Question 5. What is the Cloud?

The term Cloud or Cloud computing, contrary to belief is not something new. Since the day we were provided with Microsoft Hotmail it was available to the masses. Computing has evolved and now the BuzzWord "Cloud" is every where. Hotmail was one of the first email services to provide internet based email to the masses. It was not on your own computer but was on the internet and a connection made online to access the mail system. Its still is on the internet , so is mostly all of the worlds email servers, but now they call it the Cloud. If you have ever connected remotely to your business computer or server remotely from another location you have in fact used the internet as the medium to make that connection. The internet of today with its higher speeds, allows us to place that business computer / server anywhere in in the world and still make the connection and work remotely. You can place the computer anywhere or place yourself anywhere while on a business trip or holiday and still make the connection. We don't generally refer to this situation as Cloud, but place the server in a Data Centre, make a remote connection and Presto, like a shake of a wand, you have now entered the miraculous age of "Cloud" computing.