Cloud Computing: History and Overview

Cloud computing has emerged as a new technology and business paradigm in the last couple of years. Cloud computing platforms provide easy access, scalability, reliability, reconfigurability, and high performance from its resources over the Internet without complex infrastructure management by customers. This article presents, a brief history of cloud computing from 1961 when McCarthy at MIT introduced about cloud computing, the evolution of cloud computing from its predecessors such as Utility computing and Grid computing, and development of cloud computing. We have also presented various directions in cloud computing along with advantages, cloud-centric design, mobile cloud, and security. It covers the characteristics, service models, and deployment models of cloud computing. We have presented the applications and security aspects associated with cloud computing.