Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that\'s often used to represent the Internet inflow charts and diagrams.

A cloud service has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from traditional hosting. It is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; it is elastic -- a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and the service is fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). Significant innovations in virtualization and distributed computing, as well as improved access to high-speed Internet and a weak economy, have accelerated interest in cloud computing. 

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Entrepreneurs, business owners and investors from India, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore visited Phoenix last week to learn about business opportunities in the Valley and around Arizona.

Vijay Kapoor, president of Chandler software developer TCC247 and an Expo organizer, called the event a success, noting that the Internet creates opportunities for large and small companies to do business in Asia.

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