<blockquote>The "cloud" is just somebody else's computer.</blockquote>
From [[wp:Cloud computing]], The NIST definition of cloud computing identifies 5 essential characteristics<ref>Mell, Peter, and Timothy Grance. “The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing.” National Institute of Standards and Technology: U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1, 2011. https://doi.org/10.6028/nist.sp.800-145. <nowiki>{{cite tech report |title=The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing |number=Special publication 800-145|institution=National Institute of Standards and Technology: U.S. Department of Commerce|date= September 2011|author1= Mell, Peter |author2= Timothy Grance |doi= 10.6028/NIST.SP.800-145}}</nowiki></ref>
# On-demand self-service
# Broad network access