Cold chain logistics system based on cloud computing

SUMMARY All information technology (IT) resources that cloud computing provide can be seen as services. As a new IT implementation, cloud computing now has a profound impact on technological change. Cloud computing can provide critical software for business management, reducing IT and maintenance costs for hardware and software effectively. It can also enable small and medium enterprises to have access to professional IT solutions with less IT investment. The cold chain logistics system based on cloud computing can be used to connect the database between cold chain logistics and external customers, so that each database connection terminal can keep track of and update the data. A cold chain logistics system based on cloud computing is designed in this paper. This system consists of six functional parts: (1) data collection; (2) data calculation; (3) data updating and transmission; (4) configuration management; (5) control strategy; and (6) business development. It brings better cooperation between cold chain logistics and their customers, realizes co‐control of product sales information, accelerates the speed of cold chain logistics and maximizes the interests of all parties. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.