Smart grid is an idea of upgradation of the traditional electric grid infrastructure. The efficiency of the existing electrical grid can be automated by integrating with innovative technical equipment such as: high-tech forecasting system, digital sensors, advanced two-way communication and two-way power flow systems. Smart grid establishes an interface between utility and consumer which helps to use energy, based on the preferences of price, eco-friendly and without technical system issues. It empowers the grid to be more secure, reliable and efficient. The peer-reviewed articles and published government reports have been reviewed, based on the analysis of technical characteristics of power generation systems, eco-friendly sources of power generations, cost reduction, functionality and design of traditional grid versus smart grid. Furthermore, the innovative technologies that enable the grid to integrate with decentralized power generation system efficiently have been considered. This paper claims that in this modern era, it is arduous for traditional grid to fulfill the rising demand of electricity, along with sustainable, eco-friendly and stable power supply, as it cannot be efficiently integrated with decentralized and localized power generation systems and renewable energy sources. The result of this paper shows that decentralized and localized power generation systems are located close to end-users which decrease the transmission and supply cost of electricity. Innovative technologies allow the decentralized and localized power generation systems to be integrated with renewable energy sources which help to reduce the cost of utility services and provide clean energy. Moreover, technological advancement played a decisive role in enabling the electrical system to be more efficient. Electrical reliability can be improved, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced, renewable energy sources can efficiently be integrated, and rising demand for electricity can be How to cite this paper: Bhatti, H.J. and Danilovic, M.

Abstract-InformationTechnology industry has been using the traditional relational databases for about 40 years. However, in the most recent years, there was a substantial conversion in the IT industry in terms of commercial applications. Stand-alone applications have been replaced with electronic applications, committed servers with various appropriate servers and devoted storage with system storage. Lower fee, flexibility, the model of pay-as-you-go are the main reasons, which caused the distributed computing are turned into reality. This is one of the most significant revolutions in Information Technology, after the emergence of the Internet. Cloud databases, Big Table, Sherpa, and SimpleDB are getting to be more familiar to communities. They highlighted the obstacles of current social databases in terms of usability, flexibility, and provisioning. Cloud databases are essentially employed for informationescalated applications, such as storage and mining of huge data or commercial data. These applications are flexible and multipurpose in nature. Numerous valuebased information administration applications, like banking, online reservation, e-trade and inventory administration, etc. are produced. Databases with the support of these types of applications have to include four important features: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID), although employing these databases is not simple for using in the cloud. The goal of this paper is to find out the advantages and disadvantages of databases widely employed in cloud systems and to review the challenges in developing cloud databases.

The depletion of fossil fuels, increased environmental concerns, rising cost and the demand for clean energy are causing the transformation of energy generation and distribution system, to shift towards the consumption side. Electricity generation sources and distribution systems are drifting from non-renewable to renewable, centralized to decentralized and localized, and traditional grid systems to smart grid systems. New technologies nurture the concept of transformation of energy firms, all the way from energy production to electricity consumption. Smart grid systems are one of the disruptive and emerging technologies that might influence the entire electricity system. This disruptive technology demands a new business model which can be used to commercialize the new power distribution system and thus create value for all stakeholders, from production to consumption. The Smart grid has the potential to revolutionize the electricity industry if it is commercialized successfully. It allows information and communication technology firms to contribute with their modern technology to empower their consumers to regulate the usage of electricity. To investigate the reasons for shifting from the old to the new energy system, the impact of this disruptive technology on energy providing firms, the demand for the new business model and the approach of the new business model in terms of creating and capturing values published peer-reviewed articles, and international energy agency reports have been reviewed. This paper encourages energy providing firms to redesign business models for commercializing new energy distribution system and to offer new services to the energy consumers for their future survival in the new trends of the energy market. These services include integrating with renewable energy sources, electric vehicle services, and demand response services to create more value for the consumers and in return gains more profit for each actor. The services provided through integration of renewable energy with smart grid and the electric vehicle will empower consumers involvement in the How to cite this paper: Bhatti, H.J. and Danilovic, M.