Cloud computing has always been a long-held dream of computing as a utility. Recently it has emerged as a commercial reality (Armbrust et al., 2009). It has a great potential to shape the way IT hardware is designed and purchased.
In the long run, this essay argues that notwithstanding the obstacles and challenges of cloud computing, organisations should take the risk and welcome cloud computing, as its benefits and opportunities are too attractive to miss. Therefore, in the second section, terms of cloud computing will be clarified. Next, benefits and opportunities of cloud computing for organisations will be outlined. In the section four, risks and limitations, which organisations can face in cloud computing, will be analysed. Lastly, solutions and their limitations will be provided in the section five, and final conclusions – in the section six.