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A cloud computing provider supplies computing capabilities—such as servers, storage, networks, applications, or services—over a network on demand. The provider manages a pool of resources that customers can access and scale without having to own or operate the underlying hardware themselves. NIST’s definition adds an important test: those resources should be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with the provider.
What is a cloud computing provider?
A cloud computing provider, also called a cloud service provider (CSP), is an organization that makes cloud capabilities available to customers. The term describes the provider’s role, not a particular kind of physical product: the provider operates or arranges the computing resources, while customers use the capabilities delivered through them.
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.” Peter Mell and Tim Grance published this definition in NIST Special Publication 800-145 in September 2011. Read NIST SP 800-145.
In practice, the provider maintains a pool of physical and virtual resources and allocates them as customers need them. A customer typically chooses a capability and its settings rather than selecting the exact physical machine that will run it. Some services may let customers choose a broader location, such as a country or data center, without exposing the precise equipment location.
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How can you tell whether a service is cloud computing?
NIST identifies five characteristics that provide a practical way to assess a computing service. A service need not look like a traditional data center to qualify, but internet access alone does not make it cloud computing.
- On-demand self-service: A customer can provision capabilities—such as server time or network storage—without contacting a provider representative for each request.
- Broad network access: The capability is available over a network through standard mechanisms and can be used from different types of client devices.
- Resource pooling: The provider serves multiple customers from pooled physical or virtual resources, assigning and reassigning capacity as demand changes. Customers generally do not control the precise physical location of a resource.
- Rapid elasticity: Capacity can expand or contract as demand changes, sometimes automatically.
- Measured service: Resource use is monitored and reported at an appropriate level. Metering can support pay-per-use or charge-per-use billing, but cloud services do not all use the same pricing method.
These characteristics distinguish a cloud model from simply owning a computer or using a remotely hosted service. A locally owned computer may provide computing power, but it does not by itself offer the pooled, network-accessible, rapidly provisioned capabilities in NIST’s definition. Likewise, a service being reachable over the internet is not enough to establish that it meets the cloud characteristics.
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What does a cloud provider do?
A provider makes computing resources available, allocates them to customers, and manages the parts of the service that customers do not control. The division of responsibility depends on the service model: a customer may only use an application, deploy software on a managed platform, or provision infrastructure and run its own software.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsResource pooling also means that one provider’s infrastructure can serve multiple customers. The provider dynamically assigns resources according to demand, while the customer works with the service’s available controls and settings rather than managing every underlying physical component.
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What are the cloud service models?
Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) describe the capability a provider delivers and how much of the environment the customer controls.
| Model | What the provider supplies | What the customer controls |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS | A provider-run application, commonly accessed through a browser or program interface. | The customer uses the application but does not manage the underlying infrastructure. |
| PaaS | A provider-supported platform for deploying applications. | The customer controls the applications it deploys; the provider manages the underlying infrastructure. |
| IaaS | Computing resources such as processing, storage, and networks. | The customer can run software, including operating systems and applications; the provider manages the underlying cloud infrastructure. |
A provider is not synonymous with one of these models. The same organization may offer different capabilities, so identify the service model of the specific service you are considering rather than classifying the entire provider by one label.
What are the cloud deployment models?
Deployment models describe how cloud infrastructure is arranged and who it is intended to serve. They are separate from service models: SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS describe what capability is delivered, while private, community, public, and hybrid describe the infrastructure’s deployment.
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- Private cloud: Provisioned for the exclusive use of one organization. The organization, a third party, or both may operate it, and it may be on or off the organization’s premises.
- Community cloud: Provisioned for the exclusive use of 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.
NIST presents these models as a taxonomy, not as a mandate for how an organization must deliver or deploy technology. Its publication says the models are not intended to constrain a particular deployment method, service delivery, or business operation. NIST SP 800-145 is a foundational framework, not a current provider directory or vendor ranking.
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How should you classify a borderline service?
When a service is hosted remotely but does not clearly meet the cloud characteristics, assess the capability itself rather than relying on its marketing label. NIST Special Publication 500-322 explains how to evaluate whether a computing capability aligns with SP 800-145 and how to categorize it as SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS. Eric Simmon authored the publication, issued February 23, 2018. Read NIST SP 500-322.
If you are comparing services, useful questions include what service model is delivered, how much control the customer has, which deployment arrangement applies, what geographic or data-location choices are available, and whether security, compliance, portability, interoperability, or metering terms fit your needs. NIST’s definitions help classify services; they do not establish current prices, feature parity, certifications, or which provider is best for a particular organization.
Where did the definition come from?
NIST published SP 800-145 in September 2011. In an October 25, 2011 announcement about the final definition, NIST computer scientist Peter Mell explained that organizations could use it to assess how closely proposed IT implementations match the cloud characteristics and models. Read NIST’s announcement. The definition remains useful as a classification framework, while specific services and their terms must be evaluated on their own.
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