A cloud computing provider supplies network-accessible computing capabilities—such as servers, storage, networks, applications, and services—from a shared pool that can be provisioned and released on demand. The customer uses those capabilities; the provider operates the underlying cloud resources.
What does “cloud computing provider” mean?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines cloud computing as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.” The definition appears in NIST Special Publication 800-145, published in September 2011, by Peter Mell and Tim Grance. Read NIST SP 800-145.
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A cloud computing provider, also called a cloud service provider (CSP), is the organization that makes those capabilities available and manages the cloud environment behind them. “Cloud provider” describes a role, not one particular product or service type: a provider might offer software, a development platform, infrastructure, or more than one of these.
How is cloud computing different from simply using a computer?
Owning a computer or accessing a remote computer over the internet does not, by itself, establish that a service is cloud computing. The defining idea is that a consumer can access configurable resources from a shared pool and provision or release them with limited management effort or provider interaction. A remote service that lacks those capabilities may be hosted or internet-accessible without meeting the NIST framework for cloud computing.
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In a pooled environment, physical and virtual resources serve multiple consumers and are assigned or reassigned as demand changes. Customers typically do not know the exact physical location of the resources, though a provider may offer a higher-level location choice such as a country or data center.
Five characteristics to look for
NIST identifies five characteristics that help distinguish cloud computing from other ways of delivering IT capabilities. NIST SP 800-145 describes them as follows:
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- On-demand self-service: A consumer can provision capabilities such as server time or network storage automatically, without needing a person at the provider to handle each request.
- Broad network access: Capabilities are available over a network through standard mechanisms and can be used from different kinds of client devices.
- Resource pooling: The provider’s physical and virtual resources serve multiple consumers and are dynamically assigned or reassigned. The consumer generally sees the service rather than the exact physical resource location.
- Rapid elasticity: Resources can scale out or in as demand changes, sometimes automatically. The capacity available to the consumer may appear flexible.
- Measured service: Resource use is metered at an appropriate level so the provider and consumer can monitor, control, and report usage. NIST notes that use is typically billed or charged according to consumption, but billing arrangements vary by offering.
These characteristics are a recognition framework, not a checklist that makes every borderline case obvious. For a closer assessment of whether a capability fits the NIST definition, see NIST SP 500-322, Evaluation of Cloud Computing Services Based on NIST SP 800-145, published in 2018.
What does a cloud provider deliver? SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS
Service models describe the type of capability offered and how much of the technology stack the customer controls. NIST’s three models are:
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| Service model | What the customer uses or controls | What the provider manages |
|---|---|---|
| Software as a Service (SaaS) | The customer uses the provider’s application, commonly through a browser or program interface. | The provider runs the application and manages the underlying infrastructure. |
| Platform as a Service (PaaS) | The customer deploys applications on the provider-supported platform and controls those deployed applications. | The provider manages the underlying infrastructure and platform. |
| Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) | The customer provisions computing resources such as processing, storage, and networks, then can run software including operating systems and applications. | The provider manages the underlying cloud infrastructure. |
The term “cloud provider” is not synonymous with IaaS. To understand a particular service, identify its service model and which parts of the stack the customer is responsible for.
How is the cloud deployed?
Deployment models describe who can use the cloud infrastructure and how it is arranged. They are separate from SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS, which describe the service being delivered.
- Private cloud: Provisioned for exclusive use by one organization. It may be operated by that organization, a third party, or both, and may be located on or off premises.
- Community cloud: Provisioned for exclusive use by a community of organizations with shared concerns, such as mission, security, policy, or compliance.
- Public cloud: Provisioned for open use by the general public and operated by a business, academic or government organization, or a combination of them.
- Hybrid cloud: Two or more distinct private, community, or public cloud infrastructures remain separate but are connected to support data or application portability.
How can you tell whether a service qualifies as cloud computing?
Start with what the service lets you do, rather than its marketing label. Ask whether you can provision capabilities on demand, access them over a network, draw on pooled resources, scale capacity with changing needs, and measure resource use. Then identify whether the service is SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS and whether its infrastructure is private, community, public, or hybrid.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →NIST SP 800-145 is a foundational taxonomy, not a vendor directory or a prescription for a particular business arrangement. NIST’s follow-up publication, SP 500-322, provides guidance for evaluating services against the definition and categorizing them as SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS. It can help with uncertain cases, but the label alone should not replace checking the specific service’s capabilities and terms.
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