Benchmarking Cluster- and Cloud-Computing deciding to outsource or not data processing in industrial applications

The application of the Cloud Computing and Cluster Computing paradigms are becoming increasingly important in the industrial data processing. But, when is it useful for a company to handle the own projects on Cloud or Cluster Computing and to decide for outsourcing or not their data-processing projects? In this paper, the paradigms “Cloud Computing” and “Cluster Computing” are initially introduced, briefly described and analyzed. A Benchmarking approach is proposed, which is intended to be a solution that offers a methodology support to a company. By using the approach of this paper, a company should be able to make the right decision and select the most adequate solution (between Cloud and Cluster) based mainly on technical but also economic considerations.