What is a cloud database?
A cloud database has many of the same functions as a traditional database but is built and accessed through a cloud platform. A cloud database typically requires no installation or provisioning as these services are inherent to the cloud model.
In a cloud database, the database software is installed on cloud infrastructure by the cloud database vendor who also do a majority of the configuration, maintenance, and tuning of the database.
A cloud database service can support relational and non-relational databases. It is accessed through a web interface or an API provided by a vendor. Cloud databases are considered easy to use and can be accessed from anywhere. Users only pay for what they use and can take advantage of many enterprise capabilities such as cluster failover, disaster protection, backup and recovery, data replication, reporting, and so forth.