Cloud Glossary

A range of cloud computing services offered by Amazon. Services include IaaS, PaaS and SaaS models of cloud computing. Popular AWS services include Amazon S3, Amazon Elastic Beanstalk, and Amazon EC2.

An application is simply another term for a software product. It is a computer program that permits a user to perform specific functions or tasks.

Application Programming Interface (API) is an interface that enables the user to access information from another service and integrate it into their own application. A set of defined requirements allows the requesting application to access limited parts of the functionality of the application that is requested. APIs are used to exchange limited functionality between programs. One example of an API is the Facebook Share button on this page, another is Yelp’s use of Google Maps to display nearby restaurants.

Big data is a broad term used to describe unconventional data sets whose size or complexity is either too large or too complex to be processed by traditional data processing techniques.

Backend as a Service (BaaS) is a model of cloud computing in which the operator provides tools and services to web and mobile application developers to build a cloud backend for their applications. Generally, BaaS vendors use custom SDKs and APIs to enable developers to connect their applications to backend cloud storage and features such as push notifications, user management, and social networking integration.

Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) is a type of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) that uses a cloud computing service model. While the goal of traditional BPO is to reduce labor costs, BPaaS reduces the number of employees through increased automation and thereby decreasing the cost of the process.

A cloud application is an external service or program that resides in the cloud or is hosted by third party computers. It facilitates remote computing by simulating some of the characteristics of remote desktop applications. You can access cloud applications through a web browser, and they do not consume any storage space on a user’s computer. Examples include Google Drive and Dropbox, which allow users to edit, store and share links, images and files.

Cloud as a Service relates to any resource made available to an end user over a network, typically the Internet. The most popular cloud service resources include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).

With a cloud backup, data is backed up to a remote, cloud-based server.

Cloud computing is the delivery of information technology services over a network, mostly the Internet. In the cloud computing model, date, infrastructure and software are managed by the provider and provided to the user as a service, similar to how a utility company supplies water or electricity.

A cloud management platform is a range of integrated software tools an organization can use to monitor and control cloud computing resources. A CMP provides administrative control over public, private, hybrid and multi-cloud deployments.

Cloud Migration describes the process of moving data, applications or other business elements into a cloud computing environment. A common model is to move applications and data from a local, on-premise data center to the cloud.

A Cloud Service Provider (CSP) is a company that provides a cloud computing service such as PaaS, IaaS, or SaaS to other businesses.

Cloud Storage is a service that allows customers to retain data by transferring it over the Internet or other network to an external storage system operated by a third party.

A container is a virtualization instance where an operating system kernel allows multiple isolated user-space instances. Unlike virtual machines (VMs), containers do not have to run a complete operating system (OS) image for each instance. Containers are actually able to run separate instances of an application within a single shared operating system.

DevOps is an abbreviation of “development and operations” and the combination of tasks performed by application development and systems operations teams. As a method of software development, DevOps focuses on communication, integration, and collaboration between developers and IT staff to streamline the processes of software development, delivery and support and improve product quality.

A hybrid cloud is a cloud computing environment that consists of a combination of private and public clouds and local solutions. Private and public cloud infrastructures remain separate, but the hybrid cloud ensures portability of data and services by connecting them without sacrificing their integrity.

Cloud infrastructure is a virtual infrastructure that is provided or made accessible over a network or the Internet. This normally refers to the on-demand services or products delivered through the model called Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Infrastructure as a Service is a model of cloud computing in which the provider hosts and provides computing resources, as well as network and storage functions to its customers.

An instance is a single virtual machine or server which supports a workload. On the majority of cloud platforms, users can choose from multiple instance types to determine the hardware that hosts the instance.

Load Balancing is the process of distributing computer workloads across multiple resources such as servers. In cloud computing, a load balancer acts as a reverse proxy, distributing application traffic across multiple servers to prevent a single application server from being a source of failure.

Microsoft Azure, once known as Windows Azure, is the cloud computing platform from Microsoft. Originally, Azure only offered a PaaS solution, but now supports both PaaS and IaaS options.

A multicloud enables the concurrent use of separate providers of cloud services for different infrastructure, platform and software uses. A multicloud strategy can help reduce provider lock-in and increase a company’s ability to manage different workloads and partners. However, using a multicloud approach can complicate processes such as security and governance.

On-premise means that a company maintains their entire IT environment (infrastructure, applications, etc.) on-site in their own data center, where they either manage it themselves or have it managed by a third party. However, cloud means that it is located off-site and someone else is responsible for monitoring and maintenance.

Open Source is a term that is derived from Open Source Software (OSS). It describes code that is available to the public which anyone can view, modify, and distribute as they wish. It is based on peer review and community production which makes it cheaper, more flexible, and more durable than proprietary products. Open Source has become a way of working that finds new ways to solve problems within communities and industries.

A model of cloud computing in which a provider offers the hardware and software tools as a service to create, deliver, and manage applications on a large scale over the Internet.

A private cloud infrastructure that is designed for the use by a single organization. A private cloud cabin can be on-premise or off-premise and is managed and operated either by the organization, a third-party, or a combination of both.

A public cloud is a cloud infrastructure hosted by a cloud services provider and made available to the public over the Internet.

Scalability in the cloud is the ability of a framework, process, or system to handle a growing workload. This means that a scalable system can be adapted to growing demands. You can scale horizontally (e.g., more instances, typically non-intrusive) or vertically (e.g., larger instances, potentially intrusive).

A model of cloud computing in which applications and software are hosted by a provider who delivers them to the user as a service. SaaS applications are licensed on a subscription basis.

Software Development Kit (SDK), or also known as Developer’s Toolkit or Devkit, is a set of development tools that supports or enables the creation of applications for a specific platform. SDKs generally include APIs, sample code, documentation, debuggers, and other utilities.

A virtual machine is a software computer that hosts an operating system or application environment, as well as physical hardware. Basically, a virtual machine is a machine within a machine. By running VMs, a hardware computer can run multiple instances of the same operating system.