Cloud

Also known as: cloud-based software, software-as-a-service (SaaS)

A network of connected servers accessed remotely over the internet. Rather than running software on a local machine or privately owned infrastructure, users interact with applications hosted on this shared remote infrastructure.

When an AdTech platform is described as cloud-based or offered as SaaS, it means the software is hosted on cloud infrastructure rather than installed on the vendor's or buyer's own hardware. The two terms — cloud-based software and SaaS — are functionally equivalent in most industry usage.