This book describes the landscape of cloud computing from first principles, leading the reader step-by-step through the process of building and configuring a cloud environment. The book considers the technologies for designing and creating cloud computing platforms, as well as the business models and frameworks in real-world implementation of cloud platforms. Emphasis is placed on "learning by doing," and readers are encouraged to experiment with a range of different tools and approaches.

Topics and features include review questions, hands-on exercises, study activities, and discussion topics throughout the text; demonstrations of the approaches used to build cloud computing infrastructures; reviews of the social, economic, and political aspects of the ongoing growth in cloud computing use; discussions of legal and security concerns in cloud computing; and examinations of techniques for appraisal.