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Cloud is a way to deliver computing resources over a network; infrastructure is the technology that makes those services run; and security is the set of controls and decisions that protect data and operations across them. In business IT, they are connected layers—not interchangeable choices. Understanding the cloud service and deployment models helps clarify what a provider operates, what your organization still needs to manage, and where risk governance fits.
What each layer does
Cloud delivers computing as a service
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 in NIST Special Publication 800-145 dates to September 2011; its NIST record was updated in May 2026. Read NIST SP 800-145.
That definition describes a delivery model, not a guarantee about cost, performance, or security. NIST’s taxonomy identifies five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models. These categories help describe how a cloud service is delivered and used.
Infrastructure provides the foundation
Cloud services depend on infrastructure such as networks, servers, and storage. Software and abstraction layers organize those resources and present them as services that people and applications can use. NIST’s Cloud Computing Reference Architecture provides a common framework for describing cloud components and offerings; it was published on September 8, 2011, and its record reports an October 2021 update. Read the NIST Cloud Computing Reference Architecture.
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Infrastructure may be operated by a cloud provider, by the organization, or through a combination of arrangements. The important distinction is that choosing a cloud service changes how infrastructure is provisioned and managed; it does not make the underlying resources disappear.
Security and governance guide how the layers are used
Security applies to the data, applications, infrastructure, identities, and connections involved in a service. It also includes decisions about who may access resources, how they are configured, how activity is monitored, and how the organization meets its obligations. Those decisions cross organizational boundaries whenever a provider operates part of the environment.
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How cloud service models differ
NIST identifies three cloud service models. They differ mainly in what the provider supplies and operates, and what the customer can configure and manage. The precise division depends on the specific service, so the model is a starting point—not a substitute for checking provider documentation.
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| SaaS | Software is delivered as a cloud service. | What settings and integrations the customer controls, how data is handled, and what security and privacy responsibilities remain. |
| PaaS | A platform is provided for building or running applications. | Which platform components the provider operates, what the customer must configure, and how applications and data are secured. |
| IaaS | Computing infrastructure is provided as a service. | Which infrastructure elements are provider-operated and which systems, configurations, and workloads the customer must manage. |
Use these labels to frame a service review, then verify the actual controls and responsibilities for the product being considered. Two services in the same model can still differ in configuration options, integration requirements, and operational responsibilities.
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How deployment models describe the environment
NIST identifies four deployment models. They describe who uses an environment and how it is organized—not whether it is secure.
- Private cloud: an environment for the exclusive use of one organization.
- Community cloud: an environment for the exclusive use of a community of organizations with shared concerns.
- Public cloud: an environment available for use by the general public.
- Hybrid cloud: a composition of distinct cloud infrastructures connected to enable data or application portability.
When comparing options, consider who will use the environment, where and by whom it is operated, and how it connects to existing systems. The deployment label alone does not establish security or determine whether a model is right for a particular workload.
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What changes—and what does not—when a workload moves to public cloud
Public-cloud adoption can involve outsourcing data, applications, or infrastructure. NIST SP 800-144 describes the associated security and privacy challenges and offers considerations for organizations planning that kind of outsourcing. It is a final publication from December 2011. Read NIST SP 800-144.
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Moving a workload changes where some technology is operated and how resources are delivered. It does not remove the organization’s need to understand how the service is used and governed. Before adopting a service, identify the data and applications involved, the connections to existing systems, the provider’s role, and the organization’s own obligations. NIST SP 800-146, a final publication from May 2012, provides additional guidance on cloud computing. Read NIST SP 800-146.
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How shared responsibility works in practice
“Shared responsibility” is a useful way to ask which party handles a given security task, but there is no universal responsibility chart that applies to every provider and service. In a November 2023 submission to NIST, AWS described its perspective this way: the provider protects the infrastructure it delivers, while the customer chooses services and configures and manages them to achieve security outcomes. AWS also said customer responsibility varies with the services chosen, their integration, and applicable laws and regulations. Read AWS’s submission to NIST.
That description is AWS’s provider perspective in a submission, not a NIST rule or a universal chart for all vendors. For a real workload, use the responsibility documentation for the specific provider and services involved, then map those responsibilities to your organization’s teams and controls.
Connect cloud decisions to organizational risk governance
NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 is broad cybersecurity risk guidance, not a cloud architecture. NIST announced it on February 26, 2024, expanded its intended audience to organizations in any sector, and emphasized governance and supply chains. Read NIST’s CSF 2.0 announcement.
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A practical way to connect the pieces
- Describe the workload. Identify the application, data, users, and links to existing systems that the proposed service will involve.
- Name the service and deployment models. Record whether the offer is SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS, and whether the environment is private, community, public, or hybrid.
- Trace the operating boundary. Determine which infrastructure and service components the provider operates and which settings, workloads, and integrations your organization manages.
- Map security and privacy duties. Use the provider’s documentation for the selected service to identify responsibilities, then assign them to accountable teams in your organization.
- Bring governance into the decision. Review provider and supply-chain considerations alongside the workload’s business purpose, data, and operational requirements.
This approach does not presume that one service or deployment model is best. It makes the trade-offs visible: what the provider supplies, what the organization controls, how the service fits with existing systems, and what risk and governance work remains.
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