The document discusses the definition and history of cloud computing. It notes that the term "cloud" originated from depictions of computer networks as stylized clouds in diagrams. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides a widely cited definition of cloud computing that describes its essential characteristics, service models, and deployment models. The document then discusses the benefits, drivers, inhibitors and taxonomy of cloud computing, as well as market trends and the declining cost of data storage over time.