Delivery of computing services—servers, storage, databases, networking—over the internet on demand.
Cloud computing delivers IT resources on demand over the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. Instead of owning and maintaining physical data centres, organisations access computing power, storage, and services from cloud providers. Cloud computing offers scalability, flexibility, and reduced capital expenditure. The three main service models are IaaS (infrastructure), PaaS (platform), and SaaS (software). Major providers include Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Cloud has transformed IT delivery. Understanding cloud models helps make informed decisions about where workloads should run. Most organisations now operate hybrid environments combining cloud and on-premises systems.