Thanks to its inherent resilience to failure and the increasing availability of open-source cloud infrastructure software and virtualization software stacks, services delivered from the cloud have expanded past web applications to include storage, raw computing, and access to specialized services. The possibility of satisfying maintenance and technical support needs by leasing services from commercial cloud infrastructures has also generated a new wave of interest in the cost and efficiency enhancements cloud computing can bring to organizations big and small. Whether you’re already in the cloud, or determining whether or not it makes sense for your organization, Cloud Computing and Software Services: Theory and Techniques provides you with the technical understanding needed to develop and maintain state-of-the-art cloud computing and software services. From basic concepts and recent research findings to future directions, it gathers the insight of 50 experts from around the world to present the most up-to-date global perspective on the broad range of technical topics related to cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS). The book also: • Reviews real cases and applications of cloud computing• Discusses the infrastructure cloud and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)• Considers the cloud and data- and compute-intensive environments• Examines security and reliability in the cloud Witten in a manner that makes this complex subject easy to understand, this is an ideal one-stop reference for anyone interested in cloud computing. The accessible language and wealth of illustrations also make it suitable for academic or research-oriented settings. The comprehensive coverage supplies you with the up-to-date understanding of cloud computing technologies and trends in parallel computing needed to establish and maintain effective and efficient computing and software services. Praise for: … a must for professionals and executives as each chapter is contributed by a team of highly accomplished and acclaimed researchers, pundits, and professors.—Pethuru Raj PhD, Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions (RBEI) Ltd, India