Which term is used for an on-premise application that has been modified to run on the cloud?

A "Cloud Enabled" application is an existing application, originally designed for an on-premise environment, that has been modified or reconfigured to run on a cloud infrastructure. This process often involves minimal code changes, focusing on making the application compatible with the cloud platform. This term is distinct from "Cloud Native," which refers to applications built from the ground up specifically to leverage cloud architectures and services. The key distinction is the application's origin and migration path—it was enabled for the cloud, not born in it.

A. Cloud Aware: This term describes an application that can recognize and interact with cloud services, but it does not specify the application's origin or migration pattern.
B. Cloud Based: This is a very general term for any application that runs on a cloud infrastructure. It is not specific enough, as it includes both cloud-enabled and cloud-native applications.
C. Cloud Native: This refers to applications designed and built specifically for cloud platforms, using architectures like microservices and containers, which is the opposite of a modified on-premise application.

1. IBM Cloud Learn Hub, "Cloud Native vs. Cloud Enabled": This official IBM resource explicitly defines the terms. It states, "Cloud-enabled applications are applications that were originally created to run in a traditional on-premises data center but were later modified to run on a cloud infrastructure." This directly supports the correct answer. (IBM Cloud Education, Cloud Native vs. Cloud Enabled, retrieved from ibm.com/cloud/learn/cloud-native-vs-cloud-enabled).

2. IBM Redbooks, "IBM Cloud Pak for Applications: A Primer" (SG24-8474-00): Section 1.2, "Application modernization," discusses the journey of modernizing traditional applications. It describes moving existing applications to the cloud, a process that results in them being "cloud-enabled" as a step towards potentially becoming fully cloud-native. This source distinguishes the modification of existing apps from building new ones.

3. IBM Cloud Blog, "Cloud-Native vs. Cloud-Enabled vs. Cloud-Based: What’s the Difference?": This article clarifies the terminology, defining Cloud-Enabled as "legacy, on-premises applications that have been moved to the cloud with little-to-no refactoring." It further explains that "Cloud-Based" is a generic umbrella term, making "Cloud-Enabled" the more precise answer for the scenario described. (Published on the official IBM Cloud Blog).