Use of Internet has been changing the way people do nearly everything from consuming media to performing research to maintaining relationships to communicating. Along with its effect on business has also been similarly wide ranging. And today, for critical data, Internet based computing, or cloud computing is introducing major changes to the way work is done. Cloud computing is a general term for things over the internet delivering hosted services. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platformas a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service.

Cloud integration provides with significant benefits. Regardless where you are, you may have access to data in the cloud through your PC or smartphones. All you require for that is an internet connection and a web browser. With the right tools, you can have access to your data in the cloud in no time and it will still remain with your desktop, laptop, or smartphone.

Cloud computing comes into mind only when you think about what IT always needs: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software. Cloud computing is based on subscription based or pay per use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends IT's existing capabilities.

Cloud computing is further laid into three segments- Infrastructure, Platform and Software.

(IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service. Just like Amazon Web Services that provide virtual server instances with unique IP addresses and blocks of storage on demand. Customers use the provider's application program interface (API) to start or stop or get access and configure their virtual servers and storage. It is sometimes referred to as utility computing.

PaaS

Platform as a service in the cloud is a platform of the software and development tools provider's infrastructure. Developers create applications on the platform of the providers over the Internet. PaaS providers use APIs, gateway software installed on the customer's or computer website portals. Currently there are no standards for interoperability or data portability in the cloud.

SaaS

In the software as a service cloud model, the vendor supplies the software product and hardware infrastructure and interacts with the user through a front-end portal. SaaS provides with very broad market for services. Services can be anything from Web based email to database processing and inventory control. The end user is free to use the service from anywhere because the service provider hosts both the application and the data.

The idea is not new, but this form of cloud computing is getting new life from Amazon, Sun, IBM, and others who at this instant offer for storage and virtual servers that IT can access on demand. Enterprise's may replace parts of the data centre influenced by utility computing.