Cloud Computing Hat
What is the Cloud?
Think about how you need power at home. You don't have to build your own power plant; you just plug into the grid and pay for what you use.
That's what Cloud Computing is all about: You rent computers (servers, storage, databases, apps) from companies like Amazon (AWS), Microsoft (Azure), and Google (GCP) instead of buying and maintaining them.
You enter your information, click a few buttons, and your "digital power" is ready.
The Bakery Analogy (A Business Example)
Let's say you want to start a bakery.
Option 1: Do it yourself
Get some land
Make the bakery
Buy refrigerators and ovens
Hire people to fix and keep things running. It's expensive, slow, and dangerous.
Option 2: Rent a bakery that is already set up
Only pay for the space you need
Use the ovens that are already there.
If you get more customers, it's easy to scale up. It's quick, flexible, and cheap.
Cloud works like option 2. You rent computing power instead of owning and taking care of it yourself.
🌍 Daily Life: You Use the Cloud Every Day
You might not know it, but the cloud runs your life every day:
Netflix uses Amazon's cloud to stream movies.
Google Maps gets real-time traffic updates from cloud AI.
Google Cloud lets you stream music and videos from Spotify and YouTube.
Uber uses AWS and GCP to connect drivers and riders.
Alexa and Siri: voice recognition is done in the cloud.
The cloud is what lets your cart "remember" what you put in it when you shop online.
Why is Cloud so well-known?
Pay for what you use, like electricity.
You can change the number of users at any time, from 10 to 10 million.
Access from any device around the world.
No problems with hardware—no repairs, upgrades, or security issues.
Power for all businesses → Two students working in a garage can start the next Netflix without having to spend millions of dollars up front.
🏢 Get to Know the Big Three Players
Netflix and Airbnb use AWS (Amazon Web Services).
Microsoft Azure: Businesses and governments that already use Microsoft tools love it.
Google Cloud (GCP) is good at AI, data, and analytics. It runs YouTube and Spotify.
Why should a product manager care?
You don't have to set up servers.
But you should know:
Cloud means faster launches, cheaper scaling, and safe access all over the world.
Choosing features can change the cost and speed.
Talking to engineers about the cloud builds trust and helps make better product decisions.
📝 A quick summary
Cloud means renting computers instead of buying them.
It's like paying for electricity or renting a bakery—no problems.
You use it every day (for example, Netflix, Maps, Uber, and Spotify).
It helps small businesses run like big ones.
For PMs: know how costs, scale, and customer experience affect things, not the technical plumbing.
✅ That's all!
Cloud doesn't have anything to do with servers or cables. It's about having access, freedom, and flexibility. It's the engine that runs modern life, but you can't see it.
