Framing a Common Definition for Cloud Computing

The channel spent years deliberating and debating the true definition of what constitutes a managed service. I don’t know if the issue was ever really settled or if the channel just got bored and moved on. Now that we’re entering the era of cloud computing, the opportunity for renewed debate over cloud computing’s definition. Frankly, I think we should skip it and follow the lead of the smart guys at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, who last week released a draft definition of cloud computing.

NIST’s Peter Mell and Tim Grance have come up with probably the best and most succinct definition for cloud computing I have yet to read. What makes it so good is that it’s what I’ve heard many people say about cloud computing and Web-based applications all tidied up in one package.

http://blogs.channelinsider.com/content001/cloud_computing/framing_a_common_definition_for_cloud_computing.html

Cloud computing is 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. This cloud model promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models.