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We briefly covered the Chrome OS and Google’s Cloud Productivity Programs in past issues. Let’s take a look at the history of the Cloud. By understanding the past, we can see the potential impact the Cloud will have on our economy and society.
There are many websites and forums dedicated to the Cloud concept; however these places are dedicated for professional IT specialists. I did find one website, thoughtsoncloud.com, with a tech writer Maximillano Neto. He wrote an article that brings the Cloud history to an end-user.
According to Neto, the roots of Cloud computing started in the 1950’s. At that time the computers were large and expensive. Employees did not have computers at their desk. Instead there was one central computer with dumb terminals at a company.
The terminals allowed many employees to access the central computer. It was more economical for a computer to run this hardware setup. This was the common hardware infrastructure until the early 1970’s.
Remember that ARPANET was launched in 1969 with 4 connected geographically dispersed computers. This network grew, and is considered to be the foundation to the Internet that we have today.
In the 1970’s, virtual machines (VMs) were developed. Per Neto, the VMs allowed numerous OSs’ to exist in one hardware setup. The VMs were the catalyst for development for the communication and technology revolution.
During the 1980’s, the desktop computers came to the consumers. There were numerous computer companies with their proprietary software. Eventually Microsoft with its Windows OS came to dominate the market. Apple survived during this period too. At this time, computers would then be used at home and commercially. By the end of the decade, nearly every house and every office had a desktop computer.
At the end of the 1970’s, the client server was developed as a standard operation. It enabled individuals to access data and applications over a local area network per Neto. Additionally, ARPANET grew from the military/industrial complex to the scientific community worldwide, and finally to the masses. By the end of the late 1980’s, the seeds of the Internet were planted. Email, VoIP, and other means of communication were established to help further our digital evolution into the 1990’s. Computer Labs became dominant in education.
During the mid 1990’s, the Cloud was being utilized as a descriptive adjective to describe computer networks for classrooms and presentations. It symbolized the Internet of Things that is now so commonplace. By the end of the decade, the Cloud took a new definition. Neto cites that grid computing and utility computing are the factors for starting the Cloud computing movement. In 1999, Salesforce.com is credited with being the first to offer Software as a Service, where clients are accessing its website for various business applications.
At the end of the 2010’s, Netflix starts streaming and Google launched Google Apps. These companies shifted our reliance on physical items to a Cloud service. We no longer relied on DVDs and Microsoft Word installed on the local drive as noted by Neto. This changed consumers’ habits. The open source Cloud movement is started with the success of OpenStack and EUCALYPTUS. Apple and Microsoft begin to offer Cloud services in 2011. Google launches Google Drive in 2012. Neto sees Cloud adoption rates accelerating, but it is being painted as being another dimension of the internet. Maamar Ferkoun at thoughtsoncloud.com cites the most common uses for the Cloud today: • Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) • Private Cloud and hybrid Cloud • Test and Development • Big Data Analytics • File Storage • Data Backup
Nevertheless the Cloud is here. It will impact our society at varying levels. Digital ownership of movies instead of DVDs. Computers might become minimalist following the Chromebook formula. Increased hacking attacks will be targeted against the Cloud data infrastructure, and, in response, increased antivirus development. The Cloud is here, it is the start of new era in computer science.
If you want further info on the Cloud visit:
http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com - Thoughts On Cloud
http://cloudipedia.com/files/2009/11/cloud_computing_made_easy.pdf - Cloud Computing Made Easy