerful application with real time updating capability is a must for cloud computing.

The Storage The Warehouse of Cloud Computing

Everything that the application knows and the functions that could be provided by service are possible through storage. The storage holds pertinent data and information on function on how they will be implemented. Optimization on storage is based on how the storage facility protected from different attacks and availability of back-up. Could computing is always about consistency and availability of service which will naturally require the storage to be available all the time.

The Infrastructure The Backbone of Cloud Computing Every function, service and the ability of storage to provide the needed data is only possible through optimized infrastructure. This could be considered as the platform behind the storage as the infrastructure helps the storage deal with load problems. The infrastructure is a platform wherein it weights the ability of the storage against the number of requests. The infrastructure has the ability to make some changes by load balancing and even management. These are the components for cloud computing. Each of these components have to be optimized for a secured and well functioning application for cloud computing.

Cloud Computing and Web 2.0

Cloud computing has been the byword for different businesses today. This is a type of process that relies o the internet or online connectivity for different data processing instead of using the local gadget. The internet has come a long way of providing different types of services to users. Years ago, the internet is just used merely for information gathering and email. Today, the internet could become a host of different types of applications which will not require any local installation in the users end. Cloud computing promises portability as users would just have to need a strong internet connection to ensure the process is done. Cloud computing could even emulate the desktop experience. Cloud computing is usually focused on the enterprise. As businesses today require more collaboration in real time without any geographical consideration, cloud computing became a viable option as this will provide real time interaction in business process. It offers the portability to different users without having to constantly require the local gadget for certain installations.

Considering Web 2.0

The term Web 2.0 on the other hand, have been used for many years long before cloud computing became popular in the software development industry. But instead of defining Web 2.0 about the components it requires, Web 2.0 is more about the interaction the user will receive. In Web 2.0, the focus of different online applications is the user wherein they are given the freedom to connect and make some changes on their online environment. Web 2.0 is more about the interaction between users. Classic examples of Web 2.0 are the different online social networking websites. Users of these websites will be able to connect to one another while trying to make some changes in their online environment depending on their preferences. Although Web 2.0 will still require hardware support, its focus is more on the actual interaction of the online application with the user. The application seen in different Web 2.0 websites are always geared towards the users need to do something about their experience online.

Confusion on Cloud Computing and Web 2.0

Based on the previous definitions on cloud computing and Web 2.0, its no wonder that confusion over the right term exists. An application could be called an application for Web 2.0 but could never be called an application fit for cloud computing. On the other hand, an application could be regarded as an application with cloud computing and a Web 2.0 application at the same time. The reason application could become an application for cloud computing and Web 2.0 is in its purpose and building philosophy. Cloud computing is built with the intention of developing an online application that could be supported anytime, anywhere with enough security for its users. The application built with cloud computing could be almost anything including Web 2.0 websites. There is also an idea that cloud computing is the next step for Web 2.0. This idea could be right. After all, Web 2.0 is just based on the actual experience of the user online while cloud computing takes it a bit further by making everything including the user experience, online. But that doesnt mean that the term Web 2.0 will be gone in a few years time. The term still designates the actual user experience and the term might forever stay. Common Problem: Security But even though with the confusion on terms and how the application will be tagged eventually, the problem the applications from cloud computing and Web 2.0 is the same: security. The challenge for Web 2.0 in terms of security is from the fact that the online application is not only based on what the user would experience but others as well. Anyone could easily interact with one another with or without any permission. Because of the Web 2.0s openness to everyone, anyone could initiate an attack to the user or even the application itself. The security problem in cloud computing is based on the fact that the application will not be launched in a local network but online. That means they are open to anyone who have an idea about the application. Without security measures, cloud computing application is a sitting duck for hackers. Cloud computing or Web 2.0, developers have to make sure that they build a secured website for their users.

Cloud Computing Behavior

The behavior of cloud computing is highly dynamic wherein the only way the process would be possible is through proper interaction of the application and hardware. If one of the components in cloud computing will not work or at least will execute below par, cloud computing will never work. Developers and business managers have to make sure everything is according to plan which will never falter in any occasion. Certain support measures have to be implemented to prevent any form of downtime. Infrastructure and extensive monitoring is usually a requirement to properly implement cloud computing and stay true to its behavior.

