The Cloud refers to a network of remote servers, accessed via the internet, that offer services such as data storage and application execution.

Instead of storing your files or running a program on your own computer, the "cloud" allows you to do this in powerful data centers spread around the world. You simply access these services through the internet.

Think of services like Spotify or Netflix: the music and movies aren't on your phone; they're in the cloud, and you access them on demand.

The same applies to Google Drive or Dropbox, where your files are stored on remote servers. Origin of the Term The name "cloud" comes from the way network engineers used to draw system diagrams. To simplify the representation of a complex internet network full of routers, cables, and servers, they simply drew the symbol of a cloud ☁️, indicating that the internal complexity was not relevant to the diagram. The term caught on and became synonymous with internet-based services.