Cloud Computing and Grid Computing 360-Degree Compared

TL;DR

This paper compares Cloud Computing and Grid Computing, analyzing their differences and similarities to clarify their unique features and relationships within distributed systems.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison between Cloud and Grid Computing, highlighting their core characteristics and technological connections.

Findings

Cloud Computing is related to but distinct from Grid Computing.

There is no consensus on the definition of Cloud Computing.

Both paradigms share common roots in distributed systems.

Abstract

Cloud Computing has become another buzzword after Web 2.0. However, there are dozens of different definitions for Cloud Computing and there seems to be no consensus on what a Cloud is. On the other hand, Cloud Computing is not a completely new concept; it has intricate connection to the relatively new but thirteen-year established Grid Computing paradigm, and other relevant technologies such as utility computing, cluster computing, and distributed systems in general. This paper strives to compare and contrast Cloud Computing with Grid Computing from various angles and give insights into the essential characteristics of both.