Cloud Computing
Understand modern cloud.
How on-demand computing works: service models, virtualisation, networking, regions, security, observability, AI services and Microsoft cloud workplaces.
Concepts
9 diagrams in this area
Every concept opens with an interactive diagram.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is on-demand access to computing resources — servers, storage, databases and higher-level services — operated by a provider and consumed over a network.
View diagramIaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS
The three service models differ in one thing: how much of the stack the provider operates for you.
View diagramWhat is a Virtual Machine?
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that shares one physical host with other isolated machines.
View diagramCloud Networking Basics
Cloud networking gives you a private, software-defined network with explicit rules about what may talk to what.
View diagramRegions & Availability Zones
A region is a geographic location; availability zones are physically separate data centre groups inside it.
View diagramCloud Security Basics
Cloud security starts with identity: prove who is asking, then allow only what that identity needs.
View diagramMonitoring vs Observability
Monitoring watches for known problems; observability is being able to investigate ones you did not predict.
View diagramAI in the Cloud
Cloud AI services expose trained models as APIs, so applications can use them without owning accelerators.
View diagramMicrosoft Cloud & Modern Work
Microsoft 365 is SaaS for everyday work; identity ties it together, and Copilot works on top of that same content.
View diagram