What are the best overviews for cloud technology?

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There has been a lot of buzz around cloud technologies. What resources would you recommend that review the cloud computing world, and helps one get the big picture and current trends?

In addition to reading these overviews, what would you recommend as first steps to get acquainted with these technologies?

Answer 1

I liked Berkeley's Above the Clouds whitepaper. It has a concise but detailed discussion of the cost/benefit analysis of cloud computing and of the different types of cloud providers out there.

Answer 2

Apart from Microsoft Azure mentioned by the others, there's also:

• Amazon EC2
• Google App Engine
• Sun Cloud Computing

..and a few others. Azure is in CTP and free until the fall. Google's App Engine is free, but to a limit, and so is Amazon EC2 last I heard.

The whole thing is still very much in development, so it could be hard to distill exactly where its headed. Microsoft has a lot of interesting videos of PDC and MIX sessions which illustrate their approach.

Also see Wikipedia for extra information.

Answer 3

I would always take a look at John M Willis's/Cote's writings/podcasts about clouds:

• http://www.johnmwillis.com/cloud-computing/cloud-favorites/
• http://www.johnmwillis.com/cloud-computing/cloud-cafe-30-what-is-a-cloud-from-the-beginning/

And maybe browse through "thinking out cloud":

• http://gevaperry.typepad.com/main/2009/01/what-is-a-cloud-first-define-a-table-the-furniture-kind-that-is.html

Answer 4

I have found a related discussion on the best cloud computing books here: http://highscalability.com/books-web-2-0-architectures-and-cloud-application-architectures

Check that out if you are looking for great books on cloud computing and cloud architecture.

Answer 5

Azure CTP is available for free till year end. Check this link.

Answer 6

Get familiar with Azure. There are lots of manuals and tutorials on it's website.

http://www.microsoft.com/azure/

Also watch online sessions from MIX 09 related to Azure:

http://sessions.visitmix.com/