# What Is ScyllaDB Cloud?

ScyllaDB Cloud is a fully managed Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) built on
ScyllaDB, a high-performance NoSQL database compatible with Apache Cassandra.
You provision a cluster through the ScyllaDB Cloud UI or API; ScyllaDB handles
all infrastructure, operations, upgrades, and monitoring — you focus on your
application.

## How It Works

ScyllaDB Cloud runs your cluster in one of two ways:

* **ScyllaDB-managed account** — Infrastructure is provisioned and owned by
  ScyllaDB in a dedicated cloud account on AWS or GCP.
* **Bring Your Own Account (BYOA)** — Infrastructure runs inside your own AWS
  or GCP account. You retain full ownership; ScyllaDB Cloud manages operations
  on your behalf.

In both cases, you interact with the cluster through the same UI, API, and
standard CQL drivers. The difference is purely about where the infrastructure
lives and how costs are billed.

## Cluster Types

ScyllaDB Cloud offers two cluster types optimised for different workloads:

* [X Cloud](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/cloud-setup/cluster-types/xcloud-clusters.md) — A
  serverless-style cluster built on the Tablets architecture. Storage and
  compute scale independently and automatically. Best for variable or
  unpredictable workloads.
* [Standard](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/cloud-setup/cluster-types/standard-clusters.md) — A
  fixed-topology cluster where you control the number and size of nodes.
  Supports Multi-DC deployments and vNodes. Best for steady, predictable
  workloads.

See [X Cloud or Standard? Choose Your Cluster Type](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/cloud-setup/cluster-types/cluster-types-overview.md) for a decision guide
and comparison table.

## What Is Included

Every ScyllaDB Cloud cluster includes the following managed services at no
extra operational cost:

* **Automated backups** — Daily snapshots with configurable retention.
* **Rolling upgrades** — New ScyllaDB versions are applied without downtime.
* **24/7 monitoring** — Built-in dashboards and automatic alerting on cluster
  health, storage usage, and workload metrics.
* **Security updates** — Continuous patching to support compliance
  requirements.
* **Proactive support** — ScyllaDB operations teams monitor your cluster and
  take remediation actions based on severity.

## Next Steps

* [Quick Start Guide](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/scylladb-quickstart/index.md) — Create your first
  cluster and connect to it in minutes.
* [Billing and Pricing](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/cloud-services/billing.md) — Understand pricing
  plans, billing options, and Vector Search costs.
* [Create a Cluster](https://cloud.docs.scylladb.com/stable/cloud-setup/index.md) — Explore deployment options,
  cluster types, BYOA, and Availability Zones.