Cloud computing has some interesting characteristics that bring benefits to both cloud service consumers (CSCs) and cloud service providers (CSPs). These characteristics are:
- No up-front commitments
- On-demand access
- Nice pricing
- Simplified application acceleration and scalability
- Efficient resource allocation
- Energy efficiency
- Seamless creation and use of third-party services
The most evident benefit from the use of cloud computing systems and technologies is the increased economical return due to the reduced maintenance costs and operational costs related to IT software and infrastructure.
This is mainly because IT assets, namely software and infrastructure, are turned into utility costs, which are paid for as long as they are used, not paid for up front.
IT infrastructure and software generated capital costs, since they were paid up front so that business start-ups could afford a computing infrastructure, enabling the business activities of the organization. The revenue of the business is then utilized to compensate over time for these costs.
End users can benefit from cloud computing by having their data and the capability of operating on it always available, from anywhere, at any time, and through multiple devices. Information and services stored in the cloud are exposed to users by Web-based interfaces that make them accessible from portable devices as well as desktops at home.