What is meant by "cloud computing"?

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of various services, including storage, processing, and software, over the Internet, rather than requiring local servers or personal devices to handle these tasks. This paradigm allows users to access computing resources and services on-demand from anywhere with an Internet connection, enabling greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency.

By leveraging remote servers maintained by third-party providers, individuals and organizations can reduce their reliance on local infrastructure, which often simplifies maintenance and management. Cloud computing supports a range of services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), which cater to specific computing needs without the requirement for physical hardware installation on the user's premises.

The other options misrepresent the essence of cloud computing: disabling traditional IT infrastructure is not a requirement, local server storage is not necessary, and direct physical access to servers contradicts the concept of using remote cloud resources.