Cloud computing and storage solutions provide users and enterprises with various
capabilities to store and process their data in third-party data centers.[2] It
relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale, sim ilar to a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network.[3] At the foundati on of cloud computing is the broader concept of converged infrastructure and sha red services. Cloud computing, or in simpler shorthand just "the cloud", also focuses on maxim izing the effectiveness of the shared resources. Cloud resources are usually not only shared by multiple users but are also dynamically reallocated per demand. This can work for allocating resources to users. For example, a cloud computer f acility that serves European users during European business hours with a specifi c application (e.g., email) may reallocate the same resources to serve North Ame rican users during North America's business hours with a different application ( e.g., a web server). This approach should maximize the use of computing power th us reducing environmental damage as well since less power, air conditioning, rac k space, etc. are required for a variety of functions. With cloud computing, mul tiple users can access a single server to retrieve and update their data without purchasing licenses for different applications. The term "moving to cloud" also refers to an organization moving away from a tra ditional CAPEX model (buy the dedicated hardware and depreciate it over a period of time) to the OPEX model (use a shared cloud infrastructure and pay as one us es it).[dubious discuss] Proponents claim that cloud computing allows companies to avoid upfront infrastr ucture costs, and focus on projects that differentiate their businesses instead of on infrastructure.[4] Proponents also claim that cloud computing allows enter prises to get their applications up and running faster, with improved manageabil ity and less maintenance, and enables IT to more rapidly adjust resources to mee t fluctuating and unpredictable business demand.[4][5][6] Cloud providers typica lly use a "pay as you go" model. This can lead to unexpectedly high charges if a dministrators do not adapt to the cloud pricing model.[7] The present availability of high-capacity networks, low-cost computers and stora ge devices as well as the widespread adoption of hardware virtualization, servic e-oriented architecture, and autonomic and utility computing have led to a growt h in cloud computing.[8][9][10] Companies can scale up as computing needs increa se and then scale down again as demands decrease. Cloud vendors are experiencing growth rates of 50% per annum