---
title: "Cloud computing and its types"
subject: "Information System"
chapter: 8
key: "semester_8/information_system:cloud-technologies-types"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/information_system/cloud-technologies-types
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Cloud computing and its types

Information System · Chapter 8: Scalable and Emerging Information System techniques

- Asked in: 2074 Bhadra, 4+4 marks; 2070 Bhadra, 8 marks (asked 2 times)
- Video: [Cloud Computing Explained](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6us8kaq0g) — PowerCert Animated Videos
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/information_system/cloud-technologies-types
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/information_system/chapter-8

## Question

Explain cloud computing and its associated technologies. Discuss different types of cloud computing.

## Short answer

Cloud computing delivers on-demand resources over the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. Deployment types are public, private, hybrid, community; service types are IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.

## Answer

#### Cloud computing
**Cloud computing** is the delivery of computing resources (servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics) as on-demand services over the Internet, with pay-as-you-use pricing. NIST describes five characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service.

#### Associated technologies
- **Virtualization:** many virtual machines on one physical server (VMware, KVM, Hyper-V).
- **Distributed and grid computing:** many machines acting as one system.
- **Utility computing:** metered billing like electricity.
- **Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and web services / APIs.**
- **Broadband networks and the Internet.**
- **Data centres** with automation and large-scale storage.
- **Big data technologies:** MapReduce, Hadoop, NoSQL.
- **Containers and orchestration** (Docker, Kubernetes), multi-tenancy, load balancing and security technologies.

#### Types of cloud computing
**By deployment model**
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **Public cloud** | Owned by a provider and shared by many customers over the Internet | AWS, Azure, Google Cloud |
| **Private cloud** | Used by a single organisation, on-premise or hosted | Bank's own cloud |
| **Hybrid cloud** | Combination of public and private | Sensitive data private, burst loads public |
| **Community cloud** | Shared by organisations with common concerns | Government departments |

**By service model**
- **IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service):** virtual machines, storage, network (Amazon EC2).
- **PaaS (Platform as a Service):** platform to develop and deploy apps (Google App Engine, Azure App Service).
- **SaaS (Software as a Service):** ready software over browser (Gmail, Salesforce, Office 365).

```text
 SaaS   : Applications
 PaaS   : Runtime, middleware, tools
 IaaS   : Servers, storage, network
```

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is cloud computing?
   A. Buying physical servers for permanent use
   B. Storing data in a local file only
   C. On-demand delivery of computing resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-use pricing
   D. A type of programming language
   Answer: C. It provides servers, storage and software as services. (Key point: Definition)

2. Which technology lets many virtual machines run on one physical server?
   A. Grid computing
   B. Virtualization
   C. Broadband
   D. Load balancing
   Answer: B. Examples are VMware, KVM and Hyper-V. (Key point: Virtualization)

3. A bank's own cloud used by only that bank is which model?
   A. Private cloud
   B. Public cloud
   C. Hybrid cloud
   D. Community cloud
   Answer: A. Private cloud serves a single organisation. (Key point: Deployment model)

4. Gmail is an example of which service model?
   A. IaaS
   B. PaaS
   C. DaaS only
   D. SaaS
   Answer: D. SaaS delivers ready software through a browser; EC2 is IaaS. (Key point: Service model)

## Related in Information System

- [Cloud technology for small business](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Acloud-for-small-business) — Information System, chapter 8
- [Cloud types and data management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Atypes-cloud-data-management) — Information System, chapter 8

## Related in other subjects

- [Cloud and grid computing concepts](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finternet_and_intranet%3Acloud-grid-computing) — Internet and Intranet, chapter 7, asked 2×
- [Wireless technologies and their error rates](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Ftelecommunications%3Awireless-technologies-error-rates) — Telecommunications, chapter 2
- [Short note: Amazon cloud](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fbig_data_technologies%3Ashort-note-amazon-cloud) — Big Data Technologies, chapter 1
- [Why distributed computing for big data](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fbig_data_technologies%3Adistributed-computing-necessary) — Big Data Technologies, chapter 1