* [Topics](/en/topics "Topics") * [Hybrid cloud](/en/topics/cloud-computing "Hybrid cloud") * What is cloud architecture? What is cloud architecture? =========================== Published August 19, 2022•*2*-minute read Copy URL Jump to section --------------- OverviewWhat does it look like?Types of architecturesFind/become a cloud architectWhy Red Hat? Overview -------- Cloud architecture is how individual technologies are integrated to create [clouds](/en/topics/cloud-computing)—IT environments that abstract, pool, and share scalable resources across a network. Cloud architecture is how all the components and capabilities necessary to build a cloud are connected in order to deliver an online platform on which applications can run. Imagine you're building a house: [Cloud infrastructure](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-cloud-infrastructure) incorporates all the materials, while cloud architecture is the blueprint. What does a cloud architecture look like? ----------------------------------------- Clouds are considered [Platforms-as-a-Service (PaaS)](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-paas), since a [cloud provider](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-are-cloud-providers) supplies users with both the platform and the underlying [IT infrastructure](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-it-infrastructure). Architecting a cloud platform requires more than just abstracting a computer’s capabilities from its hardware components, which is how providers create and offer cloud infrastructure to users. It also requires additional levels of development to incorporate [containerization](/en/topics/containers), [orchestration](/en/topics/automation/what-is-orchestration), [application programming interfaces (APIs)](/en/topics/api), routing, [security](/en/topics/security), [management](/en/topics/management), and [automation](/en/topics/automation) software. User experience design (UX) is also important in order to create a navigable online experience. While there are variations of cloud architecture based on what you’re trying to do, most clouds require hardware, middleware, management, and automation software. Most clouds also use [virtualization](/en/topics/virtualization) to abstract the hardware resources into centrally managed [data lakes](/en/topics/data-storage/what-is-a-data-lake), while some clouds—known as bare-metal clouds—connect clients directly to hardware. [Explore Red Hat OpenStack Services on OpenShift](/en/resources/openstack-services-on-openshift-datasheet) Recommended for you Operational Resilience Webinar Series: Adapting to change --------------------------------------------------------- [Watch the webinar](https://www.redhat.com/en/events/webinar/operational-resilience-webinar-series-adapting-to-change?percmp=RHCTG0250000455235) Public, private, hybrid, and multicloud architectures ----------------------------------------------------- * [Public cloud architecture](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-public-cloud): A cloud environment created from resources not owned by the end user that can be redistributed to other tenants. * [Private cloud architecture](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-private-cloud): Loosely defined as a cloud environment solely dedicated to the end user, usually within the user’s firewall and sometimes on premise. * [Hybrid cloud architecture](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-hybrid-cloud): Multiple cloud environments with some degree of workload portability, orchestration, and management among them. * [Multicloud architecture](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-multicloud): An IT system that includes more than 1 cloud—public or private—that may or may not be networked together. How do I find or become a cloud architect? ------------------------------------------ If you want to find or become one of the most qualified open source cloud architects, consider a [Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA)](/en/services/certification/rhca). Becoming an RHCA requires Red Hat Certified System Administrator and Red Hat Certified Engineer certifications, and almost half of the nearly 20 exams that qualify towards an RHCA cover cloud topics. [Become an RHCA cloud specialist](/en/blog/red-hat-certified-cloud-architect-openstack-perspective-part-one) Why Red Hat? ------------ Because when you build your cloud architecture with [Red Hat products](/en/technologies/all-products), you get [interoperability](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/service-interconnect) across any environment: public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, and [multicloud](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-multicloud), as well as bare-metal and virtual environments. Connect our open source products using open [application programming interfaces](/en/topics/api) and open standards to build a cloud architecture that fosters [open organization](/en/explore/the-open-organization-book) practices like [agile integration](/en/topics/integration/what-is-integration), [DevOps](/en/topics/devops), and [CI/CD](/en/topics/devops/what-is-ci-cd). [Build a Red Hat cloud](/en/topics/cloud-computing/why-choose-red-hat-cloud) Recommended for you E-book Hybrid cloud strategies for dummies ----------------------------------- Jumping onto the cloud is easy. Getting it right is somewhat trickier. Learn more in this hybrid cloud strategy e-book from Red Hat and Intel. [Read the e-book](https://www.redhat.com/en/resources/hybrid-cloud-strategy-for-dummies-ebook?percmp=RHCTG0250000455234) All Red Hat product