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Cloud computing is defined as the provision of special online services, usually delivered over the Internet ("the cloud"). These services include network-based access to a pool of shared physical or virtual resources such as storage devices, databases, servers, computing capacity, operating systems, software and analytics functions [1]. The range of services offered under the heading of cloud computing thus covers the full spectrum of information technology.
Cloud computing is considered a basic technology for Industry 4.0 [2]. It enables devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) to be connected to a network and managed and provides access to tools for use with artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning. Applications such as apps can be developed, deployed and scaled, audio and video content streamed, backup solutions provided, data swiftly recovered in the event of loss, and tools offered for analysing large volumes of data (Big Data) [3].
In 2024, 81% of companies in Germany were using cloud computing and a further 14% were planning to do so or were discussing the possibility; only 5% were not interested in the cloud [4]. Other sources estimate that as many as 94% of companies [5] and 98% of companies with 50 or more employees use cloud services [6]. 58% of the companies surveyed already had a dedicated cloud strategy in 2024, while 64% had a cloud project team or a Cloud Centre of Excellence (CCoE) that pooled the company’s expertise [7].
In a private cloud, the cloud infrastructure is operated exclusively for a single institution. Conversely, a public cloud makes its services available to the general public, or to a large group such as a sector of industry. In a community cloud, the infrastructure is shared by several institutions with similar interests. If several independent cloud infrastructures are shared through standardised interfaces, the result is referred to as a hybrid cloud [1].
A distinction is drawn between different categories of service models: 1) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): users rent computing power, main memory and data storage, for example, and run an operating system on this infrastructure together with applications of their choice. 2) Platform as a Service (PaaS): the provider makes a complete infrastructure (operating system, hardware) available and offers standardized interfaces on the platform through which users can run their own applications – without having control over the underlying IT system. 3) Software as a Service (SaaS): turnkey software applications are made available. The provider is responsible for all IT administration, maintenance work and software updates [1]. 4) Big Data as a Service (BDaaS) is a special form of cloud computing. BDaaS is based on cloud storage, a service model in which data is transferred and stored on remote systems where it is maintained, managed, backed up and made available to users over the Internet [8; 9]. Serverless computing integrates many of the features and benefits of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS [10], and is focused on the development of app functions. The cloud provider takes care of setup, capacity planning and server management [3].
The use of cloud services offers a number of advantages and extends beyond traditional outsourcing. In a cloud, multiple users share a common infrastructure, enabling them to reduce their investment costs. Cloud services are flexible and can therefore be scaled up or down within much shorter time frames. Cloud computing services are usually run in a global network of secure data centres that are regularly upgraded to the latest generation of computing hardware. The cloud services used are usually controlled by the users themselves through a web interface. They can manage the desired services through a browser or other suitable interface; little interaction with the provider is required. In addition, considerable computing resources are available within minutes. Cloud computing simplifies the backup of data and its recovery in an emergency, and reduces the associated costs, as data can be mirrored at multiple redundant locations in the cloud provider’s network. The technologies used in cloud computing enable the IT service to be distributed dynamically across multiple locations that may be geographically far apart (either in the same country and abroad) [3].
The GAIA-X project, launched in 2019, aims to create the next generation of a powerful and secure data infrastructure in Europe. In the future, data and services will be made available in a transparent and open digital ecosystem, merged technically and shared securely to permit greater independence from the United States and China. GAIA-X also aims to promote the spread of cloud solutions on a significant scale in Germany and elsewhere in the EU [11]. Whether the goal of a sovereign European data cloud provided by GAIA-X or other platforms such as IPCEI-CIS (Important Project of Common European Interest – Cloud Infrastructure and Services) is attainable, remains to be seen [12].