Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing in the Salesforce context refers to the delivery model where software, platforms, and infrastructure are provided as a service over the internet rather than installed locally.
Definition
Cloud Computing in the Salesforce context refers to the delivery model where software, platforms, and infrastructure are provided as a service over the internet rather than installed locally. Salesforce pioneered the SaaS (Software as a Service) cloud computing model, hosting all applications and data on its multi-tenant servers so customers access their CRM through a web browser without managing hardware or software installations.
In plain English
“Cloud Computing means software runs on someone else's servers and you access it over the internet, instead of installing it on your own computer. Salesforce was one of the first companies to do this for business software. You log in through a browser, and Salesforce handles all the servers and updates.”
Worked example
Northwind Trading's IT team used to maintain on-premise CRM servers - patching, backing up, scaling capacity, fixing hardware. Migrating to Salesforce eliminated all of that. The CRM is now Cloud Computing: Salesforce runs the infrastructure, the IT team accesses it through a browser, and updates ship automatically three times a year. The same tradeoff applies to the company's other tools - Slack for collaboration, Workday for HR, Heroku for custom apps - all delivered as SaaS instead of installed software.
Why Cloud Computing matters
Cloud Computing in the Salesforce context refers to the SaaS (Software as a Service) delivery model where applications, platforms, and infrastructure are provided over the internet rather than installed on customer hardware. Salesforce was a pioneer of the SaaS model when it launched in 1999 with the slogan 'No Software', referring to its choice to host CRM applications on multi-tenant servers that customers accessed through a web browser, eliminating the need for customers to install or maintain anything locally.
The cloud computing model has three main service categories that Salesforce participates in: SaaS (the application layer, like Sales Cloud and Service Cloud), PaaS (the platform layer, like Salesforce Platform and Heroku, where customers build their own apps on Salesforce infrastructure), and IaaS (infrastructure as a service, where compute and storage are provided as utilities). Salesforce focuses primarily on SaaS and PaaS. The benefits of this model include automatic upgrades (Salesforce releases three updates per year), no hardware management, scalability, and accessibility from any device with a browser.
How organizations use Cloud Computing
Adopted Salesforce specifically because the cloud model meant they wouldn't need to maintain CRM hardware or perform manual upgrades. Three Salesforce releases per year happen automatically, with no IT downtime.
Scaled from 50 users to 5,000 users on Salesforce over four years without any infrastructure changes, because the cloud model handles capacity transparently.
Helps customers understand the difference between SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS when planning Salesforce implementations. The cloud terminology often confuses business stakeholders, so explaining where Salesforce fits in the stack matters.
Test your knowledge
Q1. What does Cloud Computing refer to in the Salesforce context?
Q2. Which service model does Salesforce primarily participate in?
Q3. How often does Salesforce release updates?
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