cloud server

[marshal]

A VPS which is dynamic (that is, it can be changed at runtime) is often referred to as a cloud server. Key attributes for this are:
Additional hardware resources can be added at runtime (CPU, RAM)
Server can be moved to other hardware while the server is running (automatically according to load in some cases)

[Plusplushosting-mike]

I believe that the main difference between a cloud server and your commonplace dedis/vps is the failover element of using persistent storage.
Furthermore, meaning that if your processing node fails for whatever reason, there is always a standby node available for the SAN to reboot your machine on.

[HostDone]

The concept of the cloud has been around for a long time in many different incarnations in the business world. It mostly means a grid of computers serving as a service-oriented architecture to deliver software and data.

[prashant0072]

Every new development in technology brings with it a bewildering array of new names and concepts Cloud technology is no different. Never mind the “forget what you know” marketing hype. In this article you will see just how attainable the technology is and how little there is to learn. At its heart Cloud Computing consists of a few tools elegant in their simplicity yet profound in their impact, not least of all to the bottom line!

Genesis:
Cloud starts with a revolutionary, but now rather old and familiar technology, that is virtualisation. Virtualisation allows you to install an operating system on a generic layer overlaying the hardware. This simple concept offers two game-changing features.

Portability: The system no longer needs awareness of BrandX hardware, it sees only the generic interfaces of the Virtual Environment. The operating system can now be moved from one physical machine to another as long as both share the virtual environment.
Resource Sharing: Multiple operating systems can share a single set of hardware with the virtual environment managing allocation of the underlying physical resources.