ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

cloud-computing comparison

Okay kiddo, imagine you have a lot of toys at home and you want to play with them. If you keep all the toys in your room, it might become too crowded and you won't be able to find space to move around. But if you keep some of the toys in the living room, some in the playroom, and others in your friend's house, you will have more space and can still play with all your toys whenever you want.

Similarly, big companies have a lot of data and software that they need to manage, but they don't want to have all of it stored in one place because it can slow things down and might not be secure. Instead, they move their data and software to a cloud, which is like a big virtual space that they can access from anywhere.

There are different types of clouds, just like there are different types of playrooms. Some clouds are private, which means they are only accessible to the company that owns them. Others are public, which means anyone can use them, but they are not as secure. And then there are hybrid clouds, which are a mix of public and private clouds.

When a company moves their data and software to a cloud, they can access it from any device that is connected to the internet. So, they can work from home, on the go, or even on vacation. The cloud also makes it easier for different employees to work together because they can all access the same data.

Now, just like you might prefer to play with some toys more than others, companies might prefer one cloud over another. They might choose a cloud that is faster, more secure, or better for specific types of data. However, just like you might want to share your toys with your friends, sometimes companies might use multiple clouds to store their data and software.

Overall, using a cloud is a way to make things easier and more efficient for companies. They can access their data and software from anywhere, work together more easily, and have more space to "play."