From Desktop to Browser

One of the best characteristics of cloud computing is its ability to remove the need of desktop or local applications. Everything could be extracted online and everything could be performed in a secured browser. Major browsers have the capability to handle different types of cloud computing and they will work seamlessly as long as the supporting factors could properly execute. Obviously, cloud computing is all about doing everything online. This means cloud computing will require different factors should be working together. Aside from these factors, they should be working consistently to ensure continuous business operation.

Ability to be Dynamic
Getting the application, data and proper process in the cloud is not just getting the data available in the server and could be extracted by request. The processing power of data center and application should have dynamism that should be observed at all times. Dynamism in cloud computing is the ability to redistribute the processing power of the cloud at will. If there are few users who tries to use the cloud, the resources of the cloud should be distributed on those number of users. At the same time, cloud computing should be redistributed when the number of users will increase.

Distribution of Resources
Aside from the ability to adapt to the number of users and data requests, cloud computing should have the ability to work with different form of resources. Most well known service providers do not rely their operations in one service center alone. They would usually come with two or more server farms infrastructure with multiple and massive servers. These are not done just to store large amount of data, multiple server farms in different areas are redistributed in locations so that they could provide ample support to other data centers. If one server farm will go down, other server farms will take over the load temporarily.

Operations as Abstraction
Cloud computing is never a simple concept. Each application that will run in the server and would eventually become online will require different set-up. This is essential in abstraction which will enable the application to be highly dynamic as well as adaptable. Abstraction should be observed as behavior in cloud computing as this will provide the needed operations for cloud computing. Through abstraction, the application should be adaptable enough to different scenarios. This is useful especially for businesses that requests adaptable processes.

Platform Development
The only way the application in cloud computing should be launched is through a platform. By using a platform such as browser, the local gadget will only require minimal application to be launched. One classic example is the browser wherein online applications could be easily launched. This is very challenging for developers since launching the application online will require greater adaptability. Browser incompatibility is still one of the biggest challenges a developer must face. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari and other major browsers have different implementation to different functions. This means developers might not have the ability to implement certain application in a specific browser.

Physical Requirements
Getting everything done online requires powerful hardware capabilities. As already indicated, the online application in cloud computing requires different type of data center. Everything will be for nothing if the application will not have powerful support.

The physical requirement is actually the most challenging part in cloud computing. The physical requirement will need considerable amount of spending just to make sure everything will work seamlessly. Once everything has been set-up, additional support for software as well as hardware components should be there. The security of these components is always a requirement for disaster prevention and optimum performance. Cloud Computing Platforms Implementing cloud computing through a platform is one of the most popular options for businesses today in online transactions. Largely different from software based cloud computing, platforms are basically programming languages or applications that could be customized based on the need of the enterprise. Because the platforms are geared towards different functionalities needed by the enterprise, they are dubbed as platform as a service or PaaS. Before going further, it is important to differentiate PaaS to SaaS (Software as a Service). SaaS are applications that could be used in the could by different enterprise. They already have predefined functions and the enterprise would only need to adapt to these functions. Paas on the other hand, provides the basic platform wherein developers and the enterprise have to design from the scratch or the preloaded functions. Characteristics of Platform Cloud Computing Full Application Development Cycle PaaS is not just launching an application online. It will require planning, coding and testing before they are fully implemented for proper use. This will take time and resources which should be expected since PaaS is keen on implementing customized functions and services for the specific enterprise. Use of Online Programming Language PaaS is an online application. Naturally, it will require programming languages made for online interaction. From simple HTML to highly complicated JavaScript, and Java, applications could be used to build online applications which will serve cloud computing. Powerful Integration The online application built by developers should never be the final version. Updates should be available and different forms of integration should be available for the application. This is necessary for PaaS as the application will require the application to be highly intricate with data hosted in the server. Through integration, Mash-up of different application is possible.

