How does the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) define cloud computing?

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines cloud computing as “a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of compute resources.” This definition emphasizes the key characteristics of cloud computing, including its ability to provide resources such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services over the internet.

The focus is on the convenience and on-demand access that users have, indicating that resources can be accessed as needed without requiring substantial physical infrastructure to be in place beforehand. This aspect of elasticity, scalability, and shared resource pools is fundamental to the cloud computing paradigm, setting it apart from traditional computing resources that require physical presence and extensive setup.

In contrast, other choices do not capture the essence of cloud computing as defined by NIST. A framework for managing hardware resources might pertain more to the administration of IT infrastructure rather than the cloud model's service-oriented nature. A private network solution for data storage suggests a specific use case rather than a comprehensive definition, which limits its scope. Finally, a fixed hardware configuration does not reflect the flexible and scalable nature of cloud services, which are designed to adapt to varying user requirements dynamically.