2. What is Cloud Computing Anyway?

Wikipedia defines cloud computing as follows: 
"Cloud computing is a type of Internet-based computing that provides shared computer processing resources and data to computers and other devices on demand. It is a model for enabling ubiquitous, on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., computer networks, servers, storage, applications and services),^[1][2] which can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort. Cloud computing and storage solutions provide users and enterprises with various capabilities to store and process their data in third-party data centers^[3] that may be located far from the user–ranging in distance from across a city to across the world."

To summarize, cloud computing is computing, using a network of remote computing resources to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.

Your PC provides minimal computing power, but the applications themselves, are run from a remote location usually provided by a Cloud service provider. 

Exactly where doesn’t matter, it Is provided to you on demand, seamlessly so that you the end user is unaware of the manner by which it is being delivered to you.

It’s like a flipping a light switch and having your lights turn on at home. The electricity is being provided by your Hydro Company.

Where they obtain the electricity, or how they deliver it to you is irrelevant as long as your light turns on.

Still confused?

In my internet travels I've been inundated by blogs, articles, videos, charts and diagrams explaining just about every aspect imaginable of cloud computing; all with varying degrees of success.

The video below, created by Mihai Tanase, and uploaded to YouTube, is one of my favorites. 

It uses some humor to explain things in terms anyone can understand. This explanation helps people to relate to how they use cloud computing personally. One of the more effective presentations I have seen.

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