10Conclusions

Cloud computing is a nascent and rapidly evolving model, with new aspects and capabilities being announced regularly. Specifically, cloud computing usually refers to a cloud alternative to something that organizations would traditionally manage in-house, using dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources provided as a service over the Internet/Intranet. For example, a webmail service is a cloud-based alternative to hosting your own email server.

Most cloud computing services are accessed through a web browser using any connected device (mobile, tablet, personal computer, ...). Therefore, cloud services do not require users to have sophisticated computers that can run specialized software. A user-centric interface makes the cloud infrastructure supporting the applications transparent to users.

Cloud computing has the potential to be a disruptive force by affecting the deployment and use of technology; in fact cloud is changing the way that many organizations manage information technology. Depending on the perspective and situation of the organization or the individual, this represents both opportunity and crisis. Such change may be resisted, even if it is a good idea and it works. Companies have a range of paths to the cloud, including infrastructure, platforms and applications that are available from cloud providers as online services.

One of the main concerns is security and privacy. This concern depends on the kind of company. In the case of big organizations with significant resources to devote to a sophisticated information security program, it is needed to overcome a number of security, privacy, and compliance challenges. Nevertheless, in the case of a small to medium-size business (SMB), the security of cloud computing might look attractive, compared to the resources the company can afford to spend on information security today.