Welcome to the course! In this lesson, we'll delve into the basic principles of cloud computing, a fundamental topic in system architecture interviews. Employers often expect candidates to have a solid understanding of cloud computing due to its widespread adoption. Typical interview questions on this topic may include:

• What are the defining characteristics of cloud computing?
• How does cloud computing differ from traditional data centers?
• Can you explain the different service models in cloud computing (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)?

These questions gauge your understanding of what cloud computing is, why it is advantageous, and the different ways it can be utilized.

To ace these questions, you need to be well-versed in the following concepts:

1. Defining Characteristics of Cloud Computing:

   • On-demand self-service: Users can provision resources without human interaction.
   • Broad network access: Services are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms, promoting use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms.
   • Resource pooling: Provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model.
   • Rapid elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, often automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand.
   • Measured service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability.

2. Difference from Traditional Data Centers:

   • Cloud computing offers scalability, cost efficiency, accessibility, and flexibility that traditional data centers lack. Traditional data centers require significant physical hardware investment and maintenance, while cloud solutions can scale dynamically with minimal overhead.

3. Service Models: