Cloud Computing
Public Cloud
Definition
The public cloud is a deployment model where cloud computing services are owned and operated by a third-party provider and delivered over the public internet. The provider is responsible for all the hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure, which is shared by multiple organizations ("tenants").
Why It Matters
Public cloud offers massive economies of scale, high elasticity, and a pay-as-you-go model, making it the most common and cost-effective way to deploy cloud resources.
Contextual Example
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are the three largest public cloud providers.
Common Misunderstandings
- "Public" refers to the services being available to the general public to use, not that your data is public. Data is isolated and secured between tenants.
- It is one of the main cloud deployment models, along with private and hybrid cloud.