Cloud to push India job wave: Microsoft

Software giant Microsoft is changing fast from a provider of software sold in CDs or downloads to a “cloud computing” player that rents out applications and sees India as a key service centre in its emerging future.

“India will not only see a surge in consumption of cloud services but companies all over the world will look to India to support their transition to cloud computing,” Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corporation, told reporters in Delhi on Thursday.

Consulting firm Zinnov says cloud computing will be a $70 billion (Rs 3,28,260 crore) global business by 2015 and expects an additional 300,000 new cloud service jobs – involving customization and support -- in India over the next five years.

Cloud Basic

Cloud computing is the business of renting software from remote computers, usually over the Internet. Web-based e-mail services such as Gmail and online auction site eBay, are in fact, cloud services, but often, cloud computing is used to denote the renting of corporate software.