Collaboration and Instrumentation The development of PaaS should not be limited to a team of developers alone. Adaptation of the application is very important since it will ensure ease of development for other developers as well as maintenance when the new developer takes over. Through collaboration, instrumentation of functions becomes possible. This will even give developers and PaaS providers to sell certain functions. Forms of Cloud Computing Platforms The forms PaaS could be easily distinguished based on how they are developed and the requirements a vendor would provide to the enterprise. Development through Preloaded Functions There are Platform as a Service providers that concentrate in providing developers preloaded functions. They are often considered as proprietary functions wherein the work of developers is only limited to getting the functions together. The vendor will provide everything and the developers will just have to study the functions and how they could be related to the need of the enterprise. Development through Web Hosting This type of service in PaaS is the most basic in this form of cloud computing. Developers will have to look for a programming language that could be launched in the server, build different functions and integrate the data located in the server. The role of PaaS provider is to host the functions and prevent it from possible downtime. This type of service concentrates in ensuring the data is available 24/7 and the functions will work as expected. Development through Frameworks There are developers who opted to use frameworks in building an application. These frameworks are tools in building application wherein the coding is on the native programming language of the developer. But with the help of the framework, the native coding will be translated to another programming language fit for PaaS. Good examples of this type of development are frameworks for Ajax based applications and Ruby on Rails.

Advantage/Disadvantages of Cloud Computing Platform The main advantage of platform development through cloud computing is on the cost of development and deployment. Since the applications that come from PaaS will be launched online, little to no requirement will be made on the client side. On the other hand, cloud computing platform might not have the ability to adapt to different changes on the demand of the enterprise. This is especially true when the application is made through proprietary function from the vendor. Developers have to carefully inspect the history of updates of the vendor to ensure compatibility to the different needs of the enterprise.

Cloud Computing User's Perspective

The entire buzz about cloud computing and its effects on businesses are all geared towards the improvement of customer experience. Businesses want to improve their business process to increase the number of customers through better service and increased availability. The users experience in cloud computing could actually be direct wherein they would have the ability to use the online application of the business or their experience could be indirect wherein the improved tools in cloud computing will improve the customer interaction with the company. Either way, business should always focus on their customer first as they become the end point or the ultimate gauge if cloud computing is actually the right move for the enterprise. It can be even said that the assurance of success of cloud computing could be done if businesses would think of cloud computing on how it would ultimately affect the clients or users. As much as possible, businesses have to concretely identify how the end user will benefit from cloud computing. The more concrete and precise the explanation, the more likely cloud computing will be a success. Not every user is aware of the term cloud computing, but users will eventually notice the difference in operation, they will appreciate the update. Businesses have to impress certain improvement in service quality to ensure success in cloud computing implementation. Adaptability and Learning The biggest challenge for every user when trying to deal with cloud computing is on learning the application presented by the enterprise. This is especially true when cloud computing application directly

influences the user experience through the online application. Like any new application, users have to be acquainted with the application before they can fully utilize the online application. This actually presents some danger on the side of the users. Cloud computing is being adopted by business leaders and most of the processes in cloud computing are for sensitive business processes such online purchases of products or acquisition of services. If the user does not get the online process the first time, the wrong product may be purchased or could even be exposed to different types of security attacks. Businesses have to make sure the online application is user friendly even if they are only used for the first time. This is always a must for start-up companies as they are still slowly gaining users and frustration on first time use will not ensure success in cloud computing. Technology on Users End Although there significant improvement in applications ability to be launched in most platforms; the success of the implementation of the application is still based on the users gadget. There are many reputable applications launched in cloud computing but they missed the company was not able to consider the local gadget of their users. Although it can be said that the processing power in cloud computing is based on the online (or network) connectivity of the local gadget, the internal processing power of the gadget will still affect the users. Imposing too many hardware upgrades to the user will diminish the chances of success in cloud computing. Security Like the enterprise, users are also concerned about the security in cloud computing. Although they are not aware of cloud computing, they are aware of the increased security risks of online applications. By entering their personal information online, they are opening up a lot of security risks which they may or may not know about. Spyware as different viruses could be used track users online activity which will steal the users sensitive information. Companies are even at risk of being hacked through users as their activity could be used as a key.

