Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services, such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet. This makes it possible to innovate faster, use resources more flexibly, and save money by using more of them at once. Users can access these shared resources whenever they want from a cloud provider’s data centers. They only pay for what they use, not for building physical infrastructure. NIST calls this model a “paradigm” for making network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources available to everyone, anytime, and on-demand. Since the 2000s, providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have led the way in adopting it. ​
The technology connects user devices to a back-end of virtualized servers and storage that the provider manages from a central location through a front-end interface. The system automatically scales, applies security patches, and balances loads by dynamically allocating resources from a pooled infrastructure when needed, like for processing power or data backups. This takes away the problems of buying, maintaining, and planning for hardware capacity, which lets businesses quickly respond to changes in the market. ​
Service models group services by how abstract they are. For example, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) gives users full control over software by providing virtual machines and storage. Platform as a Service (PaaS) gives developers managed middleware and development environments. Software as a Service (SaaS) gives users ready-to-use apps like Salesforce or Google Workspace. Deployment is different as well. Public clouds serve many tenants to save money, private clouds offer dedicated isolation, and hybrid setups combine both for compliance and burst capacity. ​
Benefits drive widespread use, such as huge cost savings by switching from capital to operational expenses, the ability to quickly scale up to handle traffic spikes, and better collaboration through access from anywhere. Built-in AI and analytics tools speed up digital transformation, and security features like encryption and compliance certifications are as good as or better than those found in on-premises setups. The global cloud market will be worth more than $600 billion by 2025, which shows how important it is to modern IT strategies.
