Cloud computing has evolved significantly since its inception in the 1960s:
1. In the 1960s, the foundations were laid with concepts like utility computing, virtualization, and networking. DARPA funded research at MIT to develop technology allowing multiple users to access a single computer simultaneously.
2. The 1970s-80s saw advancements in virtualization, operating systems, storage and networking. By 1985, around 100,000 computers were connected to the Internet.
3. The 1990s brought the World Wide Web and e-commerce. The term “cloud computing” first appeared in a Compaq internal document in 1996.
4. The modern cloud era began in the early 2000s. Amazon Web Services launched its public cloud in 2002, pioneering the current cloud computing model.
5. Other major milestones included:
– 2006: Amazon launched EC2 and S3 services
– 2008: NASA developed the first open-source software for private/hybrid clouds
– 2010: Microsoft launched Azure
6. Cloud adoption accelerated rapidly in the 2010s. By 2012, there was a 71% increase in cloud adoption among SMBs compared to the previous year
7. Today, cloud computing underpins most new technological developments and has proven crucial during uncertain times due to its scalability and flexibility
The cloud continues to evolve, with hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge environments setting the stage for new distributed cloud models.
