
Table of Contents
Copyright..................................................................................................... 1
About the Author........................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgments
....................................................................................... 3
We Want to Hear from You!........................................................................ 4
Reader Services.......................................................................................... 4
Introduction............................................................................................... 6
How This Book Is Organized........................................................................................................................................................... 7
Conventions Used in This Book...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Let Me Know What You Think........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Part I: Understanding Cloud Computing................................................... 10
Chapter 1. Beyond the Desktop: An Introduction to Cloud Computing....................................................................................... 12
Cloud Computing: What It Is—and What It Isn’t..................................................................................................................... 13
From Collaboration to the Cloud: A Short History of Cloud Computing................................................................................. 16
The Network Is the Computer: How Cloud Computing Works............................................................................................... 20
Companies in the Cloud: Cloud Computing Today.................................................................................................................. 24
Why Cloud Computing Matters................................................................................................................................................ 25
Chapter 2. Are You Ready for Computing in the Cloud?............................................................................................................. 28
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing................................................................................................................................... 29
Who Benefits from Cloud Computing?..................................................................................................................................... 35
Who Shouldn’t Be Using Cloud Computing?............................................................................................................................ 38
Chapter 3. Developing Cloud Services.......................................................................................................................................... 42
Why Develop Web-Based Applications?................................................................................................................................... 43
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Service Development.................................................................................................................. 43
Types of Cloud Service Development........................................................................................................................................ 45
Discovering Cloud Services Development Services and Tools................................................................................................. 47
Part II: Cloud Computing for Everyone..................................................... 54
Chapter 4. Cloud Computing for the Family................................................................................................................................ 56
Centralizing Email Communications........................................................................................................................................ 57
Collaborating on Schedules....................................................................................................................................................... 58
Collaborating on Grocery Lists................................................................................................................................................. 59
Collaborating on To-Do Lists.................................................................................................................................................... 59
Collaborating on Household Budgets....................................................................................................................................... 60
Collaborating on Contact Lists.................................................................................................................................................. 61
Collaborating on School Projects.............................................................................................................................................. 62
Sharing Family Photos.............................................................................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 5. Cloud Computing for the Community........................................................................................................................ 66
Communicating Across the Community................................................................................................................................... 67
Collaborating on Schedules....................................................................................................................................................... 67
Collaborating on Group Projects and Events........................................................................................................................... 70
Chapter 6. Cloud Computing for the Corporation........................................................................................................................ 76
Managing Schedules.................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Managing Contact Lists............................................................................................................................................................. 78
Managing Projects..................................................................................................................................................................... 79
Collaborating on Reports.......................................................................................................................................................... 80
Collaborating on Marketing Materials...................................................................................................................................... 81
Collaborating on Expense Reports............................................................................................................................................ 81
Collaborating on Budgets.......................................................................................................................................................... 82
Collaborating on Financial Statements.................................................................................................................................... 83
Collaborating on Presentations................................................................................................................................................. 83
Presenting on the Road............................................................................................................................................................. 84
Accessing Documents on the Road........................................................................................................................................... 85
Part III: Using Cloud Services................................................................... 88
Chapter 7. Collaborating on Calendars, Schedules, and Task Management............................................................................... 90
Exploring Online Calendar Applications................................................................................................................................... 91
Cloud Computing: Web-Based Applications That Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online