The Howdy Glossary - "Cloud Computing Platforms" Category

Cloud computing platforms provide scalable and flexible computing resources over the internet, allowing businesses and individuals to access software, storage, and processing power without the need for local infrastructure. These platforms operate on a pay-as-you-go basis, offering services across three main models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). IaaS provides virtualized computing resources, PaaS offers both hardware and software tools typically for application development, and SaaS delivers fully functional software applications. Major players in the cloud computing market include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, each providing a wide range of services that support various applications from data analytics and machine learning to web hosting and enterprise resource planning. Cloud platforms not only enhance operational efficiency by eliminating the need for physical hardware and its maintenance but also provide high availability, disaster recovery, and global scale, making it easier for businesses to innovate and adapt to changing market needs.