Cloud computing is a buzz-word in today’s information technology (IT) that nobody can escape. But what is really behind it? There are many interpretations of this term, but no standardized or even uniform definition. Instead, as a result of the multi-faceted viewpoints and the diverse interests expressed by the various stakeholders, cloud computing is perceived as a rather fuzzy concept. With this book, the authors deliver an overview of cloud computing architecture, services, and applications. Their aim is to bring readers up to date on this technology and thus to provide a common basis for discussion, new research, and novel application scenarios. They first introduce the foundation of cloud computing with its basic technologies, such as virtualization and Web services. After that they discuss the cloud architecture and its service modules. The following chapters then cover selected commercial cloud offerings (including Amazon Web Services and Google App Engine) and management tools, and present current related open-source developments (including Hadoop, Eucalyptus, and Open CirrusTM). Next, economic considerations (cost and business models) are discussed, and an evaluation of the cloud market situation is given. Finally, the appendix contains some practical examples of how to use cloud resources or cloud applications, and a glossary provides concise definitions of key terms. The authors’ presentation does not require in-depth technical knowledge. It is equally intended as an introduction for students in software engineering, web technologies, or business development, for professional software developers or system architects, and for future-oriented decision-makers like top executives and managers.

"This book provides readers with comprehensive coverage of some of the latest tools and technologies in the digital industry coveragin a diverse range of applications and methodologies made possible in a world connected by the global network"--

The recent explosion of digital media, online networking, and e-commerce has generated great new opportunities for those Internet-savvy individuals who see potential in new technologies and can turn those possibilities into reality. It is vital for such forward-thinking innovators to stay abreast of all the latest technologies. Web-Based Services: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications provides readers with comprehensive coverage of some of the latest tools and technologies in the digital industry. The chapters in this multi-volume book describe a diverse range of applications and methodologies made possible in a world connected by the global network, providing researchers, computer scientists, web developers, and digital experts with the latest knowledge and developments in Internet technologies.

Advances in Web-based GIS, Mapping Services and Applications is published as part of ISPRS WG IV/5 effort, and aims at presenting (1) Recent technological advancements, e.g., new developments under Web 2.0, map mashups, neogeography and the like; (2) Balanced theoretical discussions and technical implementations; (3) Commentary on the current stage

Advances in Web-based GIS, Mapping Services and Applications is published as part of ISPRS WG IV/5 effort, and aims at presenting (1) Recent technological advancements, e.g., new developments under Web 2.0, map mashups, neogeography and the like; (2) Balanced theoretical discussions and technical implementations; (3) Commentary on the current stage

Web-based applications provide the power of desktop and server applications with the exibility and accessibility of the web. Using web browsers, users can securely access applications from anywhere within the reach of the company intranet or extranet. The special issue strives to explore the advanced web-based information systems and database applications in healthcare area. Healthcare organizations are undergoing major reorganizations and adjustments to meet the increasing demands of improved healthcare access and quality, as well as lowered costs. As the use of information technology to process medical data increases, much of the critical information necessary to meet these challenges is being stored in digital format. Web-enabled information technologies can provide the means for greater access and more effective integration of healthcare information from disparate computer applications and other information resources. This book presents studies from leading researchers and practitioners focusing on the current challenges, directions, trends, and opportunities associated with heal- care organizations and their strategic use of web-enabled technologies. Managing healthcare information systems with web-enabled technologies is an excellent ve- cle for understanding current and potential uses of Internet technology in the broad areas of healthcare and medical applications.

By introducing Semantic Web technologies into geospatial Web services, this book addresses the semantic description of geospatial data and standards-based Web services, discovery of geospatial data and services, and generation of composite services. Semantic descriptions for geospatial data, services, and geoprocessing service chains are structured, organized, and registered in geospatial catalogue services. The ontology-based approach helps to improve the recall and precision of data and services discovery. Semantics-enabled metadata tracking and satisfaction allows analysts to focus on the generation of a geospatial process model rather than spending large amounts of time in data preparation. “DataType”-driven service composition and path planning can help to automate a range of knowledge discovery processes in a limited geospatial domain. Process planning facilitates the construction of complex services and models for geocomputation. A three-phase procedure to cover the lifecycle of service chaining and to identify the roles of the methods involved is proposed. It includes process modeling, process model instantiation, and workflow execution. The approach is implemented in a prototype system with use cases to demonstrate applicability. The objective of the research is to develop the key technologies for an intelligent geospatial knowledge system based on Web services to automate the data discovery and data preprocessing steps in the distributed Web service environment, to automate a range of knowledge discovery processes in a limited geospatial domain, using the automated construction and execution of service chains, and to facilitate the construction of complex services and models for geocomputation.