NIST Special Publication 800-145

Citation
NIST, The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing (Draft) (NIST Special Publication 800-145) (Jan. 2011) (full-text).

Overview
The purpose of this publication is to provide the NIST definition of cloud computing. NIST intends this informal definition to enhance and inform the public debate on cloud computing. Cloud computing is still an evolving paradigm. Its definition, use cases, underlying technologies, issues, risks, and benefits will be refined and better understood with a spirited debate by the public and private sectors. This definition, its attributes, characteristics, and underlying rationale will evolve over time.