What is cloud hosting?¶

Cloud hosting uses computing resources supplied on demand through a cloud platform rather than relying on one fixed physical server.

What “cloud” changes¶

A customer can create virtual servers, storage, databases and network components in minutes. Resources may be spread across regions, replaced automatically or deleted when no longer required. The physical machines still exist, but the customer normally manages a logical service rather than a particular box.

It is comparable to hiring rooms and services in a large conference centre: the venue supplies the building, while each customer chooses the rooms, equipment and duration needed.

The visible IP address commonly identifies the cloud provider. The direct customer could be a business, developer, reseller or another platform, so another step may be needed to reach the end user.

Relevant records may include account registration, payment, resource assignment, administrative access, configuration changes and support communications. The precise records depend on the product used: storage records are not the same as virtual-server records.

Because resources can be short-lived and addresses reassigned, exact timestamps and early preservation can be important. Identify the hostname, IP, region if known, service type and relevant period rather than asking generally for “cloud records.”