Akamai report examines cloud computing

Akamai Technologies Inc., an Internet infrastructure company, said it is releasing today the first in a four-part series of white papers offering perspective on cloud computing.

A recent Globe story described cloud computing as a broad and somewhat nebulous term that refers to services and software that run on computers that you don't need to purchase or operate yourself - they're "out there," in the clouds. Essentially, it's a new twist on outsourcing. Cloud computing users pay only for the services they need - much the same way you pay your water bill - which offers the ability to increase or decrease capacity as needed.

According to Cambridge-based Akamai, "A Perspective from the Edge of the Cloud" provides a framework for "evaluating the cloud computing marketplace by exploring enabling technologies, current offerings, and challenges."

The paper is available for download at www.akamai.com/cloud. To read Akamai's press release on the white paper, please click here.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)