Introduction

Cloud computing is a paradigm shift in the IT industry similar to the displacement of local electric generators with the electric grid, providing utility computing, and it is changing the nature of competition within the computer industry. There are over a hundred companies that claim they can provide cloud services. However, in most cases, they discuss server provisioning or data center automation.

Many leading IT vendors, such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM, HP, and Cisco, to name a few, believe that cloud computing is the next logical step in controlling IT resources, as well as a primary means to lower total cost of ownership. More than just an industry buzzword, cloud computing promises to revolutionize the way IT resources ...

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