Difference between revisions 486363787 and 486364194 on enwiki

{{merge-to|Cloud computing|discuss=Talk:Cloud computing#Introduction to Cloud computing|date=March 2012}}
{{Introductory article|Cloud computing}}
[[File:Cloud computing.svg|400px|thumb]]
The two words in the phrase ''cloud computing'' have the following interpretations:

* '''Cloud''': As a noun, this is a metaphor for the [[Internet]],<ref name=Metaphor>{{cite web|url=
(contracted; show full)as such, but is made to appear to exist through the use of software.<ref name=OUPVirtual>{{cite web|url= http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual|title=Virtual |publisher=Oxford University Press |date= |accessdate=28 February 2012}}</ref> Of course, this software runs on real computers that do actually exist, but the use of [[Virtualisation |virtualisation]] techniques can make a relatively small computer appear to have a very large capacity, so that it can be shared by many concurrent 
useractivities. It has been usedavailable since the 1960s, when multi-user computers needed to provide a [[ Virtual_memory |virtual memory]] to each userprocess, so that they could share a relatively small real memory. [[Full virtualization]] of complete servers has been in use since the late 1960s.

Cloud computing uses virtualisation to implement independent [[Virtual private server |virtual servers]], with their own storage and software.<ref name=OracleSapErp/> For example, one of these, or even a network of them,<ref name=OracleSapErp/> can be made available to each of the many tenants of a [[Introduction_to_Cloud_computing#Public_cloud |public clo(contracted; show full)*[[Platform as a service|Platform as a Service]]
*[[Software as a service|Software as a Service]]

=References=
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cloud computing}}
[[Category:Cloud computing]]