All termsNetwork zones
Cloud / Hosted
A cloud or hosted environment — systems running in a vendor's or public cloud rather than on-premises.
When to use it
For SaaS systems, hosted archives, or cloud services that participate in the workflow.
In plain terms
Renting space in someone else's data center instead of your own server room.
Common gotchas
- Traffic to cloud crosses the org boundary — treat it like external, usually via DMZ or VPN.
- Data residency and BAA/contract terms matter for PHI.
- Latency and availability now depend on the internet link.