The concept of cloud computing isn't new. References to cloud computing have been around since the 1960s, although at the time, "cloud" wasn't a part of the lexicon. Back then, using remote computing and processing elements was called "network-based."

Considering multiple enterprise providers-Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and IBM-latched onto the idea of using remote servers as a way to drive higher capacity computing in the mid-2000s, it's not surprising they are credited with the modern development of the cloud. Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud debuted in 2006; IBM's cluster computing, in cooperation with Google, arrived in 2007; Microsoft's Azure arrived in 2010; Google's Compute Engine came out in 2012.

Software as a service (SaaS) offerings, like Salesforce's CRM platform, helped accelerate cloud computing adoption in every industry and in every respect. SaaS opened the world up to the cloud and its ability to lower costs through usage-based purchasing, while still providing firepower equivalent to-or better than-on-premises options.