Cloud Computing is the management and provision of applications, information and data as a service. These services are provided over the internet, often on a consumption-based model.

Cloud Computing provides a convenient way of accessing computing services, independent of the hardware you use or your physical location. It relieves the need to store information on your PC, mobile device or gadget with the assumption that the information can be quickly and easily accessed via the internet. Cloud Computing also removes the need to download or install dedicated software on your own computer, freeing up on-board memory and reducing energy costs. You are probably already using Cloud Computing services without realising it. For example, email providers such as Hotmail or Yahoo are one of the most prominent Cloud-based services available to billions of users across the world.

n January 2010, ABI Research estimated that more than 240 million business customers will be using Cloud Computing services on mobile devices by 2015.

The trend points to PCs becoming a gateway into the Cloud – removing the need for on-board storage and freeing users to leap from one device to another depending on their needs.

Users will no longer have to download and install memory-hungry applications and software on their devices and will instead be able to access everything they need via the internet. With this model, the majority of computing software will be rented on an as-required basis instead of being bought as an expensive one-off purchase.