Cloud computing is the latest effor

Cloud computing is the latest effort in delivering computing resources as a service. Although there
are many definitions of cloud computing e.g. [1, 2], the US National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) has published a working definition that has captured the commonly agreed
aspects of cloud computing [3]. This definition describes cloud computing as ‘a model for enabling
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’ [3].
Cloud computing represents a shift away from computing as a product that is owned, to
computing as a service that is delivered to consumers over the internet from large-scale data
centers—or ‘clouds’. Cloud computing is currently being exploited by technology start-ups due
to its marketed properties of scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Larger enterprises are
also beginning to show an interest in cloud computing due to these promised benefits. However,
at present much ambiguity and uncertainty exist regarding the actual realization of these promised
benefits, as there is currently much hype, particularly around the cost savings of cloud computing