What is "cloud" or "cloud computing"?

"Cloud computing" simply refers to the provision of computing services—such as servers, storage, databases, software, networking, analytics, and artificial intelligence—over the internet (the "cloud").

Instead of owning and operating your own IT infrastructure, you access these services as needed from a cloud provider (such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud). You typically only pay for the services you use.

Think of it like this:

Instead of having a huge library of books in your home (which represents traditional IT infrastructure), you can borrow only the books you need from a public library (the cloud) and pay a small subscription or borrowing fee.

There are three main types of cloud service models:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

 Provides you access to underlying computing resources—such as virtual servers, storage, and networking. You control the operating system and applications, while the provider manages the underlying infrastructure.

Platform as a Service (PaaS):

Provides you with an environment to develop, run, and manage applications without having to manage the infrastructure. The provider provides the operating system, development tools, and databases.

Software as a Service (SaaS):

Provides you with ready-to-use software applications over the internet. You don't need to install or manage anything; everything is handled by the provider (such as Gmail or Dropbox).

There are three main cloud deployment models:

Public cloud: 

Provided by a third party and available to the general public over the internet.

Private cloud: 

Used exclusively by a single organization and can be located in a private data center or hosted by a third party.

Hybrid cloud:

Combines public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them.

The benefits of using cloud computing are numerous, including:

Cost savings: 

You don't need to invest large sums in hardware and infrastructure.

Flexibility and scalability: 

You can easily increase or decrease your resources as needed.

Accessibility: 

You can access your data and applications from anywhere, at any time, with an internet connection.

Reliability: 

Cloud providers often offer better backup and data recovery.

Security: 

Cloud providers invest heavily in security measures to protect your data.