Cloud Computing is related to:

• SaaS (Software as a Service)
• Grid Cloud Computing
• Utility Cloud Computing
• Parallel Cloud Computing

Let’s simplify!

1. First and foremost the idea is to use the metaphor used to represent the Internet (a large cloud blah blah blah …) with the term “computing”.

2. Bingo! There is a light! Cloud Computing = + virtual servers available on the Internet! Some analysts define the cloud computing term as a simplified version of Utility Computing, with servers in the “large network”.

What is the purpose of cloud computing?

Demands an answer and (one of) the dream of every CIO: Increasing the processing capacity on the fly “without the need for new investments in infrastructure, staff training, purchase of additional software licenses (best part) etc.. Is related to services you pay for what you use in real time, extending the processing capacity of its (always limited) data center. But what Cloud Computing has to do with SaaS?

You can relate cloud computing with:

SaaS: A type of cloud computing in which a system / solution is available via a Web browser to thousands of customers through a multi-tenant architecture (a single instance of a software “serving” for multiple client organizations).

Utility Cloud Computing: This is what organizations like Amazon.com, Sun, IBM and ESDS cloud computing providers are providing – virtual servers and storage that companies can use on demand.

Web services in the cloud computing: A concept very close to SaaS providers offer web services APIs for developers to exploit the functionality of information systems and databases.

Platform as a service (Another variation of SaaS): This type of Cloud Computing offers an entire development environment. From this environment you customize your applications (eg. ERP). A good example is the Force.com platform of Salesforce.com.

• MSP: Managed Service Providers
• Service Commerce Platforms
• Internet Integration

With all this supply of “Cloud Computing Hosting Services“, I even suggests a new term (which makes sense), “Sky Computing” several “clouds of services” where users can plug in and invoke cloud computing services in isolation.