Cloud computing is defined by several key characteristics that differentiate it from traditional computing models. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), these essential characteristics are:
Essential Characteristics of Cloud Computing
Here's a breakdown of the five essential characteristics of cloud computing, as defined by NIST:
| Characteristic | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| On-demand Self-service | Users can access computing resources (like servers or storage) automatically, without needing human interaction with the service provider. | Spinning up a virtual machine or provisioning a storage bucket through a web portal. |
| Broad Network Access | Resources are available over the network and can be accessed through standard mechanisms by diverse client platforms (mobile phones, tablets, laptops). | Accessing cloud-based applications on a laptop via a web browser or on a mobile phone via a dedicated app. |
| Resource Pooling | The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple users using a multi-tenant model, with resources dynamically assigned and re-assigned based on demand. | Cloud providers using shared infrastructure to serve multiple customers, ensuring efficient resource utilization. |
| Rapid Elasticity | Resources can be rapidly scaled up or down (increased or decreased) as needed and in some cases, automatically, giving the appearance of infinite resources available for use. | A website experiencing a sudden traffic surge can automatically scale up its server capacity and automatically scale down as traffic subsides. |
| Measured Service | Cloud resource usage is tracked, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and the consumer. Usage can be monitored, and costs are often based on actual consumption. | Monitoring the amount of storage used and network bandwidth consumed, and receiving reports on the cost of each resource. |
Practical Insights
These characteristics provide several benefits to users:
- Flexibility and Scalability: Easily adjust resources based on demand, without the limitations of traditional infrastructure.
- Cost Efficiency: Pay only for what you use, leading to potentially lower costs.
- Accessibility: Access your applications and data from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Reduced Management Overhead: The cloud provider handles much of the underlying infrastructure management.
- Innovation: Allows businesses to quickly deploy and experiment with new technologies.
Conclusion
Understanding these five core characteristics helps users differentiate between cloud services and other IT solutions and is crucial in choosing the right cloud solutions.
