Cloud computing is the delivery of computing resources, including servers, storage, databases and networking, over the internet on demand, typically with pay-as-you-go pricing.
Why it matters
Instead of buying hardware and waiting weeks for delivery, you create resources in minutes and delete them when finished. This makes it easy to scale for traffic spikes, run in several regions and pay only for what you use.
The provider operates the data centers and physical hardware, while you manage what you deploy on top. How much you manage depends on the service model: IaaS, PaaS or SaaS.
Example
A startup launches a web app on a cloud provider using two small virtual machines and a managed database. During a marketing campaign it raises the machine count to ten for a week, then lowers it again, paying only for the extra hours used.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the cloud is automatically highly available. You still have to design for failures across zones.
- Leaving unused resources running and being surprised by the bill.
- Treating the provider's security as total; under the shared responsibility model, configuration is yours.
Related
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
- PaaS (Platform as a Service)
- SaaS (Software as a Service)
- Region and Availability Zone
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This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.