noun

cloud computing

KLOWD kuhm-PYOO-ting

Cloud computing (noun) means the practice of using computers, storage and software that belong to someone else and are reached over the internet, paying for what is used instead of owning and running the machines yourself. Example: “The company moved its systems to cloud computing and closed its own server room.”

noun

The practice of using computers, storage and software that belong to someone else and are reached over the internet, paying for what is used instead of owning and running the machines yourself.

"The company moved its systems to cloud computing and closed its own server room."

"Cloud computing lets a small team handle a sudden surge in traffic without buying hardware."

computing The industry and set of services built on that practice, including rented servers, storage, databases and software delivered over a network.

"Cloud computing now accounts for most of the firm's technology budget."

How to Use Cloud computing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsing someone else's computers over the internet instead of your own.

When to use it

Standard in business and technology writing; the cloud is the everyday short form.

Memory tip

Cloud computing is uncountable; say cloud services or cloud providers when a plural is needed.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

cloud storage data centre hosting → edge computing

Common pairings

move to cloud computing cloud computing provider public cloud cloud infrastructure

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The company moved its systems to _____ and closed its own server room.

Etymology

From cloud, long used in network diagrams as a symbol for a network whose internal detail is not shown, and computing.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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the cloud hosted computing on-demand computing utility computing cloud services cloud infrastructure

Antonyms

on-premises computing

Rhymes for cloud computing

outing routing pouting spouting scouting shouting saluting computing polluting sprouting disputing commuting

See all rhymes for cloud computing →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the cloud actually?

In data centres: large buildings full of real computers, owned by providers and connected to the internet. Nothing is stored in the sky; the word cloud only reflects that the customer does not need to know which machine in which building is doing the work.

What is the difference between cloud computing and cloud storage?

Cloud storage is about keeping files on someone else's machines and fetching them back. Cloud computing is broader and includes running programs, databases and whole systems on those machines, with storage being one part of it.

What do IaaS, PaaS and SaaS mean?

They describe how much of the stack the provider looks after. IaaS supplies bare machines, networks and disks; PaaS supplies a ready environment to run your code in; SaaS supplies finished software you simply log into, such as a webmail service.