Keeping Things Simple Ultimately, users need simple online applications that are easy to understand and navigate. An application may have thousands of features that could benefit the user but if those features are not easily presented to the user, the application will fail considerably. Keeping things simple will also enable more local gadgets to access the system. Even though cloud computing needs a reliable hardware configuration for full implementation in the enterprise the end user does not have to make some changes in their end. The general user should be used as a basis for success in cloud computing. Cloud Computing in Enterprise One of the main reasons why cloud computing is aggressively being developed is the enterprise or the business setting. Many businesses, large and small, have come to realize the potential of cloud computing in terms of easing business transactions without having to spend too much on additional infrastructure, manpower and even time. There mere fact that transactions in almost any form could be done online has made cloud computing a good answer to different business problems. Most businesses will just resort to local installation of applications in their gadgets. Some would resort to simplified data transfer transactions such as email or online messaging system (chat). But oftentimes, these transactions are not enough especially when you have a business system that requires extensive interaction with a specific application. This could be easily installed in a local gadget but this could easily cause complication. For example, a salesman is on the road trying to seal the business deal. But before everything could be agreed on, the salesman has to use certain applications. This will not be possible if the application will not work on the local gadget. But if the salesman uses an online application through cloud computing, not only will they be able to show considerable data but real time interaction with upper management. Number One Challenge: Data Manipulation One of the biggest concerns of businesses when they opt to migrate to cloud computing is on how they could transfer the massive data they accumulated online. Although the services available in the industry today could very well handle type and required storage capacity of data, getting them right for the first time is very difficult.

Cloud computing is not just data transferred online which could be extracted anytime. They have to go through certain processes, access management and how to properly dispose those data by requests. All of these have to be considered with optimal security in mind. These cant necessarily be executed at will by any businesses. They are left at the mercy of the cloud computing provider to ensure everything is according to expectation, especially security. For that reason, businesses have to make sure they work with a reputable cloud computing provider to ensure everything is according to certain processes. Balancing and Scaling Developers would have to make sure they are building an application, especially when launched online, could be easily management and have the capacity to hold massive loads. This is a must for business applications as massive data requests will happen. If they are not controlled, certain functions of the application will not work. Although the server will be able to handle data requests, the application itself will not have the ability to control the data. This situation might lead to certain security concerns such as data leaks. Businesses have to choose a provider that will give them the capability of balancing loads. Some providers even have auto-scaling function wherein the load is automatically balanced whenever the load is getting heavier due to massive requests. Monitoring Capabilities The challenges for the enterprise could be easily handled if the application and the data centers with server farms could be actively monitored. The monitoring system should be consistent and should have the capability to provide monitoring 24/7 without any falter.

Any form of latency should be actively monitored. Monitoring should not only be based on the application running with the data centers. Monitoring should be actively provided for the hardware. The local environment and active CPU capability found in the data center should be considered.

Security It goes without saying that the biggest concern any business have in cloud computing is security. Without security, the application will be highly vulnerable to different form of attacks. From simple attack on certain application to hardware security on different data centers, these security measures have to be implemented without any flaw. A single attack could easily destroy everything. That means no matter what security measure they implement, one flaw in security could potentially destroy everything. The key in proper implementation of security in the enterprise is consistency. It should be present at all time and should receive more than enough resources to make sure security is in place. Businesses have to check every security measure implemented in cloud computing to ensure success in their operation. Cloud Computing Security Security is one of the biggest concerns of businesses in any form. Whether a business is a small brickand-mortar or a multi-million online ventures, security should be implemented. Exposing the company to different security flaws is always inviting to different elements with malicious intent. A single security strike could mean millions of dollars for businesses and might single handedly close the business down. Proper implementation of security measures is highly recommended for cloud computing. The mere fact that the application is launched through internet makes it vulnerable to any time of attack. An application available in LAN (Local Area Network) only could even be infiltrated from the outside so placing an application over the internet is always a security risk. This is the unique situation of cloud computing. Implementation of cloud computing could require millions of dollars in infrastructure and applications development but it still places itself at risk for different types of attacks. Protecting the Users Above everything else, cloud computing or any type of online application format should consider protecting its users. Developers should make sure that data related to the user should not be mishandled and could be extracted just by one. There are two ways to ensure cloud computing security: restrictive user access and certifications.

