There seems to be some confusion as to what the term "cloud computing" means, and people are always asking me, "What is 'Cloud Computing'"?
"Cloud Computing" is a buzz word, nothing more! It's not an exact term, and therefore it is very, very usable by anyone in marketing and advertising their services and equipment "out there", to the world! The term "cloud" comes from the little puffy cloud used in network diagrams to represent the Internet, some specific interconnectivity, or a network that is undefined within the document, mainly because documenting that "cloud" was not necessary for the purpose of the documents purpose. Rather than take the time to draw out and detail the components and interconnectivity of another network, or the Internet, IT types like me would put a "cloud" in it's place. This was a kind of computer "shorthand" for us, and we all would understand what it referred to. The cloud would be labeled, "the Internet", or "WAN for site #2", or "phone system", or something short that would describe what the "stuff" is, or will be, that we are NOT going to bother to detail-out in this particular documentation document. We are choosing NOT to clearly define that "stuff" in this portion of the network and equipment documentation.
The "cloud" refers to unseen, or undefined servers, services, and connectivity (at least not specifically defined/detailed) that are "out there", or that "will be" out there. These are represented in this particular network documentation as a "cloud". The "cloud" can be a private LAN, or a larger off-site WAN, or as in most cases as its used today, the Internet. It can even be a service! Suffice it to say that the "stuff", whatever it may be, within this particular section will not be documented in this document. To replace or represent all of that equipment, connectivity, services, etc. we place in the diagram a "cloud" image. The "cloud" is often times used when the network and/or connectivity equipment may not yet exist, but will be defined, created, detailed-out, at a later date. For planning purposes, it is shown in this document only as a "cloud", to include it and show its relation to the rest of the components and equipment in the documentation.
It's Adoption
The media has a tendency to pick up on a buzz word and run with it. Rarely is any research or clarification ever done to define a buzz word. It's just added "on-the-fly" and it "sticks"! A newsroom can be a busy place! Often when a need arises to refer to something, a "buzz word" is used. However accurate or inaccurate the term may be, they use it! In Avionics for instance, the "ramp" where the planes are parked was always called "the flightline". That's just what we called it! But, somewhere down the road, the media picked up the phrase "tarmac", and it "stuck"! Now, everybody calls it the "tarmac". Why? You guessed it! It became "popular"! It is now a "buzz word"!
This particular buzz word, "the cloud", when it was used, just vent viral! Everybody picked up on the phrase! It became commonplace throughout the industry, in record time! The IT types were all looking at one another going, "So, WHAT IS 'the cloud'"? I mean, we know what "the cloud" means, and we know that it's actual definition is not static at all, but rather fluid, depending upon how it is used and to what it is applied. But people were using it like it was some clearly defined "new product" out there! They would come up to us like it was the latest computer product and expect us to jump on! And frankly, we had to take a moment ...
But then, since this is "our world", we decided that clarification need to be given, and we (the IT types) were the one's to give that clarification! And what have we found? Because of its continued use, "the cloud" now usually refers to "the Internet", and to any/all related equipment, connectivity, services, storage, that may be available through the Internet, to a user that may be at home, roaming about on a smartphone, using a notebook in the nearby Barnes and Noble store, or in an offsite office that is interlinked to the corporate office. It's mere definition is not at all specific, but general, vague, and available ... for whatever the marking individual for a particular product wishes to market it as!
Has the meaning of the term, "the cloud", changed in any way? No. It's still the same. But what it means, is greatly dependent on what you are using the term to refer to.
Summary
Hence, "the cloud" and it's vague reference to whatever it is that you want it to be, is now a public domain term, and is therefore defined by whomever happens to be using the term at the time! Specifically, when you say "cloud computing", you are referring to computer "stuff" that is not static or clearly defined, that may provide networking connectivity, virtual access, services, storage, etc. This can include virtual or real world servers, networks and resources, as well as services.
In a nutshell, "cloud computing" refers to hardware, software, networking, connectivity, services, etc. that are "out there" (on the Internet) to provide you with some online service or services, depending on how the "cloud service" is marketed.
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