What is Cloud Computing?
Definition
The delivery of computing resources (servers, storage, databases, networking) over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. Cloud computing eliminates the need for organizations to own and maintain physical data centers.
Related Terms
A cloud execution model where the provider dynamically manages server allocation and billing is based on actual compute time consumed. Developers write functions without provisioning infrastructure, though cold-start latency and vendor lock-in are trade-offs.
A lightweight virtualization method that packages an application and its dependencies into a portable container image. Docker and Kubernetes are the dominant tools in this space, enabling consistent deployments across any environment.
A software design where a single instance serves multiple customers (tenants) with logically isolated data. Multi-tenancy is the standard architecture for cloud SaaS because it reduces infrastructure costs and simplifies updates.