Restrictive access could come from simple username/password challenge to complicated CAPTCHA log in forms. But applications in cloud computing should not only base itself on these challenges. IP specific applications and user time-outs are only some of the security measures that should be implemented. The challenge in restrictive user access is to limit the access privilege of the user. Each user will have to be assigned manually with security clearance to ensure limitation of access to different files. Certifications are also important for user certification. Developers have to open their application to security specialists or companies that provide certifications for security. This is one way of assuring users that the application has been fully tested against different types of attacks. This is often the dilemma for cloud computing as external security checks might open the company secrets on cloud computing. But this has to be sacrificed to ensure the security of their users. Data Security Aside from user protection against different types of attacks, the data itself should be protected. In this aspect, the hardware and software linked to cloud computing should be scrutinized. Again, a certification is highly desired in this part of cloud computing. The hardware component for cloud computing on the other hand requires a different type of security consideration. The location of data center should not only be selected because of its proximity to controllers and intended users but also on its security (and even secrecy) from external problems. The data center should be protected against different types of weather conditions, fire and even physical attacks that might destroy the center physically. With regards to the hardware component in relation to the application, certain manual components have to be available for increased security. Among them is manual shutdown to prevent further access of the information. Although data could be controlled with another application that data could be infiltrated unless the application is shutdown immediately. Recovery and Investigation Cloud computing security should not only focus itself on prevention. Ample resources should also be focused on recovery if the unfortunate event really strikes. Even before disaster happens, certain plans have to be in place to ensure that everyone will be working in unison towards recovery. The plans do not

have to be focused on software attacks alone certain external disasters such as weather conditions should have separate recovery plans. When everything has been recovered, developers and the company handling the application should have the means to investigate the cause of the problem. Through investigation, certain conditions that lead to the event could be realized and insecurities could be discovered. Even legal actions could be done if security has been breached on purpose. Security is one of the most difficult task to implement in cloud computing. It requires constant vigilance against different forms of attacks not only in the application side but also in the hardware components. Attacks with catastrophic effects only needs one security flaw so its always a challenge for everyone involved to make things secured. Software as a Service (SaaS) Model Cloud computing can come in many forms. It could be launched as a purely platform services wherein the cloud computing vendor will be there to act as a webhost, a vendor that providers functions to be developed by the enterprise or as a framework for developing powerful RIAs (Rich Internet Application). Each provides advantage and limitations to the enterprise which dictates the different versions of cloud computing applications and form of development. Businesses usually take considerable time and resources in choosing the right vendor. If they choose to localize cloud computing, more resources and preparation will be done to ensure correct use of cloud computing. But the development of cloud computing will not be possible without one form of cloud computing: software as a service or SaaS. This form of cloud computing could practically define what cloud computing generally is. SaaS is basically a form of cloud computing that launches software in the cloud (internet) which will be later used as a service. Cloud computing was formed to cater to the demands of the businesses which is practically the need of the enterprise. Although there are data storage needed in cloud computing, the ability to process the data without the need of local installation could only be provided by cloud computing. Software as a Service caters to these demands by launching application with business specific purposes online.

Characteristics in Software as a Service Although the basic definition of cloud computing could also be used in Software as a Service, there are basic differences SaaS have when compared to other forms of cloud computing. Network or Online Access SaaS is an online application or at least, a network based application. Users will never need any installation in their local gadgets which is connected to the local network or the internet. Usually, the application is launched through a browser which could provide access not only to the application but additional services from the vendor. Centralized Management control, monitoring and update could be done in a single location. The businesses that maintain the application will never need to manually make some changes in the local gadget but would provide improvement instead on the online application. Powerful Communication Features Software as a Service is not only based on the fact that it provides functions for online processing, it also has powerful communication features. The mere fact that SaaS is often used online provides a strong backbone for Instant Messaging (Chat) or even voice calls (VOIP). Advantages/Disadvantages of SaaS Software as a Service is geared towards specific type of business. Although they can easily work in most enterprise settings, there are certain requirements SaaS would have that make it undesirable for some businesses. Powerful Internet Connection Required although connection online is available almost everywhere, the rate of connection is never the same. Some areas cant provide strong internet connection and SaaS (as an online application) will have to load everything in the browser. The expected function might not even move forward without strong internet connectivity. Increased Security Risk attacks are highly likely if everything is launched online. This is probably the most challenging part in SaaS and in Cloud Computing industry. SaaS has increase security concerns compared to other platforms because of its consistent interaction with different users.

