Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is considered the latest buzzword in computing today. It describes a form of computing wherein services are accessed through the Internet on an as needed or pay-per-use basis. Some aspect of cloud computing is in use on a regular basis. Understanding this technology, its benefits, and underlying security risks are important for people in most of today’s technical areas. Because Cloud computing is still considered to be in its infancy, an introduction to cloud computing, defining its major components, with a focus on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), is the foremost theme of this paper. There are three major elements of cloud computing - Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). Software as a Service (SaaS) is the process of remotely accessing software applications via the Internet circumventing the need to have the software physically installed on a local machine. Using information gathered from major technical books, magazines, and the Internet, my goal is to present a concise explanation of the platforms, its use, and the security concerns involved in its use.

Cloud Computing – Software-as-a-Service

Before we discuss Software as a Service (SaaS), an introduction to cloud computing is in order. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines cloud computing as “A model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction” (Mell, P., Grance, T., 2011).

In an interview Ludwig Siegele gave to the Eco...

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...uting. Having a strong security policy in place will help ensure the safety of software in a cloud environment. There are many advantages to using SaaS; the advantages include reduction in the time it takes to deploy applications, better productivity, lower licensing fees and the ability to have access to the most currently available software. A decision on when and how to institute Cloud Computing requires that all concerned stakeholders have a reasonable understanding of what they are investing in.

The disadvantages of using SaaS are important to understand also. Every application does not need to be ‘in the cloud’. Moving to the cloud may not be the best choice for all organizations. To effectively use cloud computing a working knowledge of the infrastructure, hardware, and platform needed to effectively support the use of SaaS is imperative.