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Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services via the internet rather than through local servers or personal devices. Servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence are all examples of computing services. These services are transferred outside of an organization's firewall and are available over the internet. Cloud computing reduces operating expenses and enables efficient scaling because consumers pay on an as-needed or pay-per-use basis.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CLOUD COMPUTING
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), all true cloud environments have five key characteristics:

• On-demand self-service: Cloud customers can easily sign up for, pay for, and begin using cloud resources without the assistance of a sales professional.
• Customers can access cloud services through a wide network, such as the internet.
• Resource pooling occurs when multiple types of consumers (individuals, organizations, or departments within an organization) use the same servers, storage, or other computing resources.
• Rapid flexibility or expansion: Cloud users can simply scale up or down their utilization of resources as their needs change.
• Measured service: Instead of purchasing hardware or software up ahead, customers pay for the number of resources they use in a certain period of time. (It should be noted that in a private cloud, this metered service usually entails some type of chargebacks in which IT keeps track of how many resources different departments within an organization use.)