FREE
Force.com Platform Technical Whitepaper - Comprehensive Look at the World's Premier
Cloud Computing Platform from Salesforce.com
Cloud computing,
Software as a Service (SaaS), and
on-demand software are related terms that generally refer to hardware,
software applications, and services that are available for immediate use as
they execute somewhere in the cloud (the Internet). Cloud computing is
gaining popularity in the business world because it delivers unprecedented
levels of ease, productivity, and success.
Application providers that intend to build and offer cloud-based applications
must face many operational and technical challenges specific to cloud
computing. These challenges are so numerous and daunting that they have given
rise to cloud computing platforms—new application frameworks that
specifically address the unique demands required to create and deliver next
generation cloud-based applications.
Force.com is cloud computing for the enterprise. Using the Force.com
platform, private enterprises and commercial software providers alike can
quickly create and deliver custom business applications entirely over the
Internet, without any up-front software and hardware expenditures,
configuration, and ongoing maintenance hassles. And because the design of
Force.com meets all of the unique needs of cloud applications, providers can
easily deliver trusted, secure, configurable, and customizable services that
are multi-device capable and easy to upgrade and integrate with other
applications.
This
provides a
comprehensive look at the technology behind the Force.com platform that makes
production-class, enterprise-grade cloud applications possible today. You'll
learn about every facet in the design of Force.com, including the platform's
underlying infrastructure, its unique database layer, support for automated
business processing, open standards-based integration capabilities, application
user interface options, application development alternatives, and AppExchange,
the platform's application marketplace and distribution system.
the free Force.com platform white paper
and a set of quick start tutorials to get started building in the cloud.