The Introduction of "Cloud" Computing

A new innovation in the IS world is the relatively new creation of a new type of computing. This is called “cloud computing”, where software on a computer and on the Web are more centralized in the so called “cloud”, which is another name for the Internet and the complex system and infrastructure that functions over the Internet. This allows access on any type of machine that connects to the Internet such as smart phones and other appliances. It is still a very new system of computing, where remote servers will offer many different Web services and applications that are stored on a server, from which people from any type of the prior mentioned internet devices will be able to access these applications for a limited time through the “cloud”. Many companies are in the process of producing some sort of OS that embraces this new and improved medium, such as Google, IBM and Amazon, to name a few.

In its own effort to join this new system, Microsoft has announced today, October 28^th, that they will release their own “cloud OS” called Azure, taking advantage of this new 3^rd generation niche. They will also continue to develop their new personal 2^nd generation response to their relative failure with Windows Vista with the new Windows 7 alongside Azure, in order to capture take back the consumer market, in which they have not been very strong in lately due to strong competition from Apple. Azure will allow its participants to access a large amount of new software and tools for the Internet through the “cloud OS”. Though the entire system will not be available for another year or so, some of the applications are currently being used by large amounts of PC users, such as the Live Services. Also, they have also introduced a new social networking service for mobile devices called Bluehoo, which was presented yesterday in Los Angeles to a number of software developers along with Azures.

With this new system, we are about to embark on a whole new type of computing, which is very exciting to watch cultivate. The main question at this point is whether or not each of the companies are going to be able to keep up with this new emerging technology, something that many critics are doubting that Microsoft can do. Many people are saying that this new Azure is not fully equipped for this new system and that it is not going to be able to function as well as other systems by other companies. Also many critics note Windows semi-lack of commitment to this system due to their commitment to Windows 7, which uses the older technology of computing. Only in time will we see if this new system will be prosperous and helpful to society.