Executive Summary (This is a document excerpt)

The No. 1 challenge in cloud computing today is determining what it really is. What categories of services exist within the definition and business model, and how ready are these options for enterprise consumption? Forrester defines cloud computing as a standardized IT capability (services, software, or infrastructure) delivered via Internet technologies in a pay-per-use, self-service way. Within this definition we have identified 11 service categories that fall into three classes of cloud services: 1) software you rent; 2) application services and platforms that are middleware components that enable developers to build cloud applications; and 3) infrastructure services and platforms that are places to deploy cloud applications. We then mapped these cloud service categories (not the individual vendors within each category) along maturity and value impact lines to help you build your strategic road map of cloud services to add to your IT portfolio.

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