Cloud computing is a model of delivering computing services over the internet on-demand, including servers, storage, databases, software, and analytics. Rather than owning and managing their own computing infrastructure, companies can access these services from cloud providers who own and maintain the hardware, software, and network infrastructure required to provide them.
Cloud computing provides several benefits to organizations, including increased scalability, reliability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Companies can easily scale up or down their computing resources based on their changing needs, without having to invest in expensive hardware and software. Cloud computing works with three main types of services, let’s explore them.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
A cloud computing model that provides customers with access to computing infrastructure over the internet. This infrastructure includes virtual machines, servers, storage, and networking, which are hosted and maintained by a cloud service provider. Customers can rent these resources on a pay-per-use basis, rather than owning and managing their own physical hardware.
IaaS enables organizations to quickly scale up or down their computing resources based on their changing needs, without having to invest in expensive hardware and software. Customers can deploy their own applications, software, and operating systems on the IaaS infrastructure, and have full control over their computing environment.
IaaS provides several benefits to organizations, including:
- Scalability: IaaS enables organizations to quickly scale up or down their computing resources based on their changing needs, without having to invest in expensive hardware and software.
- Flexibility: IaaS provides organizations with a high degree of flexibility, as they can choose from a wide range of virtual machines, servers, and storage options to meet their specific needs.
- Cost-effectiveness: IaaS can be more cost-effective than owning and managing physical hardware, as customers only pay for the resources they use on a pay-per-use basis.
- Security: IaaS providers typically offer a high level of security, including physical security, network security, and data encryption, to protect customer data and resources.
- Reliability: IaaS providers typically offer a high level of reliability, with robust backup and disaster recovery capabilities, to ensure that customer data and resources are always available.
Examples of IaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and IBM Cloud. These providers offer a wide range of virtual machines, servers, storage, and networking options, and provide customers with a high degree of flexibility and control over their computing environment.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
A cloud computing model that provides customers with a platform for developing, running, and managing their own applications over the internet. PaaS providers offer a pre-configured software stack that includes an operating system, middleware, database, and development tools, which customers can use to build and deploy their own applications quickly and easily.
With PaaS, customers can focus on developing their applications, without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. PaaS providers take care of the hardware, software, and networking infrastructure required to run the applications, as well as provide support and maintenance services.
PaaS provides several benefits to organizations, including:
- Faster time-to-market: PaaS enables organizations to develop and deploy applications more quickly, as they do not have to worry about setting up and managing the underlying infrastructure.
- Increased productivity: PaaS provides a platform for collaboration and teamwork, enabling developers to work together more effectively and efficiently.
- Cost-effectiveness: PaaS can be more cost-effective than owning and managing physical hardware, as customers only pay for the resources they use on a pay-per-use basis.
- Scalability: PaaS enables organizations to quickly scale up or down their computing resources based on their changing needs, without having to invest in expensive hardware and software.
- Reliability: PaaS providers typically offer a high level of reliability, with robust backup and disaster recovery capabilities, to ensure that customer data and resources are always available.
Examples of PaaS providers include Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure App Service, Heroku, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk. These providers offer a wide range of development tools and platforms and provide customers with a high degree of flexibility and control over their computing environment.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
A cloud computing model that provides customers with access to software applications over the internet. SaaS providers host and maintain the software applications, which customers can access and use through a web browser or mobile application.
With SaaS, customers can use the software applications without having to install and maintain them on their own devices. SaaS providers take care of the hardware, software, and networking infrastructure required to run the applications, as well as provide support and maintenance services.
SaaS provides several benefits to organizations, including:
- Accessibility: SaaS applications can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, making it easier for users to work remotely and collaborate with others.
- Scalability: SaaS enables organizations to quickly scale up or down their computing resources based on their changing needs, without having to invest in expensive hardware and software.
- Cost-effectiveness: SaaS can be more cost-effective than purchasing and maintaining software applications, as customers only pay for the resources they use on a pay-per-use basis.
- Maintenance and support: SaaS providers take care of the maintenance and support of the software applications, ensuring that they are always up-to-date and secure.
- Customizability: SaaS applications can often be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization, enabling them to tailor the software to their unique requirements.
Examples of SaaS applications include customer relationship management (CRM) software, project management software, human resources management software, and office productivity software like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace. These applications are available through a subscription-based model, and customers can access and use them through a web browser or mobile application.
Other types of cloud services
Although we have covered the three most frequently mentioned types of cloud services, there are many additional ones that reflect more specifically on the type of service they deliver to the customer. Here is a brief explanation of each:
- Backend as a Service (BaaS), also known as mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), is a cloud computing model that provides developers with a pre-built backend infrastructure for their mobile and web applications. BaaS providers offer a wide range of backend services, including data storage, user management, push notifications, and serverless functions, among others, which developers can use to build and run their applications quickly and easily.
- Function as a Service (FaaS), also known as serverless computing, is a cloud computing model that enables developers to run code snippets or functions in response to events without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. FaaS providers manage the underlying infrastructure required to run these functions, including servers, networking, and storage resources, and bill customers based on the number of function executions and the time they take to execute.
- Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a cloud computing model that allows users to access a virtual desktop environment from any device with an internet connection. With DaaS, the desktop environment is hosted and managed in the cloud by a service provider, who provides users with access to the desktop environment through a remote connection.
- Security as a Service (SECaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides security services and solutions to organizations through a subscription-based model. SECaaS providers offer a range of security services, including threat detection and response, vulnerability management, identity and access management, and encryption and data protection, among others.
- Monitoring as a Service (MaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides monitoring and management services for IT infrastructure and applications. MaaS providers offer a range of monitoring services, including infrastructure monitoring, network monitoring, application performance monitoring, and security monitoring, among others.
- Identity as a Service (IDaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides identity and access management services to organizations. IDaaS providers offer a range of services, including user authentication, single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), identity governance, and privileged access management, among others.
- Database as a Service (DBaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides database management services to organizations. With DBaaS, the database management system is hosted and managed in the cloud by a service provider, who provides users with access to the database through a remote connection.
- Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides organizations with a cloud-based solution for disaster recovery and business continuity. DRaaS providers offer a range of services, including replication of critical data and systems to a secondary site, automated failover to the secondary site in the event of a disaster, and ongoing monitoring and management of the recovery process.
- Communication as a Service (CaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides communication services and solutions to organizations. CaaS providers offer a range of communication services, including voice and video conferencing, messaging, and collaboration tools, contact center solutions, and unified communications, among others.
- Artificial Intelligence as a Service (AIaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides organizations with access to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services and solutions through a cloud-based platform. AIaaS providers offer a range of AI and ML services, including natural language processing, image and video recognition, predictive analytics, and speech recognition, among others.
Conclusion
IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS is basic terminology we should know, when we decide to outsource our information and infrastructure to the cloud. However, as we have seen, there are also other types of services that can be provided by organizations looking to provide more specific services.
Interested in learning more? Our training catalog includes the many available trainings from Microsoft, that are now mostly cloud oriented. For example, we cover the Microsoft 365 administration (SaaS), software development in Azure (PaaS) and infrastructure configuration and maintenance (IaaS). We also provide trainings that help you understand the importance of security in the cloud.