What is IT Cloud
2026-10-27
IT Cloud, or simply “Cloud,” is the world’s most widely used model for consuming IT resources. Unlike the traditional approach, in which hardware and software are deployed entirely within the user’s own environment—for example, in the company’s data center—the cloud model involves delegating some IT infrastructure management and maintenance functions to a specialized third-party company: a cloud provider.
An IT cloud environment can include virtual servers, data storage systems, and virtual networks, as well as a wide range of related services—from backup and disaster recovery to the protection of customer data.
The main advantage for users is the flexibility of consuming IT resources as on-demand services that can be scaled without increasing the customer’s capital expenditure. Cloud environments are generally classified by deployment model as public, private, or hybrid clouds. By service model, they are divided into IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), SaaS (Software as a Service), and their many derivatives.