What the cloud offers, layer by layer
From renting a server to simply logging in: the layers of cloud service, and how much of the work each one takes off your hands.
What can I actually buy from the cloud?
In this article we go through the services you can get from the cloud. If this is your first time here and you would rather start with what the cloud is and how it behaves, our earlier articles cover it in detail.
The clearest way to see the difference between these services is as layers, so that is how we will take them.
The first is the local layer. This is a private cloud, where you own the infrastructure and you are therefore responsible for everything: the applications, the data and keeping it all running.
The second is the infrastructure layer. Here the cloud provider takes on the networking, the storage (physical or virtual disks, as chosen), the physical and virtual machines, and of course the security all of that requires. You, as the customer, remain responsible for the applications you need and the data you put in them.
Some providers include the operating system in this layer — Windows, macOS or Linux — while others leave you to install whichever one you want. Renting virtual servers is the typical example of a service at this level.
The third is the platform layer, aimed at software developers. The provider handles everything from the infrastructure layer plus the operating system, and you are left responsible only for building the application and for the data it uses. Google App Engine is one example.
Last comes the software layer. Here the provider delivers everything described above, and your only job is to log in and use the programs you bought — which makes keeping your sign-in credentials safe your main responsibility. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are examples, and so are everyday apps like Spotify or Netflix.
Understanding the cloud and making the most of it is now part of running any business, whatever its size. Knowing what it is and how it works is worth the time for anyone who uses technology at work.
Remember: technology isn't complicated — and we'll explain it in plain language.
Tell us which cloud services your company uses today. See you in the next article.
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