Understand what cloud computing is and its significance in modern IT infrastructure.
Cloud Computing is a paradigm shift in how we access and use technology resources. At its core, it is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet ('the cloud'). This model offers faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. Instead of hosting your own infrastructure, you can rent access to these services from a cloud provider. The key value proposition lies in its on-demand nature. Businesses no longer need to make large upfront investments in hardware and spend time managing it. Instead, they can provision the exact type and size of computing resources they need, almost instantly, and pay only for what they use. This agility allows organizations to scale their operations up or down in response to business needs, reducing waste and optimizing costs. It empowers developers and IT departments to focus on strategic business goals rather than the undifferentiated heavy lifting of infrastructure management, fostering a culture of experimentation and rapid development.