The delivery of computing services including storage, processing power, and software applications over the internet rather than through local servers or personal devices.
The 'cloud' metaphor emerged from network diagrams where the internet was represented as a cloud shape to indicate an abstracted, complex system. Amazon Web Services popularized the business model in 2006, though the underlying concepts trace back to 1960s time-sharing systems.
Cloud computing represents one of the most significant shifts in IT since the personal computer, transforming technology from a capital expense to an operational one and enabling startups to access enterprise-level infrastructure instantly. The environmental impact is complex - while individual companies reduce energy use, overall computing consumption has increased dramatically.
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