Cloud computing refers to the use of hosted services delivered over an internet connection to support business applications and processes. These services are accessed via a thin client interface or through a program interface, providing the end user with application capabilities without needing to install or manage underlying infrastructure components including network, servers, operating systems and storage capacity. Cloud applications are typically hosted in large, modern, efficient and secure data centers located around the world to ensure performance, security and availability.
Companies move to the cloud to optimize IT costs and free up staff to focus on the business. This includes moving from capital expenditures (purchasing hardware and software) to operational expenses (monthly, quarterly or annual fees for computing and storage). In addition, cloud solutions can enable global operations by removing the cost of running onsite datacenters in different regions.
For development teams adopting agile or DevOps practices, the cloud offers scalable on-demand resources for rapid provisioning of testing environments, reducing bottlenecks and enabling faster time to market. It also provides the cost-effective, geographically distributed redundancy required for disaster recovery applications by hosting backup sites in multiple locations.
The types of cloud computing models available depend on the IT needs of each organization. Options include infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). There’s even a newer model that provides developers with the tools to develop, run, scale and maintain applications on their own, without the need for any management infrastructure—called serverless computing.