Microsoft on Monday announced its plans to launch a large-scale cloud computing environment that will drastically change the way it develops and sells software.Cloud computing means cloud + computing, ie internet based (cloud) development and providing technology (or services) using it. Cloud computing, an emerging trend in the technology industry employs vast servers to host applications and to store huge amount of data. Its like the model used by the electric service providers, you pay for how much you have used.
Major advantage of cloud computing is that, theoretically businesses don’t have to invest heavily in their own servers and large storing networks. All they have to do is to rent storage from companies like Microsoft and Google. This way they not only cut huge costs but also avoid the pain of managing this voluminous data. And companies like Microsoft and Google generates a huge amount of revenue out of it.
But what Microsoft has announced is a step ahead of this. It will create an environment that will enable the developers to create applications that can be run or hosted in the cloud (environment). Microsoft also dominates the traditional enterprise software model. What it means is large deployments of heavy duty software on corporate networks which include a huge pool of PCs, servers and other devices.
There is yet another technology in which Microsoft is a key player. It is SaaS or Software as a Service. It enables its users to access the software applications via an internet browser for a flat subscription fee.
There are several computing technologies announced by Microsoft on Monday, the most important of which is Windows Azure, the software architecture that runs Microsoft’s data centers. According to Microsoft’s website: Windows Azure is a cloud services operating system that serves as the development, service hosting and service management environment for the Azure Services Platform. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manages Web applications on the Internet through Microsoft data centers.
There are other services like data management systems for storing huge amount of data and for application to application communication. Azure also synchronizes data between Microsoft’s data centers, local computers and other remote or mobile devices
