What distinguishes deploying a cloud network from an on-premises data center?

Deploying a cloud network is fundamentally different from an on-premises data center due to the use of logical instances of networking elements. In a cloud environment, resources are virtualized, allowing for the creation and management of networking elements such as routers, switches, and load balancers as software-defined components. This means that rather than relying on specific physical hardware, network infrastructure can be provisioned, scaled, and managed dynamically based on the needs of the applications and workloads.

This logical abstraction empowers organizations to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. For example, adding more capacity or making configuration changes can often be accomplished through simple software commands rather than requiring physical changes to hardware, which would be necessary in a traditional on-premises data center. This approach also facilitates easier disaster recovery and redundancy configurations, leading to enhanced resilience in operations.

On the other hand, the other aspects mentioned, such as accessibility of on-site resources, use of physical devices, and a requirement for external storage, reflect characteristics and challenges associated with traditional data centers rather than the distinct benefits of cloud networking. They do not encapsulate the defining features of cloud deployment, which are centered around the virtualization and logical structuring of network resources.