 Load Balancing Feature one of the challenges the business would face in cloud computing and all SaaS applications is load balancing. Although industry giants offer load balancing, it will still require consistent monitoring from businesses. API and Mash-ups in SaaS SaaS is getting better and better as new trends in the industry are slowly being implemented. Among the trends in cloud computing is the powerful integration of API or Application Programming Interface. Although SaaS could provide the functionality the business needs, upgrades are important to keep up with the demands. Instead of changing the application, businesses will just add an API in their application. The integration is easy and maximum efficiency of the additional function is expected. Mash-up is another trend seen in SaaS which is a technique in combining two powerful applications. Although this is first used in Platform as a Service, new development techniques especially in RIA (Rich Internet Application) has made mash-ups a possibility. Although it might have increased insecurity a little bit, it will ultimately provide more functions. Migrating to Cloud Computing Cloud computing is greatly considered today by most businesses. Small and large-scale businesses alike have seen the advantage of cloud computing. Because of the ability of getting every data processes in the cloud (online), business will enjoy mobility without being held down to a single application. The real time interaction of cloud computing is not only based on single person in the local gadget. Everyone involved will have real time interaction with the data and might even offer some changes. But transferring from local data availability and processes to cloud computing is a lot difficult said than done. For highly established businesses transferring the entire database to businesses will take precious time and resources to make things work. Local vs. Vendor Offered Cloud Computing One of the biggest considerations for businesses who wanted to implement cloud computing is to choose between local cloud computing and vendor provided. In local cloud computing, businesses would have to spend considerable amount in hardware as well as applications to properly implement cloud computing. The disadvantage, of course, is based on the funds

needed for cloud computing. On the other hand, businesses would have the ability to manipulate the data centers to their advantage. Vendor assisted cloud computing is probably the choice for most businesses today. They wont require any expensive hardware components as everything will be hosted in a separate server offered by the provider. Depending on the provider, the possibility of building an application through available functions is also a possibility. The downside of the vender assisted cloud computing is on the vendor themselves: if the business fails to select the right vendor, more harm will be done in the business process. Proper Selection of Cloud Computing Provider Not every cloud computing provider in the industry could fulfill the basic needs of every business. As every business has a unique need, the need could only be provided by a handful of providers. The quality might even very likely because of the disparity of hardware and its location. The following are the steps recommended in selecting a provider: Research before you start shopping for a provider, understand what you need first in cloud computing and what you could get from a provider. With the popularity of cloud computing, almost every company that offers this type of service today has a specific reviewer. Carefully research each providers advantages and disadvantages for your business process and compare them.

Physical Visit as much as possible pay a visit to the companys actual data center and/or server farm. This will give you a good idea on how the will help you in your services and what measures they observe to ensure your processes will not be interrupted at anytime. Notice the general environment of the data center and the outside conditions. This is highly recommended if you are dealing with a local provider. On the other hand, if you cant physically visit their companys data center, research as much as you can on their capabilities. Companies such as Google, Amazon and other internet giants will most likely deny your request a visit to any of their data center. The Worst Case Scenario always look for information or ask the vendor on how they deal with certain situations that will affect your business process. More often than not, business will provide you with a guaranteed uptime or SLA (Service Level Agreement). But dont settle for this data alone. Insist on

what they usually do when a downtime happens. They will always have processes in place and you should know about it so that you have an idea on how they work in case something wrong happens. Ability to Upgrade it is an imperative for a vendor to expect upgrades from their clients. However, some vendors miss this feature which could jeopardize the operations of the business. Most vendors do allow upgrades but with a certain fee. The additional payment is usually determined by the degree of upgrade a business would implement in their operations.

Selecting a Cloud Computing Vendor

Most, if not all small businesses today, do not have the capability of building an infrastructure that will support cloud computing. The required funds to build data centers that could support each other, not to mention the manpower support in needs are just too much. The application development for cloud computing would also take time and considerable resources. Developers would be hired, testers will be needed and projected users (the employees) would have to be taken out of their regular operations just to test the cloud computing application. But even with this form of spending, the success of cloud computing is not even assured. For that reason, small and even some large online businesses seek the assistance of a 3rd party provider. There are cloud computing providers that have the capability to handle any data processing needs of large and small businesses alike. Internet giants such as Google and Amazon have the capability to offer highly extensive cloud computing support. Smaller companies based in the same area of the client also exist. Although they provide limited services to their clients, their capacity is more than enough for most small business needs. But selecting the right cloud computing provider for small businesses is easier said than done. There are certain considerations every business would have to remember to ensure the selected provider would work as expected.

