This document discusses cloud computing and its key characteristics such as being elastic, scalable, utilizing virtualization, and being economic and ecologic. It mentions different cloud service models like SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS. The document also refers to cloud computing being powered by service-oriented architecture and using databases, clients, computer networks, application servers, and control nodes. It concludes by stating that technology companies dominating the cloud will be the real actors of the future, as noted by Hugh Macleod.