Cloud Computing, 2nd Edition

Collecting Processing Power Through Grid Computing

Through cloud computing, users leverage virtual processing power and data storage via Internet-based computing resources that reside in the cloud. Through CPU (or server) farms and load balancing, cloud-based applications can scale on the fly to meet user demands.

Before the advent of the cloud, developers sought ways to leverage the potential processing power of networked computers. The concept of grid computing is based on the fact that throughout the day most PCs have spiked use. This means that when a user is active, the CPU utilization may grow to 30 to 50 percent of the processor’s capacity. When the user is not active, the CPU is idle, often using 1 percent or less of its processing capabilities. ...