trials -------------------------- Our no-cost product trials help you gain hands-on experience, prepare for a certification, or assess if a product is right for your organization. [Keep reading](/en/products/trials "All Red Hat product trials") Keep reading ------------ ### What is hybrid cloud? Find out more about hybrid cloud, a combination of computing environments that share information and run a uniform series of applications. [Read the article](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-hybrid-cloud "article | what is hybrid cloud") ### What's the difference between cloud and virtualization? Learn the key differences between virtualization and cloud computing, their definitions, configurations, costs, scalability, tenancy, and security benefits. [Read the article](/en/topics/cloud-computing/cloud-vs-virtualization "article | what's the difference between cloud and virtualization") ### Why are financial services slow to adopt the cloud? Find out why the financial services industry is slow to adopt the cloud, and why it's still a good idea to get started. [Read the article](/en/topics/financial-services/why-financial-services-are-slow-to-adopt-cloud "article | Why are financial services slow to adopt the cloud?") Hybrid cloud resources ---------------------- ### Related content * Analyst material [A unified hybrid cloud helps CAE deliver new flight experiences faster](/en/resources/cio-case-study-analyst-material) * Blog post [Save, edit, and share blueprints in Lightspeed image builder](/en/blog/blueprints-with-Lightspeed-image-builder) * Blog post [Red Hat to acquire Chatterbox Labs: Frequently Asked Questions](/en/blog/red-hat-acquire-chatterbox-labs-frequently-asked-questions) * Blog post [Looking ahead to 2026: Red Hat’s view across the hybrid cloud](/en/blog/looking-ahead-2026-red-hats-view-across-hybrid-cloud) ### Related articles * [What is cloud migration? And how can automation help?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-migration) * [Why run Linux on AWS?](/en/topics/linux/linux-on-aws) * [What is hybrid cloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-hybrid-cloud) * [What is serverless?](/en/topics/cloud-native-apps/what-is-serverless) * [Why choose Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Azure?](/en/technologies/linux-platforms/enterprise-linux/why-choose-red-hat-enterprise-linux-on-azure) * [What's the difference between cloud and virtualization?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/cloud-vs-virtualization) * [Why choose Red Hat Enterprise Linux on AWS?](/en/technologies/linux-platforms/enterprise-linux/why-choose-red-hat-enterprise-linux-on-aws) * [What is CloudOps?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloudops) * [Linux on Azure](/en/topics/linux/linux-on-azure) * [Linux for cloud computing](/en/topics/linux/linux-for-cloud-computing) * [Why run Linux on Google Cloud?](/en/topics/linux/linux-on-google-cloud) * [Why choose Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Google Cloud?](/en/technologies/linux-platforms/enterprise-linux/why-choose-red-hat-enterprise-linux-google-cloud) * [Why are financial services slow to adopt the cloud?](/en/topics/financial-services/why-financial-services-are-slow-to-adopt-cloud) * [What is Cloud Foundry?](/en/topics/application-modernization/what-is-cloud-foundry) * [What is the role of the cloud in embedded finance?](/en/topics/financial-services/the-role-of-cloud-in-embedded-finance) * [OpenShift vs. OpenStack: What are the differences?](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/openshift-vs-openstack) * [Cloud services for financial services](/en/topics/financial-services/cloud-services-for-financial-services) * [Kubernetes vs OpenStack](/en/topics/openstack/kubernetes-vs-openstack) * [What is telco cloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-telco-cloud) * [What is cloud orchestration?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-orchestration) * [What is cloud governance?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-governance) * [What is public cloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-public-cloud) * [Cloud vs. edge](/en/topics/cloud-computing/cloud-vs-edge) * [Why build a Red Hat cloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/why-choose-red-hat-cloud) * [What is multicloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-multicloud) * [What is cloud automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-automation) * [Types of cloud computing](/en/topics/cloud-computing/public-cloud-vs-private-cloud-and-hybrid-cloud) * [What is cloud-based digital banking?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-cloud-based-digital-banking) * [Do banking APIs benefit from cloud technology?](/en/topics/api/banking-api) * [What is payments infrastructure?](/en/topics/financial-services/what-is-payments-infrastructure) * [What is multitenancy?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-multitenancy) * [What is private cloud?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-private-cloud) * [What is IT infrastructure?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-it-infrastructure) * [What is cloud infrastructure?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-cloud-infrastructure) * [Hybrid cloud security](/en/topics/security/what-is-hybrid-cloud-security) * [What is cloud storage?](/en/topics/data-storage/what-is-cloud-storage) * [What is cloud security](/en/topics/security/cloud-security) * [What is cloud management?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-cloud-management) [More about this topic](/en/topics/cloud-computing "More about this topic")