If you just happen to be hoping that no one ever brings you into a discussion where your ignorance about "cloud computing" can be ascertained, we've got the resource for you: Cloud Computing Explained. It's the lead article, by Rosalyn Metz, in a themed issue of EDUCAUSE Quarterly that is wholly devoted to cloud computing issues, trends, and challenges. Read it and be ready for any discussion.

Key Takeways listed for this item include:

• The NIST definition of cloud computing is concise and uses industry-standard terms.
• Exploring the five characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models for the cloud in the NIST definition clarifies cloud concepts.
• Examples of cloud-based technologies explained in this article promote a better understanding of the cloud.
• The more informed IT departments are about the cloud, the better their position when making decisions about deploying, developing, and maintaining systems in the cloud.