What does a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) primarily do?

A Cloud Service Provider (CSP) primarily owns and manages data centers to deliver various cloud computing resources and services. This function is foundational because CSPs operate the hardware and infrastructure needed to offer services such as storage, compute power, and networking capabilities. By managing the data centers, CSPs ensure that the physical resources are available, secure, and maintained, which allows clients to access these cloud resources without needing to invest in or manage their own on-premises infrastructure.

While other functions like handling identity and access management, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing software applications are essential roles that a CSP might perform or support, the core function that distinctly defines a CSP is the ownership and management of the underlying data center infrastructure. This infrastructure enables the delivery of a variety of cloud services, from infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS), facilitating scalable, flexible solutions for businesses and users.