Overheard – The new vocabulary of cloud computing – glossary

Have you ever wanted to make up a word? Now’s the time. Just make sure it has something to do with a cloud. Play a little Rolling Stones and get those neurons firing (Hey, hey, hey, hey — get off of my cloud)

I just want to jot these down before I forget. Seems like every day I stumble across more newly-coined cloud terms. Did you know how cloud computing got its name? From flow charts, where a cloud is used to represent the Internet.

cloud app -  a software application that is never installed on a local machine — it’s always accessed over the Internet.

cloud arcs – short for cloud architectures. Designs for software applications that can be accessed and used over the Internet.  (Cloud-chitecture is just too hard to pronounce.)

cloud bridge – running an application in such a way that its components are integrated within multiple cloud environments (which could be any combination of internal/private and external/public clouds).

cloudcenter – a large company, such as Amazon, that rents its infrastructure.

cloud client – computing device for cloud computing. Updated version of thin client.

cloud enabler – vendor that provides technology or service that enables a client or other vendor to take advantage of cloud computing.

cloud envy – used to describe a vendor who jumps on the cloud computing bandwagon by rebranding existing services.

cloud OS - also known as platform-as-a-service (PaaS). Think Google Chrome.

cloud portability – the ability to move applications and associated data across multiple cloud computing environments.

cloud provider – makes storage or software available to others over a private network or public network (like the Internet.)

cloud service architecture (CSA) - an architecture in which applications and application components act as services on the Internet

cloud storage – (just what it says) Sometimes compared to leasing a car – you’ll have monthly payments but hopefully you’ll always have the lastest/greatest technology. You’ll never own the technology though.

cloudburst - what happens when your cloud has an outage or security breach and your data is unavailable.

cloud as a service (CaaS) -  a cloud computing service that has been opened up into a platform that others can build upon.

cloud-oriented architecture (COA) – IT architecture that lends itself well to incorporating cloud computing components.

cloudsourcing – outsourcing storage or taking advantage of some other type of cloud service.

cloudstorm – connecting multiple cloud computing environments. Also called cloud network.

cloudware – software that enables building, deploying, running or managing applications in a cloud computing environment.

cloudwashing – slapping the word “cloud” on products and services you already have.

external cloud – a cloud computing environment that is external to the boundaries of the organization.

funnel cloud – discussion about cloud computing that goes round and round but never turns into action (never “touches the ground”)

hybrid cloud – a computing environment that combines both private and public cloud computing environments.

internal cloud – also called a private cloud. A cloud computing-like environment within the boundaries of an organization.

personal cloud – synonymous with something called MiFi, a personal wireless router. It takes a mobile wireless data signal and translates it to wi-fi.  It’s pronounced ME-fi, as in “the personal cloud belongs to me — but if you’re nice I’ll let you connect.”

private cloud – an internal cloud behind the organization’s firewall. The company’s IT department provides softwares and hardware as a service to its customers — the people who work for the company. Vendors love the words “private cloud.”

public cloud – a cloud computing environment that is open for use to the general public.

roaming workloads- the backend product of cloudcenters.

vertical cloud – a cloud computing environment optimized for use in a particular vertical industry

virtual private cloud (VPC) – similar to VPN but applied to cloud computing. Can be used to bridge private cloud and public cloud environments.

Have you run into a cloud word that’s not on this list or have an addition/correction to my notes above? Drop a comment below or write to me –  mrouse at techtarget dot com.