Cloud computing is the digital backbone of the modern internet, transforming how organizations store, manage, and process data by moving workloads from local servers to remote, virtualized data centers. It operates as a utility, allowing users to rent infrastructure, platforms, or software on-demand rather than buying them. 1. Fundamental Technologies

Packages applications with their dependencies, allowing them to run reliably across different computing environments.

The foundational technology allowing a single physical server (bare metal) to run multiple virtual servers (Virtual Machines or VMs) using a hypervisor .

Separates network control from physical infrastructure, allowing networks to be programmed and managed virtually.

Abstracts physical storage into logical, pooled resources available on-demand. 2. Service & Deployment Models What Is Cloud Computing? | IBM