SharePoint Online in Azure Platform.

Thought of briefing the Microsoft Cloud technology and Azure platform and how SharePoint Online relates with Azure, check below article.


Cloud computing


Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand, like a public utility.


The term cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawing used in the past to represent the telephone network, and later to depict the Internet in computer network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents. Typical cloud computing providers deliver common business applications online which are accessed from another web service or software like a web browser, while the software and data are stored on servers.


The majority of cloud computing infrastructure consists of reliable services delivered through data centers and built on servers.


In general, cloud computing customers do not own the physical infrastructure, instead avoiding capital expenditure by renting usage from a third-party provider. They consume resources as a service and pay only for resources that they use. Many cloud-computing offerings employ the utility computing model, which is analogous to how traditional utility services (such as electricity) are consumed, whereas others bill on a subscription basis. Sharing "perishable and intangible" computing power among multiple tenants can improve utilization rates, as servers are not unnecessarily left idle (which can reduce costs significantly while increasing the speed of application development). A side-effect of this approach is that overall computer usage rises dramatically, as customers do not have to engineer for peak load limits.[12] In addition, "increased high-speed bandwidth" makes it possible to receive the same response times from centralized infrastructure at other sites.


Layers


Client


A cloud client consists of computer hardware and/or computer software that relies on cloud computing for application delivery, or that is specifically designed for delivery of cloud services and that, in either case, is essentially useless without it. Examples include some computers, phones and other devices, operating systems and browsers.


Application


Cloud application services or "Software as a Service (SaaS)" deliver software as a service over the Internet, eliminating the need to install and run the application on the customer's own computers and simplifying maintenance and support. Key characteristics include:


Network-based access to, and management of, commercially available (i.e., not custom) software


Activities that are managed from central locations rather than at each customer's site, enabling customers to access applications remotely via the Web


Application delivery that typically is closer to a one-to-many model (single instance, multi-tenant architecture) than to a one-to-one model, including architecture, pricing, partnering, and management characteristics


Centralized feature updating, which obviates the need for downloadable patches and upgrades.


Platform


Cloud platform services or "Platform as a Service (PaaS)" deliver a computing platform and/or solution stack as a service, often consuming cloud infrastructure and sustaining cloud applications. It facilitates deployment of applications without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software layers.


Infrastructure


Cloud infrastructure services or "Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)" delivers computer infrastructure, typically a platform virtualization environment as a service. Rather than purchasing servers, software, data center space or network equipment, clients instead buy those resources as a fully outsourced service. The service is typically billed on a utility computing basis and amount of resources consumed (and therefore the cost) will typically reflect the level of activity. It is an evolution of virtual private server offerings.


Server


The servers layer consists of computer hardware and/or computer software products that are specifically designed for the delivery of cloud services, including multi-core processors, cloud-specific operating systems and combined offerings.






Azure Services Platform


Microsoft's Windows Azure Platform is a cloud platform offering that "provides a wide range of Internet services that can be consumed from both on-premises environments or the Internet"[1] (though the platform itself is not made available for on-premises deployments. It is significant in that it is Microsoft's first step into cloud computing following the launch of the Microsoft Online Services offering.




The Azure Services Platform is a combination of different technologies in the cloud:


• Windows Azure: A Windows based runtime for applications with the possibility to store data.


• .NET Services: The services offer interfaces for access control, communication and workflows.


• SQL Services: The services offer an interface for storing data.


• Live Services: The services offer a framework where you can access the Microsoft Live applications and their data.


• SharePoint Services & Dynamics CRM Services: These services offer functionality for collaboration. All technologies from the Azure Services Platform can be used independently or together.





So in general we have applications running on platforms consisting of an operation system like Windows and a runtime environment like .NET. The application itself is developed with an IDE like Visual Studio. The system with the application is part of an environment consisting of


• Mechanisms for persisting data (SQL Server, SharePoint lists)


• Communication and processes (BizTalk Server)


• Identity management (Active Directory).


Most companies today use on-premise software which means the software is running on an infrastructure inside the companies buildings.




Another kind of application platform is the Cloud Platform where Cloud Services are running which can be divided into the following categories:


• Software as a Service (SaaS): The application runs in the cloud and can be operated by the browser. (like an online CRM system)


• Attached Services: The application runs in house and uses additional services from the cloud. (like Windows Update)


• Cloud Services: On-premise software or applications from the cloud are enhanced with additional functionalities.


The combination of on-premise Software and Cloud Services is called Software + Services (S+S) which just means software running on an infrastructure in house plus additional functionalities from the cloud.




Microsoft SharePoint Online


Microsoft SharePoint Online is part of the Microsoft Online Services which contains:


• Business Services

Customer management: Dynamics CRM Online (SaaS)


• Compliance
Protection & preservation for e-mail: Exchange Hosted Services (S+S)


• Communications Web Conferencing: Office Live Meeting (SaaS)


E-mail & shared calendars, contacts: Exchange Online (SaaS)


• Collaboration

Centralized resources & workflow management: SharePoint Online (SaaS)


IM & Presence Awareness (coming soon): Office Communications Online (SaaS)


As you can see SharePoint Online is just a part of a whole suite offered by Microsoft.


What is Microsoft SharePoint Service?


Microsoft Says


In the future, developers will have access to SharePoint functionality in the Azure Services Platform (“Microsoft SharePoint Services”). With the flexibility to use familiar developer tools like Visual Studio, developers will be able to rapidly build applications that utilize SharePoint capabilities as building blocks for their own applications. Developers can expect a breadth of SharePoint capabilities across the spectrum of on-premises, Online and the Azure Services Platform.


Referece
http://andreasglaser.net/post/2009/01/27/Microsoft-SharePoint-Online-Microsoft-SharePoint-Services-and-the-Azure-Services-Platform-SharePoint-in-the-cloud.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azure_Services_Platform