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Cloud · 03 Editorial guide

Cloud, IDC & CDN

Cloud is a product description, not a licence category. Map compute, storage, deployment, delivery, network and managed-service functions to the current catalogue, then identify who owns or controls infrastructure, contracts with customers and operates the service.

First job Draw the service, infrastructure, entity and data flows before selecting a licence or partner model.

Start here

Start here

Key considerations

The first questions are about urgency, governance and preservation — before collection expands or interviews begin.

  1. What compute, storage, delivery or managed functions are supplied?
  2. Where is infrastructure located and who controls it?
  3. Which entity contracts, invoices and supports customers?

Decision map

Keep the question bounded.

  1. Draw the architectureShow facilities, compute, storage, CDN, network, control plane, support and data flows.
  2. Allocate operating rolesIdentify asset owner, licence holder, platform operator, contracting party and support provider.
  3. Classify regulated functionsTest IDC, internet resource collaboration, CDN and other supplied functions without relying on the cloud label.
  4. Control access and deploymentVerify ownership route, approved geography, contracts, data obligations and change triggers before launch.

Quick answers

Need the short version? Start with one narrow question.

These explainers answer one question. They do not replace this topic route or a deep guide.

Quick AnswerSaaS in ChinaSaaS in China is a feature-to-catalogue mapping problem: filing, VATS items, cloud licences and data rules can stack. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerCloud Computing Licensing in ChinaCloud offerings often map to VATS items (IDC and related) plus security assessments — live cloud flagship stays linked. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerIDC Licence in ChinaInternet data centre (IDC) is a VATS catalogue item for hosting/data-centre services — foreign investment is tightly restricted. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerCDN Licence in ChinaContent delivery network services are a distinct VATS catalogue item from IDC and from ordinary website filing. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerForeign Cloud Providers in ChinaForeign public-cloud brands usually serve China via licensed local partners and separate regions — not a simple cross-border VPC. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.

Curated resources

Open the asset that matches this job.

01
deep guide

Cloud Computing in China

IDC and internet-resource-collaboration licensing, foreign-provider routes, architecture, data and contracts.

02
core guide

China ICP, VATS & Telecom Licensing Guide

Service classification, ICP filing, VATS catalogue items, foreign-investment access and operating-route analysis.

03
primary regulation

Telecommunications Business Classification Catalogue

Official MIIT catalogue used to classify basic and value-added telecommunications service functions.

Helpful to prepare

Facts that make the next conversation clearer.

These items are orientation aids, not a legal requirement list.

Architecture, infrastructure and network diagramsEntity and responsibility matrixLicence and pilot-route evidenceCustomer, partner and data-processing contractsDeployment geography and change-control triggers

Local context

Add location only when the filing or pilot route changes.

National service classification comes first; infrastructure location, filing practice and approved pilots follow.

Open city and province guides

Counsel hand-off

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This hub organises filing, catalogue and operating-route questions. It does not determine licence scope or foreign-investment access on your facts.

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