This document provides an overview of cloud computing. It defines cloud computing as "a mechanism for delivering scalable business services that execute on a decentralized computing fabric composed of commodity software and hardware." The document discusses why organizations use cloud computing, including that it allows for faster infrastructure on demand, lower costs by moving to an operational expenditure model rather than capital expenditure, and the ability to focus on core business needs by making infrastructure "someone else's problem." It also outlines some of the major players in cloud computing and different cloud computing models including private, public, hybrid and community clouds. The document discusses concepts like cloud stratification, APIs, and virtualization. It provides examples of how Teradata delivers analytics capabilities in private, public and hybrid