A Personal Checklist Every business has different needs and those needs may or may not be provided by the cloud computing company. Before anything else could be said or transpire with the cloud computing provider, a business should have a checklist on what they sought from a provider. The list should comprise on whether or not they need to emphasize on data processing rather than storage and other related functions. Although everything should be optimized, there are certain areas where the provider excels. The list should never be compromised as much as possible. Providers would often replace a certain disadvantage with their advantage which might not be helpful at all with the client. Small changes in services provided may jeopardize the entire operation. Financial Stability Businesses who opted to work with a vendor with their cloud computing needs should consider the financial stability of the provider first. Although money is almost irrelevant when it comes to basic services, money provides the backbone to everything a provider could do from security of the data centers as well as the ability to handle enough manpower to deal with the updates as well as problems with the system. The worst case scenario for a company that does not have the financial stability is when they actually close down without notice.

Dealing with Downtime

No business should start their operations with the cloud computing vendor with a duly signed SLA (Service Level Agreement). The SLA will indicate the guaranteed uptime of the provider. In cloud computing, anything less than 99.9% will never work. One of the distinguishing features of cloud computing is the assurance of an uptime to nearly 100%. Providers should be able to do this because of their multiple data centers which is a must for providers to ensure uptime. The process in dealing with downtime should also be indicated. This will provide clients the idea on how the problem could be dealt with.

Data Migration
Starting in cloud computing doesnt happen in an instant. Vendors should explain to their clients how data migration will be implemented. This is the most important task for cloud computing vendors because this will not only deal with the future efficiency of the application but the security of the data as well. A step by step plan with a corresponding time frame should be expected from the vendor. Although there are companies that will have more requirements from their clients for data migration, these are done to ensure proper migration without having to deal with future insecurities. These things should be highly considered by any business before they proceed to cloud computing. The specific advantages for cloud computing will only be realized if the right vendor is selected.

Everything as a Service (EaaS) Model

Cloud computing is often used by businesses in limited processes. The enterprise could contact a specific vendor if they wanted to implement some cloud computing processes in their business setting. As long as the business knows what they specifically need from the vendor, the services related to cloud computing could be easily set up and launched in no time. Even if the cloud computing process is very small, the business could immediately see the changes in their processing. The rest of the processes in the enterprise will have to be handled without the assistance of cloud computing. But like most things that constantly aims to improve, cloud computing is aiming to be more than just a small chunk of the business operations. Some of the renowned internet companies are not just content in being a small part of the operations. With their hardware capabilities, they could become the provider of the entire business processes. Internet giants such Google, Microsoft and Salesforce have begun offering EaaS or Everything as a Service to different business. In this setting, EaaS uses the vendor as the point of entry for different type of business transactions. From simple office documents to extensive customer service management, EaaS vendors could provide the tools through the cloud (internet).

Characteristics of EaaS Decreasing dependency on the hardware as more and more applications are used in the cloud, it has become important for the service providers in EaaS to keep everything accessible. Any service in the cloud could be accessed online without relying on one gadget that stores the native application. Even without any application stored in the desktop, online services could be extracted. Most of the cloud computing services could be accessed online through major browsers. No Specific Location EaaS is not just an application limited to certain location and gadgets. Providers will allow access from any type of gadget from any location as long as the user has the right credential (username/password) to use the system. Outsourcing even became a possibility for some companies without too expensive set-up pricing because of EaaS. Improved Tenancy access of the system is not only limited to a number of users. The user will have the ability to get everything done on time through collaboration. Extension to Consumers this type of service is not only limited to businesses. Cloud computing through EaaS is now available to consumers.

Opportunity for Small Businesses

One of the advantages of EaaS is its ability to extend their services to small and start-up companies. The businesses that are only starting do not have the capability in building infrastructure to support their business operations. Instead of gathering funds for infrastructure development, businesses could opt for EaaS offered by vendors. Through cloud computing, every data processing need of the business could by be provided by the vendor. This is clearly an advantage for start-up companies wherein their resources could be focused in improving their business processes instead of ensuring their back-end operations are stable. Start-up businesses would need all the help they could get to ensure the success of their business and EaaS reduces cost of operations because the back-end operation will be supported by the vendor.

