Cloud technology has become an integral part of modern business and daily life, yet it also brings a language of its own. We help you get up to speed with our guide to cloud computing terminology, where we’ve listed some of the most common cloud terms from A to Z. Bookmark this guide as a handy resource to help you navigate important conversations about the cloud and your business with confidence.
General cloud computing terminology
A
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Agile methodology | An iterative approach to software development and project management that prioritises flexibility and customer feedback. |
| API (Application Programming Interface) | A set of rules and tools for building software and applications. |
| Applications | Software programs designed to help users perform specific tasks or processes. |
| Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) framework | Guidelines set by the Australian government agency for cyber security and information warfare. |
| Availability Zone (AZ) | Isolated locations within data centre regions from which public cloud services originate, offering users the ability to run instances in several locations for backup and failover purposes. |
C
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cloud adoption | The strategy and steps an organisation take to transition its operations or services into a cloud environment. |
| Cloud bursting | An application deployment model in which an application primarily runs in a private cloud or data centre and bursts into a public cloud when the demand for computing capacity spikes. |
| Cloud compliance | Ensuring that cloud-based resources adhere to industry regulations and standards. |
| Cloud computing | The delivery of various services over the internet, such as storage, databases, servers, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. |
| Cloud cost management | The process and strategies used to monitor, analyse, and reduce cloud expenses. |
| Cloud economics | The principles and studies of cost efficiency and scalability related to cloud computing. |
| Cloud environment | A set of infrastructure, platforms, and applications provided and managed through cloud computing. |
| Cloud Management Platform (CMP) | A suite of tools used to manage cloud resources in a multi-cloud environment. It provides functionalities like self-service provisioning, monitoring, automation, and analytics. |
| Cloud migration | The process of moving digital assets, applications, data and other resources from on-site servers or data centres to the cloud. |
| Cloud native | Applications or services designed specifically to run in a cloud environment, and take full advantage of cloud architecture, services, and benefits. |
| Cloud operating model | A framework that outlines how cloud services are managed and operated within an organisation. |
| Cloud optimisation | The process of adjusting and enhancing cloud deployments to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and meet specific business objectives. |
| Cloud Readiness Assessment | An evaluation to determine an organisation’s ability and suitability to migrate to the cloud. |
| Cloud security | Measures and processes to protect cloud-based data, applications, and infrastructure from threats. |
| Cloud service provider | A company offering some component of cloud computing, typically infrastructure, platforms, or software as a service. |
| Configuration Management Database (CMDB) | A database used to store information about all technical components of an information system. |
| Consumption based pricing | A pay-as-you-go pricing model where customers pay according to their usage of a service rather than a fixed cost. |
| Container | A lightweight, stand-alone, executable software package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software, including the code, runtime, system tools, and libraries. |
| Content Delivery Network (CDN) | A system of distributed servers that deliver web content and web services to users based on their geographic location, ensuring faster load times and high availability. |
D
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Data centre | A large group of interconnected servers used to store, process, and manage vast amounts of data. |
| DevOps | A set of practices and cultural philosophies that aim to improve collaboration between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). |
| Disaster recovery | Strategies and processes that ensure the continuation or recovery of vital technology infrastructure and systems following a disaster. |
E
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Edge computing | A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, often for reasons of speed and efficiency. |
| Elasticity | The ability of a cloud service to scale out or in based on demand. |
H
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hybrid cloud | An integrated cloud solution combining private and public cloud structures. |
| Hyperscale provider | A company that provides vast scale cloud infrastructure and platform services, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. |
I
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Infrastructure as a Service (IAAS) | A cloud service model that provides virtualised computing resources over the internet. |
| Identity & Access Management (IAM) | Systems and processes used to control who can access what within an organisation’s network. |
| Infrastructure | The foundational hardware and software components that support cloud computing. |
| Instance types | Specific configurations of the central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage, and networking capacity for virtual servers in the cloud. |
| IT asset inventory | A comprehensive list w all IT assets (hardware, software, and data) within an organisation. |
L
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lean methodology | A production principle emphasising the elimination of waste in all forms and maximising value to the customer. |
| Load balancing | The distribution of incoming traffic across multiple servers to ensure even workload distribution, optimal resource utilisation, and high availability. |
| Logging | The act of keeping records of events, transactions, or processes in a system or network. |
M
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Multi-cloud | The use of multiple cloud computing and storage services from different cloud vendors within a single network architecture. |
| Multi-tenancy | A reference to multiple users or tenants sharing the same resources in a software application or cloud service but remaining distinct from one another. |
N
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) framework | A set of standards and best practices for organisations to manage and reduce cyber security risks. |
| Networking | The practice of connecting computers and other devices together to share resources. |
O
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| On-premises | Refers to IT resources being housed within an organisation’s own physical location, rather than in the cloud. |
| Organisational Change Management (OCM) plan | A structured approach to transition individuals, teams, and organisations from a current state to a desired future state. |
P
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Platform as a Service (PAAS) | A cloud service model that provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure. |
| Private cloud | Cloud resources used exclusively by a single organisation, either hosted by a third party or maintained on-premises. |
| Public cloud | A cloud environment owned and managed by third-party cloud service providers where storage and other services are provided over the internet. |
R
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| RAPID Framework | A framework used to assign the people or roles involved with an organisation’s decision-making process. The RAPID acronym stands for Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, and Decide. |
| RASCI Framework | A responsibility matrix defining the roles of Responsible, Accountable, Supportive, Consulted, and Informed. |
| Repatriation | The act of moving applications and data services from a public cloud back to a private cloud or on-premises data centre. |
| Resilience | The ability of cloud services to recover quickly and continue operating even when there has been an equipment failure, power outage, or other disruptions. |
| Resource | A generic term for any component that can be provisioned or managed in the cloud, including virtual machines, databases, storage, or applications. |
S
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Software as a Service (SAAS) | A cloud service model that delivers software applications over the internet, on-demand, and typically on a subscription basis. |
| Scalability | The ability of a cloud solution to handle growth or contraction in usage and demand without compromising performance. |
| Scrum methodology | An agile framework for managing projects, with an emphasis on software development. |
| Serverless computing | A cloud-computing model which can reduce complexity in deploying code into production. The cloud provider runs the server, and dynamically manages the allocation of machine resources. |
| Service Level Agreement (SLA) | A contract between a service provider and the end user that specifies the level of service expected during the term of the contract. |
| Shared resources | Computing resources that are used by multiple users or applications simultaneously in a cloud environment. |
| Shared Responsibility Model | A framework where cloud service providers and cloud users must each assume responsibility for specific aspects of security and compliance. |
| Storage | A service that allows users to save data by transferring it over the internet to a remote database. |
V
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vendor lock-in | A situation in which an organisation is heavily dependent on a single cloud service provider technology and cannot easily transition to another vendor without significant costs, time, or effort. |
| Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) | An on-demand configurable pool of shared computing resources allocated within a public cloud environment, but isolated using private IP addresses, and providing a level of security comparable to a private cloud. |
| Virtual Machine (VM) | An emulation of a computer system based on computer architecture and functions of a real or hypothetical computer. |
W
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Workloads | The amount of processing that the system is conducting, often referred to in terms of virtual machines or applications. |
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