This book describes the landscape of cloud computing from first principles, leading the reader step-by-step through the process of building and configuring a cloud environment. The book not only considers the technologies for designing and creating cloud computing platforms, but also the business models and frameworks in real-world implementation of cloud platforms. Emphasis is placed on "learning by doing," and readers are encouraged to experiment with a range of different tools and approaches. Topics and features: includes review questions, hands-on exercises, study activities and discussion topics throughout the text; demonstrates the approaches used to build cloud computing infrastructures; reviews the social, economic, and political aspects of the on-going growth in cloud computing use; discusses legal and security concerns in cloud computing; examines techniques for the appraisal of financial investment into cloud computing; identifies areas for further research within this rapidly-moving field.