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What is cloud computing?

7 cited papers · March 16, 2026 · Powered by Researchly AI

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Cloud computing is a paradigm for hosting and delivering services over the Internet, eliminating the need for users to plan ahead for provisioning and allowing…

Cloud computing is a paradigm for hosting and delivering services over the Internet, eliminating the need for users to plan ahead for provisioning and allowing enterprises to scale resources on demand.12Zhang et al. (2010)1It builds on decades of research in virtualization, distributed computing, utility computing, networking, web, and software services, implying a service-oriented architecture, reduced IT overhead, great flexibility, and reduced total cost of ownership.2

Vouk (2008)

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Cloud computing: state-of-the-art and research challengesQi Zhang, Cheng Lü et al.2010Journal of Internet Services and Applications
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2
Cloud Computing: Distributed Internet Computing for IT and Scientific ResearchMarios D. Dikaiakos, Dimitrios Katsaros et al.2009IEEE Internet Computing
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  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) — Provides IT infrastructure as a service to end-users under a usage-based payment model, allowing virtualized services to be leveraged on the fly based on workload patterns and QoS requirements.
12Calheiros et al. (2010)1
  • Software as a Service (SaaS) / Platform as a Service (PaaS) — Core service models offered by cloud providers alongside IaaS, enabling software and platforms to be delivered over the network.
2Maaz et al. (2023)2
  • On-Demand Provisioning — Cloud computing streamlines the on-demand provisioning of software, hardware, and data as a service, achieving economies of scale in IT solutions' deployment and operation.
31Dikaiakos et al. (2009)3
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CloudSim: a toolkit for modeling and simulation of cloud computing environments and evaluation of resource provisioning algorithmsRodrigo N. Calheiros, Rajiv Ranjan et al.2010Software Practice and Experience
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Development Of Service Deployment Models In Private CloudMohammed Maaz, Md Akif Ahmed et al.2023Journal of Scientific Research and Technology
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Cloud Computing: Distributed Internet Computing for IT and Scientific ResearchMarios D. Dikaiakos, Dimitrios Katsaros et al.2009IEEE Internet Computing
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Diagram
+------------------+ Internet +----------------------+
| End Users / | <-------------------> | Cloud Provider |
| Mobile Devices | | +----------------+ |
+------------------+ | | SaaS Layer | |
 | +----------------+ |
 | | PaaS Layer | |
 | +----------------+ |
 | | IaaS Layer | |
 | +----------------+ |
 | | Virtualization | |
 | +----------------+ |
 | | Data Centers | |
 | +----------------+ |
 +----------------------+
Table
AspectDescription
Service ModelsIaaS, PaaS, SaaS — covering infrastructure, platforms, and software delivery
Deployment ModelsPublic, Private, and Hybrid clouds; private clouds restrict access to authorized users within an organization
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Several outstanding issues exist in cloud computing, particularly related to SLAs, security and privacy, and power efficiency, as well as ownership, data transfer bottlenecks, performance unpredictability, reliability, and software licensing. Dikaiakos et al. (2009)1Additionally, evaluating the performance of cloud provisioning policies and resource models in a repeatable manner under varying system configurations remains a significant challenge.2
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Cloud Computing: Distributed Internet Computing for IT and Scientific ResearchMarios D. Dikaiakos, Dimitrios Katsaros et al.2009IEEE Internet Computing
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2
CloudSim: a toolkit for modeling and simulation of cloud computing environments and evaluation of resource provisioning algorithmsRodrigo N. Calheiros, Rajiv Ranjan et al.2010Software Practice and Experience
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  • Cloud computing eliminates the need for upfront resource provisioning, allowing enterprises to scale on demand.
12345
  • It is built on foundational technologies including virtualization, distributed computing, and utility computing.
23
  • The three primary service models are IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, each serving different user needs.
  • Open challenges include security, privacy, SLA management, and performance unpredictability.
3
1
Cloud computing: state-of-the-art and research challengesQi Zhang, Cheng Lü et al.2010Journal of Internet Services and Applications
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2
Cloud Computing � Issues, Research and ImplementationsMladen A. Vouk2008Journal of Computing and Information Technology
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3
Cloud Computing: Distributed Internet Computing for IT and Scientific ResearchMarios D. Dikaiakos, Dimitrios Katsaros et al.2009IEEE Internet Computing
View
4
CloudSim: a toolkit for modeling and simulation of cloud computing environments and evaluation of resource provisioning algorithmsRodrigo N. Calheiros, Rajiv Ranjan et al.2010Software Practice and Experience
View
5
A view of cloud computingMichael Armbrust, Armando Fox et al.2010Communications of the ACM
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  1. "Comparison of public, private, and hybrid cloud deployment models"
  2. "Security and privacy challenges in cloud computing environments"
  3. "Cloud computing service provisioning and resource management"

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