Cloud computing is a technique for supplying computer facilities and providing access to software via the Internet. Cloud computing represents a contextual shift in how computers are provisioned and accessed. One of the defining characteristics of cloud software service is the transfer of control from the client domain to the service provider. Another is that the client benefits from economy of scale on the part of the provider. Cloud computing is particularly attractive to small and medium-sized educational institutions, because it represents a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than alternative modalities.