Cloud computing : A step to the future of IT

Abstract: The aim of our research paper is to depict and analyze the new trends and changes happening in the Information Technology industry during the recent years, that are most likely to have a long-lasting impact on how the usage of software technology is evolving. The overall trend that we are noticing in this market is about shifting more and more software applications from local computers to online networks generally known as The Cloud (the concept itself is named Cloud Computing). The reason for choosing this topic is that, overall, the Information Technology industry is deeply involved in our everyday lives. Therefore, it is important for us as individuals or businesses to be aware of the new trends happening in this field and learn how we can benefit from them. We will research these trends from the perspective of the providers of Cloud Computing services. We will analyze the challenges of establishing a new market for these services and debate the pros and cons of being the first mover or follower among big and small players. We will also investigate whether there is a dominant design under development. As means for our analysis, we will research the three main technologies used as a mean to implement the new concept of Cloud Computing, which are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). One result of our study is that the main players on the Cloud Computing market do not think in terms of national markets or geographical borders about their products. Since they are providing online services, we conclude that it is normal for all the players to see the market as one single entity rather than limiting themselves to geographical areas, which are obviously irrelevant for the Internet market. Another result is that there is confusion among the players when it comes to defining Cloud Computing, Software as a Service and Platform as a Service and the difference between these concepts. We consider as the main reasons for this confusion the fact that the Cloud Computing industry is not yet standardized, and every firm is having its own way of dealing with these new concepts. However, we believe that there is a complex market system under way. All the firms are apparently waiting for a technological standardization or a dominant design, before they will fully adopt and implement this technology. Moreover, most companies we analyzed believe that Cloud Computing will be, one way or another, the future in the Information Technology and Communication industry.