Cloud Computing

Cloud computing describes the delivery of compute, storage, databases, networking and applications over the internet. Instead of buying their own servers and running them in a data centre, companies rent these resources from a cloud provider and pay by usage. Scaling is fast and usually automated.

Which models exist

IaaS provides bare infrastructure such as virtual machines or storage, the customer owns operating system and application. PaaS supplies a runtime environment where the provider handles the lower layers. SaaS offers complete applications such as email suites or CRM systems for immediate use. Additional models such as serverless or function as a service bill individual functions.

Strengths and risks

Fast scaling, low upfront investment and global availability speak for cloud. On the risk side sit vendor lock in, ongoing cost, data protection questions and potential performance bottlenecks for very specific workloads. Anyone running on their own infrastructure may face higher upfront cost but avoids dependencies and can serve very specific performance requirements better.

Reference to JD Media

JD Media deliberately runs on its own servers rather than purely on public cloud, especially for the sending infrastructure. Owned hardware enables full control over IP reputation, performance and data flow without depending on a provider. This choice is central to a consistent delivery rate and the processing of high volume sending inside the JD platforms.