Let’s think it through · Start with a story
A girl hears the word “cloud” and looks up at the sky. The robot points to a data center: programs still run on real machines.
Break down the process
- UserAccesses resources over a network
- Data centerServers, power, and networking
- Cloud serviceProvides computing and storage on demand
A cloud server is computing capacity provided as a service, but it still runs on physical hardware.
You can use a machine over the network without bringing it home. Virtualization and related technologies can divide and manage resources, allowing one physical machine to host multiple environments.
Depending on the service, data may also be replicated in several locations to improve availability.
Your turn
If your home internet goes down, does the distant cloud server necessarily shut down too?
Have an answer? Click to see the explanation
No. It may still be running normally; you just cannot reach it through that connection for a while.
Takeaway
A cloud server is computing capacity provided as a service, but it still runs on physical hardware.
Try covering the diagram and explaining each step to someone at home. If a step is hard to explain, go back and look at that card again.