The Free Factor The appeal of EaaS to small businesses is not only the assurance of back-end support. There are companies who offer ad-supported EaaS services that do not ask for anything in return. Certain services such as online document processing and even online presentation could be done for free. Since these services are offered without a fee (revenue is based on ads), personal use of EaaS has also become a possibility. Some of the services offered by different websites could be used for personal reasons without any required agreements with the provider. Of course, the downside of free services is that their uptime is not guaranteed by the provider. There are those that also questioned the security of the free services as the data are freely stored and controlled by the vendor.

The Future of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing may be a relatively new concept for some businesses and consumers. But even though some businesses are only starting to adopt and realizing the advantages of cloud computing, industry giants are already looking forward to the next big step of cloud computing. For now, cloud computing could be easily identified with grid computing wherein the cloud become the application for business purposes. Although grid computing is more focused on the server capabilities of the application, their similarities are based on the focus on providing online and on-time services to the enterprise. But cloud computing is so much more than simplified cloud processing. The business aim of getting things done no matter where they are without the necessary of a local or desktop software is realized. The ease of data processing with real time interaction and company-wide availability of data in an instant could be done through proper implementation of cloud computing. Best of all, these processes are aimed to be available with very little to no downtime. The future of cloud computing should be highly considered by businesses in any industry. The possibility of full adaptation of cloud computing by almost any industry is slowly starting to happen. If a business will not consider their future in cloud computing, the challenges as well as the advantages of cloud computing may not be addressed and fully harnessed.

Level of Competition in Cloud Computing Industry Competition is always good in any industry. Through competition, the best services as well as the most competitive prices will come out. The cloud computing industry is no exception to this rule. Companies such as Amazon, Google, Sun Microsystems and SalesForce.com are only some of the highly recognized companies in the cloud computing industry. These companies offer advantages that will fit the need of any businesses. But the level of competition, as some industry experts predict, could soon be gone. The previously mentioned companies are aggressively promoting their services so that they could become the leader in the industry. These companies are now spending millions of dollars in hardware upgrades, human resources and even in advertising. Unfortunately, not every company will come out strong. Some industry experts predict that one of the companies will come out of top and might even become the synonym for cloud computing. Standardization of Services The downside in competition among industry giants is the lack of standardization. Although there are companies who offer platform based services such as Ajax or Ruby on Rails, other companies are offering proprietary functionalities to cater to the need of the business. The differences in application implementation will increase the difficult of the enterprise to be fully flexible of their options. Data migration alone could be a nightmare for the enterprise if they opt to transfer from one provider that offer proprietary functions to platform based functions. It will take days or even months with considerable resources spent to ensure proper migration to a new provider. But just like OpenAjax Alliance, the possibility of standardization or at least agreement between industry giants will be there. This is almost an imperative for companies as agreement on functions will be an added advantage. Security The number one concern of any businesses in dealing with cloud computing today is security. Unfortunately, security will continue to be the number one concern of the enterprise in the future. If an

industry giant becomes the sole leader in this type of industry, the security as well as the privacy of users as well as businesses will be a lot less. Hacks on the system will continue to be there as well. The attack that users experience today will also evolve to adapt to different types of security measures. Since the cloud will always be online, the possibility of attack will always be there. The future of cloud computing has its ups and downs. From the possibility of monopoly to security problem, businesses and industry giants have to be ready for these changes to ensure success of cloud computing.

Conclusion
Cloud computing is the next big wave in computing. It has many benefits, such as better hardware management, since all the computers are the same and run the same hardware. It also provides for better and easier management of data security, since all the data is located on a central server, so administrators can control who has and doesn't have access to the files. There are some down sides as well to cloud computing. Peripherals such as printers or scanners might have issues dealing with the fact that there is no hard drive attached to the physical, local machine. If there are machines a user uses at work that aren't their own for any reason, that require access to particular drivers or programs, it is still a struggle to get this application to know that it should be available to the user. If you're looking to implement this, you have two options. You can host it all within your network, or you can use a device from a company that provides the server storage, such as the CherryPal. I hope you have learned a lot about cloud computing and the bright future it has in the coming years.