What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services-like servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics-over the internet (“the cloud”) instead of using a local computer or on‑premises hardware. You access these resources on demand, paying only for what you use.

Let's break it down

  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Rent virtual machines, storage, and networks (e.g., Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine).
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS): Use a ready‑made platform to develop, run, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying hardware (e.g., Heroku, Azure App Service).
  • Software as a Service (SaaS): Access complete applications through a web browser (e.g., Gmail, Dropbox, Salesforce).
  • Public, Private, and Hybrid Clouds: Public clouds are shared resources from a provider; private clouds are dedicated to one organization; hybrid clouds combine both.

Why does it matter?

  • Cost Efficiency: No need to buy and maintain expensive hardware; you pay only for what you use.
  • Scalability: Quickly add or remove resources to match traffic spikes or slow periods.
  • Accessibility: Work from anywhere with an internet connection.
  • Speed of Innovation: Developers can spin up environments instantly, speeding up testing and deployment.

Where is it used?

  • Web and Mobile Apps: Hosting back‑ends, databases, and APIs.
  • Data Storage & Backup: Storing files, media, and disaster‑recovery copies.
  • Big Data & AI: Running large‑scale analytics and machine‑learning workloads.
  • Enterprise IT: Replacing on‑premises servers for email, collaboration tools, and internal applications.
  • Gaming & Streaming: Delivering content to millions of users with low latency.

Good things about it

  • Flexibility: Choose the exact services you need and adjust them on the fly.
  • Reliability: Major providers offer high uptime guarantees and automatic failover.
  • Global Reach: Deploy resources close to users worldwide for faster performance.
  • Security Updates: Providers handle patches and security hardening for the underlying infrastructure.

Not-so-good things

  • Ongoing Costs: Pay‑as‑you‑go can become expensive if resources aren’t monitored.
  • Vendor Lock‑in: Moving workloads to another provider may be complex and costly.
  • Internet Dependence: Service is unavailable if you lose internet connectivity.
  • Shared Responsibility: While providers secure the cloud, you must still secure your data and applications.