Cloud computing and mainframe.

[Sahin Khan]

Hi,

Is not a cloud environment and mainframe multi-user environment jus same? Is not like calling the "similar computing methods" with similar names? If it is not, what are the possible differences between a cloud computing environment and a mainframe multi-user interactive operating system environment?

[enrico-sorichetti]

You should be more friend of google
googling with CLOUD COMPUTING DEFINITON returned
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/domanm/csci ... s/NIST.pdf

[Robert Sample]

Cloud computing and mainframes are not the same. When I was working for IBM last year, I had to go through 10 hours of cloud training even though I was using mainframes every day.

[Anuj Dhawan]

Cloud computing is a type of computing that relies on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to handle applications. In cloud computing, the word cloud (also phrased as "the cloud") is used as a metaphor for "the Internet," so the phrase cloud computing means "a type of Internet-based computing," where different services - such as servers, storage and applications - are delivered to an organization's computers and devices through the Internet.

A little more on similar lines can be found here: What is Cloud Computing?

In fact and for that matter IBM has a series of products in the Cloud Computing Space - if mainframes and Cloud Computing were same IBM would have invested in separate line of products! Personally, I feel IBM's Bluemix is getting rave reviews in the market. Bluemix is the latest cloud offering from IBM. It enables organizations and developers to quickly and easily create, deploy, and manage applications on the cloud. Bluemix is an implementation of IBM's Open Cloud Architecture based on Cloud Foundry, an open source Platform as a Service (PaaS). Bluemix delivers enterprise-level services that can easily integrate with your cloud applications without you needing to know how to install or configure them. You can read about that more here: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/cloud ... ixfoundry/

<PAUSE>

After a thought I think I understand why this question might arise. The Cloud is confusing, well it can be. According to an article published some time in year 2010, which marked the escalation of the war of words between the respective CEOs of Oracle and Salesforce.com - Larry Ellison and Marc Benioff. In the words of these figures, we can actually see an outline of many of the different definitions of cloud computing. Is Cloud Computing fundamentally different from what came before? What does it mean for an organization to “do” Cloud Computing? Oracle’s Ellison has a history of discounting Cloud Computing as no more than a new name for what has gone before. In a 2009 interview,which was a hit in this line of business, he said:

“All the Cloud is, is computers in a network… Our industry is so bizarre. I mean, they just change a term and they think they’ve invented technology."

Fast forward to 2016, we do see that is an entire market opening up for Cloud Computing and that way beyond the concept of how mainframes work!

[forgeahead]

Hi there,While both cloud environments and mainframe multi-user environments involve multiple users accessing computing resources, they differ significantly in their architecture and use cases.Cloud Computing Environment:

• Architecture: Cloud computing typically utilizes a distributed architecture where resources are pooled and shared across multiple virtualized environments.
• Access: Users access cloud services over the internet via a web browser or application interface.
• Scalability: Offers flexible scalability with on-demand resource allocation.
• Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Mainframe Multi-User Environment:

• Architecture: Mainframes are centralized computing systems designed for heavy computational tasks and large-scale data processing.
• Access: Users typically access mainframe systems through terminals or thin clients connected directly to the mainframe.
• Performance: Known for high processing power and reliability, ideal for mission-critical applications.
• Examples: IBM zSeries, Fujitsu BS2000, Unisys ClearPath.

Key Differences:

• Architecture: Cloud is decentralized and virtualized, while mainframes are centralized with physical hardware.
• Access Method: Cloud access is often via the internet, whereas mainframe access is usually through direct terminals.
• Scalability: Cloud offers elastic scalability, whereas mainframes are traditionally scaled vertically.
• Use Cases: Cloud is versatile for various applications and services, whereas mainframes excel in transaction processing and enterprise-scale computing.

In essence, while both serve multi-user environments, their underlying architectures, access methods, scalability, and primary use cases set them apart.Hope this clarifies things!