| http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; | | | | and can evolve quickly to meet emerging threats. |
| charset=utf-8"> | | | | There are already several cloud based security |
| Cloud computing has been around for well over a | | | | applications available that are quickly catching the |
| decade now and has been slowly but surely | | | | fancy of users. |
| gathering momentum and popularity. There is a | | | | Moving away from applications, information and |
| wide range of applications currently available | | | | data storage too is undergoing a major |
| through this Internet based resource and millions | | | | metamorphosis due to the advent of this |
| of users worldwide today use cloud computing to | | | | technology. Companies are investing less on |
| varying levels in their everyday tasks. | | | | physical storage resources and opting for |
| While the current status of cloud computing is | | | | centralized servers and third party, cloud based |
| already strong, the future of the concept | | | | storage providers for their information and data |
| definitely seems shiny. Almost all big names in the | | | | storage requirements. |
| world IT arena are focusing their attention and | | | | Moving away from traditional enterprise and |
| energies towards the development of cloud | | | | individual user level IT applications, cloud computing |
| computing technologies and applications. Major | | | | has given also given rise to a whole new genre of |
| players in the personal computing arena such as | | | | online education and training, with the concept of |
| Microsoft, Google, Sun and IBM have already | | | | e-learning quickly catching the fancy of students |
| come out with cloud based versions of their most | | | | worldwide. There is a plethora of online classes |
| popular personal and office productivity suites and | | | | and training courses available today that draw |
| applications. Additionally, these companies have | | | | upon the concept of cloud computing and allow |
| also gone public with their plans of developing | | | | students to acquire knowledge and skills remotely. |
| enterprise class applications based on cloud | | | | Universities and education providers worldwide are |
| computing concepts. | | | | quickly coming out with e-learning offerings. Cloud |
| Enterprise level service and software providers | | | | computing education and virtual classrooms have |
| such as SAP and Oracle too have taken significant | | | | made it possible for even the most remotely |
| steps in offering their solutions through the | | | | based students to gain access to the most |
| medium of the cloud. Another major area of | | | | advanced programs. |
| development in cloud computing has been the | | | | With so many changes happening so quickly and |
| security appliances industry. Where earlier security | | | | interest in cloud computing piqued among people |
| companies such as Norton, MacAfee and others | | | | worldwide, there is no doubt that the cloud is |
| were focused entirely on personal computer | | | | going to be the way of the future. With promises |
| based anti-virus and security solutions, they have | | | | of massive savings for enterprises and individual |
| now changed their stand and are quickly moving | | | | users alike; higher security of information; ease of |
| towards cloud-based security applications. | | | | access; and real time availability, cloud computing |
| Such applications are not just more effective and | | | | is an exciting new development in IT that is here |
| easier to implement, they are also more scalable | | | | to stay and change the way the world works. |