Cloud computing refers to the internet. It involves the provision of scalable and virtualized resources over the internet. The word cloud is metaphorically used to mean the internet. This depiction is based on how the internet is seen in computer network programs. The providers of cloud computing applications such as business applications are based online and are accessed through browsers while the data is stored on the servers.

The cloud computing service providers can be public or private. The public cloud sells the services to anybody on the internet while the private cloud only provides its services to a limited number of people. When service providers use the public cloud to build their own private cloud, they results to being called a virtual private cloud. No matter the type of cloud that is being used, the main purpose is to provide easy access to scalable IT resources and services.