CloudComputingPlattformen

Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources, such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services. Resources are provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction, often on a pay-as-you-go basis. The model supports scalable IT capabilities that can be adjusted rapidly to match demand, reducing the need for large upfront investments in hardware and facilities.

Cloud services are commonly described in three fundamental models. IaaS provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, including servers and storage. PaaS offers a platform for developing, running, and managing applications without worrying about underlying infrastructure. SaaS delivers software applications accessed via the web. Deployment models include public clouds, private clouds, hybrid clouds, and community clouds, each with different ownership and access arrangements.

Key characteristics defined by standards include on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. Benefits often cited are reduced capital expenditure, scalable capacity, global reach, and simplified maintenance. Organizations must address security and privacy, regulatory compliance, data localization, vendor lock-in, and potential performance variability when relying on external providers.

Cloud computing emerged from earlier utility computing concepts and gained wide adoption in the mid-2000s. Leading providers include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and IBM Cloud. Common use cases cover data storage and archiving, high-performance and batch computing, software development and testing, content delivery, and disaster recovery. While offering flexibility, cloud computing also requires clear governance, risk management, and interoperability considerations.