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Cloud infrastructure

Cloud architecture refers to how computing resources, services, and applications are organized and connected to deliver functionality over a network.Cloud architecture refers to how computing resources, services, and applications are organized and connected to deliver functionality over a network. The most common architectural patterns include monolithic designs, where everything runs as a single unit, microservices, where applications are broken into smaller independent components that communicate through APIs, and serverless, where the provider handles all the underlying infrastructure and developers focus only on code execution. Modern architectures often blend these approaches, layering compute, storage, networking, and security services to balance performance, cost, and resilience.

Deployment models describe where and how those architectures actually run. Public cloud places workloads on shared infrastructure managed by a third party, which is typically the most cost-effective and scalable option. Private cloud keeps everything on dedicated infrastructure, either on-premise or hosted, and is often chosen for sensitive data or strict compliance requirements. Hybrid cloud combines both, letting organizations keep critical workloads private while leveraging the public cloud for elasticity, and multi-cloud spreads workloads across more than one provider to avoid lock-in or take advantage of specific strengths. Increasingly, edge deployments push compute closer to where data is generated, reducing latency for things like IoT and real-time analytics. The provider landscape is dominated by three hyperscalers. Amazon Web Services remains the largest by market share and offers the broadest catalog of services, making it the default choice for many enterprises. Microsoft Azure has grown rapidly thanks to its tight integration with Microsoft's enterprise software ecosystem and strong hybrid cloud story. Google Cloud Platform tends to lead in data analytics, machine learning, and Kubernetes-native tooling, and is a natural fit for organizations already invested in Google's data stack. Beyond the big three, providers like Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud serve specific niches, while platforms like DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr offer simpler, developer-friendly alternatives for smaller workloads.