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What is the difference between cloud server and VPS (kvm, ovz, xen)?
I come across many hosting sites which say cloud servers and some say VPS (virtual private servers and offer in ovz, kvm and xen).
Sorry, if it sounds stupid 
but anyone please explain me what these people mean by cloud servers?
Is it dedi or kvm or xen or vmware or something else?
Comments
Don't trust everyone who says that they offer cloud services.
There's usually no difference, because these providers don't provide a true cloud service.
For the real cloud services, like Amazon, the focus is on scalability. Need more resources? Just click and there's no downtime. Don't need any resources? Just destroy the instances and pay nothing.
There's usually also failover, like if one node fails, you can be seamlessly transported to another node without you even realising.
Cloud is merely a marketing term. ignore it..
Check out Iwstack, which is a real cloud. The difference is on their home page
I would appreciate if you let me know what is your understanding? I want some simple terms, say like all are same with basic changes in hardware / software implementation and technology.
What I understood about VPS is, it is virtualized server which you connect using ssh (other options), it is hosted by some provider and I can do various software related on it. I would say it is Infrastructure As A Service.
Is cloud server different than above definition?
http://iwstack.com/why-iwstack.php it is not clear?
Cloud is a hopelessly vague term coming from "cloud computing" that can include things as diverse as virtual private servers, email hosting, and web application platforms. In the context of server virtualization, people generally associate cloud server platforms with features such as load balancing, virtual LAN, immediate deployment with hourly or even more precise billing, raw block storage, etc.
Really though, cloud as a distinguishing term is unreasonable for server virtualization. First, outsourcing infrastructure is already in some sense cloud: you purchase compute time and storage space on an external server rather than hosting services on a private mainframe. Additionally, at the low level, all server virtualization providers are running a small set of virtualization hypervisors: KVM, Xen, LXC, VMWare, etc.; and those hypervisors do the bulk of the work (so when Xen has a major security vulnerability, Amazon has to restart their machines just like everyone else).
If you just look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing you'll see there's clearly no single definition for cloud computing; so you can tell someone doesn't know what they're talking about if you hear them say "real cloud" or "true cloud" or "fake cloud". Organizations have nevertheless tried to define cloud by listing features, for example NIST:
The most unreasonable thing I keep hearing, though, is the argument that cloud has something to do with failover on the VM level. Most people who say they are writing a "cloud application" mean that they are designing their application to be distributed across multiple servers, and tolerate failures in a subset of nodes. It's hard to come up with a scenario where VM failover would be useful for such applications, if the host node goes down for any amount of time then it becomes mostly useless to the application, so booting it back up is the same as booting up a new instance from snapshot. (On the other hand, I will admit that redundant, distributed block storage is useful.)
Anyway in the end you're asking for a definition of an undefinable term, just like the threads before it (this too). Since cloud is so vague, everyone is free to have their own viewpoint (after all, each application is unique)... as long as they recognize everyone else's is equally valid (which I have failed to do!).
Edit: here is good post: http://lowendtalk.com/discussion/comment/614409/#Comment_614409
Hello,
My personal basic understanding of the cloud would be sthg like that:
Telling cloud are vps is a shortcut.
Cloud for me is more an addition of things vps+services+UI+web app+...
As said by TarZZ92 it is not a technical term it's more a marketing term.
They have downtime. If cloud definition is 100% uptime, then AWS is not true cloud.
@perennate
Same as "VDS" virtual dedicated server... In other words .. KVM with an 60% mark up.
Sorry, I am not able to access this link, may be some issue with internet connectivity from office. Will check it later. Thanks!
Agree with @perennate, however I would like to add that cloud definition depends, on who you are ?
Normal User
Cloud: is some kind of online service where they can save data and files. VPS: what is this ?
Managers
Cloud: Is available on hourly basis, VPS: it cost per month
System / Network Administrators
Cloud: has some type of GUIs where they can setup firewalls, fail-over with few clicks, and can do regular maintenance more easily like backup / restore etc ... VPS: they have no option other then to get dirty their hands with Linux shells or install their own management GUI on VPS.
