Video: How To Plug Into The CloudVideo: How To Plug Into The Cloud

In preparation for information's "How-To Guide To Cloud Computing," I set up my own account with Amazon Web Services. The process took about three minutes. I now know enough to be dangerous.If you've ever bought a book or gadget on Amazon, you're a few clicks away from opening your own AWS account. Amazon takes your existing account information, asks you to confirm your credit card choice and click on the license agreement, and you're good to go.

Of course, launching your first Amazon Machine Image is a long way from having an enterprise cloud computing strategy, and our how-to guide is intended to help you bridge that gap.

In the video below, I talk about some of the issues IT folks need to keep in mind as they delve into cloud computing for the first time. The video includes a segment with information editor in chief Rob Preston on Google CEO Eric Schmidt's proposal to fix the economy, a subject Rob wrote about in a recent column.