Outlining Cloud Computing for the Channel

Cloud computing is a transformative delivery model that is changing the way technology vendors, distributors, resellers, and consumers think about, approach, and implement IT systems. What exactly "The cloud" is remains a matter of debate, as there are more than two dozen definitions for cloud computing. Further, how the cloud is applied to the conventional IT channel is relatively uncharted. In this paper, the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community will provide basic definitions and core characteristics for cloud computing, and put those definitions into a channel context. The paper is a foundational document designed to give the channel community a baseline reference for describing cloud computing and how it fits with the various constituencies that comprise the channel.