Which cloud service model provides virtualized computing resources over the internet with customers managing applications and data?

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The idea being tested is which cloud model delivers virtualized computing resources over the internet while keeping control of the applications and data in the hands of the customer. In this model, you get access to virtual machines, storage, and networking as resources, and you install and manage your own operating systems, runtimes, applications, and data on top of them. The provider handles the underlying hardware, virtualization, and data center infrastructure, but you’re responsible for what runs on those resources. That combination—virtualized infrastructure with customer control over software and data—fits this model best, as you can deploy and manage your own apps and data on the supplied virtual resources.

If you contrast this with platform-as-a-service, the provider handles more of the stack, including the operating system and runtime, and you mainly manage the applications and data. With software-as-a-service, you’re using a ready-made application managed entirely by the provider. Desktop-as-a-service would focus on delivering virtual desktops rather than generic compute resources.