What is Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing

1. Definition

Cloud computing is the on‑demand delivery of computing resources over the internet. These resources include servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics. Instead of owning hardware, organizations and individuals rent resources from cloud providers, paying only for what they use.

2. Core Principles

• Resource Pooling: Providers aggregate massive computing resources (CPU, memory, storage, bandwidth) into shared pools. These are dynamically allocated to multiple customers (multi‑tenancy).
• Virtualization: Physical hardware is abstracted into multiple virtual machines (VMs) or containers using hypervisors (VMware ESXi, KVM, Hyper‑V). This allows isolation, scalability, and efficient use of hardware.
• Hardware Partitioning: Large servers are sliced into logical units (CPU cores, memory blocks, storage volumes). Each tenant gets isolated resources, even though they share the same physical machine.
• Elasticity: Resources can scale up or down instantly depending on demand.
• Measured Service: Usage is metered (compute hours, storage GB, bandwidth), enabling pay‑as‑you‑go pricing.

3. Deployment Models

• Public Cloud: Shared infrastructure, open to anyone.
• Private Cloud: Dedicated infrastructure for one organization.
• Hybrid Cloud: Mix of public and private.
• Multi‑Cloud: Using multiple providers simultaneously.

Cloud Computing Products & Services

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

• What it is: Raw computing resources delivered over the internet.
• Products/Services:
  • Virtual Machines (VMs)
  • Block/Object Storage
  • Networking (load balancers, firewalls, VPNs)

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)

• What it is: Platforms for developers to build, test, and deploy applications without managing servers.
• Products/Services:
  • Managed Databases
  • Application Hosting
  • Middleware & APIs

3. Software as a Service (SaaS)

• What it is: End‑user applications delivered via the cloud.
• Products/Services:
  • Productivity suites
  • CRM systems
  • Collaboration tools

4. Container as a Service (CaaS)

• What it is: Container orchestration and management services.
• Products/Services:
  • Kubernetes clusters
  • Docker container hosting

5. Function as a Service (FaaS / Serverless)

• What it is: Event‑driven execution of code without managing servers.
• Products/Services:
  • Serverless compute functions