Cloud computing offers 3 main levels including application, platform, and infrastructure levels. The application level is furnished by a company offering a service (SaaS) regardless of how where and by whom the compute cycles and storage are provided. The platform level of cloud computing is utilized by developers who write code and upload it to the cloud to enable their apps to run.

Finally, the infrastructure level of the cloud is typically the most general level as it is geared towards developers and system administrators attempting to compute sore and query resources with the fewest limitations.

Five major advantages that cloud computing offers are reduced costs, increased storage, highly automated, increased flexibility and mobility. Cloud computing allows for incremental payments and pay-per-use policies saving organizations money. Moreover the cloud allows for increased storage by accessing remote systems. Additionally it allows for the automation of patches and updates eliminating the need to constantly update software. Finally increased flexibility and mobility, individuals can access data wherever and whenever they want.

The firm NetCentric a technology firm attempted to trademark the term “cloud computing” in 1997. Their attempt included filing for Patent serial number 75291765 and they succeeded in owning the trademark until 1999 when they did not apply for an extension on the patent. A few years later Dell attempted to lay claim to the term and almost succeeded but the US patent office later withdrew their proposal.