One of the most basic choices a prospective cloud computing customer needs to make is determining the delivery model that best addresses their business objectives. This delivery model is typically determined by the type of service the customer needs. In some cases, multiple models can be used to meet customer requirements in different ways.
Three basic cloud delivery models can be used to categorize all cloud services and solutions.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS solutions offer the simplest implementation. All an SaaS solution requires is an Internet connection to access the cloud service or application. SaaS offerings don’t require the customer to provide technical resources as the cloud service provider (CSP) is responsible for supporting the infrastructure on which the software runs. Applications offered as SaaS are immediately available for use.
Organizations often deploy SaaS solutions to add functionality to the IT environment or to modernize obsolete applications. Taking advantage of SaaS solutions can provide advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities that enable small companies to compete with larger rivals. The growth of the mobile workforce has influenced companies to move from applications hosted on-premises to SaaS offerings.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS solutions provide an on-demand, cloud-hosted platform suitable for application development and deployment. The CSP manages the hardware and software used to support the platform including the operating system, storage, and middleware. Customers have control over how the platform is used for developing, testing, and deploying applications.
PaaS is a good choice for businesses looking to decrease time to market and provide an efficient collaborative environment for app development. PaaS offers a cost-effective method of testing new technologies and easily scaling applications when requirements change. Some limitations on customization options may influence a customer to investigate an IaaS solution.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS offers customers on-demand access to cloud-hosted infrastructure that can be used for any purpose. Customers can typically choose between virtual machines or bare metal hardware. The CSP hosts and maintains the underlying hardware and resources in its data center and the environment is accessed over an Internet connection. Customers pay for the resources they use and save on the capital expenses associated with providing a physical IT environment.
IaaS solutions are perfect for startups looking to avoid the expense of building an on-premises infrastructure. The scalable nature of IaaS makes it a good choice for companies with fluctuating capacity requirements. Companies can deploy an IaaS solution for disaster recovery and business continuity instead of supporting multiple physical locations.
Additional acronyms have been created to directly describe the purpose or functionality of a service or solution. Some examples are:
- Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS);
- Data Loss Prevention as a Service (DLPaaS);
- Desktop as a Service (DaaS).
Knowing the right service to look for minimizes the challenges of engaging in cloud computing solutions. Evaluating what your business hopes to achieve with a cloud-based computing solution should help determine the best delivery model to adopt.