Developers
Cloud: If at some point in future application need additional resources then it can acquire them automatically with the help of Cloud APIs, VPS: you have to add additional resources manually.
Regarding Load balancing, and application distribution, I think both vps and cloud are same, developer has to do all the dirty job.
Service Providers (hosting)
Both are same thing, however if you want to impress your clients with enlightened cloud term and cloudy web design. then you have to buy / setup additional softwares for APIs and for Management Interfaces, so you can satisfy developers and administrators that you are a real cloud provider!
Right now it is all the differences on my mind!
@nasirbest That's a perfect answer for me. Thanks!
A lot of interesting answers here, however, I have always seen the division as follows:
VPS - Located on one single hardware hypervisor, if the hypervisor goes down, so does your server and there is no way to get it back up until that hypervisor is brought back online.
Cloud Server - Provides high availability. In most cases your drive volume instead of being a single volume on a single server is actually a software raid including two volumes on two independent servers. What this allows for is if a single hypervisor is to crash, your server can immediately be restarted onto another hypervisor in the cluster using the secondary volume and rebuilding a mirror of it on a new server that is still online. This allows your services to be restored in as much time as it takes the server to reboot on a new hypervisor and provides higher uptime than you would see with a 'VPS' which is located on a single hypervisor and can only be brought back online when the hypervisor has been restored. Also, in some cases, providers will provide your drive volume on a SAN which is available to multiple hypervisors, once again allowing you to reboot your server on another hypervisor in the case of a failure of a single hypervisor.
A good example of this would be a provider using OnApp who is utilizing the high availability features of the panel. (Note: not all providers using OnApp choose to use these optional features, so you can not always assume a provider using OnApp is also providing high availability.) Another platform which is EOL now which utilized XEN and provided the same type of high availability is a platform called AppLogic which is owned by CA (however if you are not an enterprise level customer you have probably never seen or had experience with this platform). I believe also Cloudstack provides some of these high availability options, which I think @perennate could speak to better than me.
With all of that said, as other have posted, this is not per se the actual by definition meaning of "Cloud", but how I see it being defined in this specific use case.
my 2 cents.
Cheers!
A high level overview:
A virtual private server (VPS) provides as much control as a dedicated server (a physical server that’s devoted entirely to a single user/business), except that you can’t do anything with your physical hardware.
The VPS ‘virtualizes’ an operating environment for a user/business – meaning that environment exists independently of the physical servers that are running it. Usually (but not always), that hardware is shared between a few clients.
With a cloud server, the user/business only pays for the resources they use, making scaling resources much easier than with a VPS. The cloud server uses a network of servers for its resources rather than a single server (hence the term “cloud”).
While they seemingly function very similarly, which is right for you will come down more to your specific data use and requirements as the pricing structure on the two can be quite different. Hope this helps.
Is there any chance to know if its cloud or normal vps? As i know many providers are offering cloud but in reallity its not.
Well, we offer actual cloud features with our OpenNebula, including:
Those are the features I would consider part of "Cloud" definition.
My question was if there is a option like a command to check it.
Not really no. You have to look for those features.
You need to ask two very basic questions
If they offer both, I think they can claim as being cloud provider! but if you are looking for feature checklist for good or perfect cloud providers then I am afraid that it will go too long !
If you are looking some kind of cloud related "signature" in os / filesystem then you can't find any, Even in case of some specific providers you can see some signs and tell that you are running a cloud instance, but unfortunately they are only specific to that provider.
Remember basically Cloud is a service built upon virtualization technology to provide additional features
Cloud hosting: Your website application are hosted on multiple server instead of single server.
Cloud = How to fool peoples by saying Universe Hosting, Water hosting.. lol (#1 Marketing)
A cloud server are on demand servers or you can easily create one and destroy one also they can scale up resources and down when needed.
VPS is best suited for 24x7 operations which provides a more stable resource usage.
The cloud term isnt properly used for marketing it seems, or is overused this days