There is confusion about the three main categories of cloud service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). Let’s define each cloud service model.
1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a self-service model for managing remote data center infrastructures. IaaS provides virtualized computing resources over the Internet hosted by a third party such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure or Google.
Instead of an organization purchasing hardware, companies purchase IaaS based on a consumption model. It is like buying electricity. You only pay for what you use. This model enables companies to add, delete or reconfigure IT infrastructure on-demand.
Many IT organizations rely on IaaS because they are more familiar with IaaS, especially if they have years of experience with virtual environments or strict security and regulatory requirements that can only be met through IaaS.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS) allows organizations to build, run and manage applications without the IT infrastructure. This makes it easier and faster to develop, test and deploy applications.
Developers can focus on writing code and create applications without worrying about time-consuming IT infrastructure activities such as provisioning servers, storage and backup.
PaaS brings more value to cloud. It can reduce your management overhead and lower your costs. PaaS also makes it easier for you to innovate and scale your services on demand.
3. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a service (SaaS) replaces the traditional on-device software with software that is licensed on a subscription basis. It is centrally hosted in the cloud. A good example is Salesforce.com.
Most SaaS applications can be accessed directly from a web browser without any downloads or installations required. However, some SaaS applications require plugins.
FAQs
The three main cloud computing service models are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Each model has distinct characteristics that make it appropriate for addressing specific types of business objectives.
What are the 3 main service models of cloud computing? ›
IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are the three most popular types of cloud service offerings. They are sometimes referred to as cloud service models or cloud computing service models.
What are the top 3 cloud computing services? ›
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are the big three cloud service providers today.
What are the 3 types of cloud computing? ›
Types of Cloud Computing
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) ...
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) ...
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
In general, there are three main cloud computing models available from the public cloud providers:
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) ...
- PaaS (Platform as a Service) ...
- SaaS (Software as a Service)
Examples of IaaS include Rackspace, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine (GCE) and Joyent.
What are the main cloud models? ›
The main three cloud service models are: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. Each cloud service model covers different user and company needs, and provides a different level of control, security and scalability.
Which cloud service type is most? ›
Software as a Service is, and likely always will be, the most popular form of the cloud.
Which is the best cloud service? ›
Best Cloud Service Providers Summary
| Tools | Price | |
|---|
| Amazon Web Services (AWS) | Pay-as-you-go pricing model based on usage and cost optimization | Website |
| Google Cloud Platform | Pay-as-you-go model. | Website |
| Oracle Cloud | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Digital Ocean | Simple, bolt-on pricing based on usage and requirements | Website |
8 more rowsIaaS is the most basic cloud service model, where the provider offers the physical or virtual infrastructure, such as servers, storage, networks, and operating systems, as a service. The user can rent the infrastructure on demand and pay only for what they use.
Cloud computing offers everything from on-demand self-service, storage, and resource pooling to elasticity, automation in management, and broad network access. There are three major types of cloud computing—IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
What are the 3 types of cloud computing PDF? ›
The service model of the cloud computing is Software as a services (SAAS), platform as a Service (PAAS), and infrastructure as a Service(IAAS).
Which three 3 are the primary benefits of cloud computing? ›
Benefits
- Easy to set up and use immediately.
- Easy to access remotely (e.g. on any internet-connected device like a computer, laptop or mobile phone, easy access for working-from-home models).
- Easy to share access with multiple staff members in the work environment and remotely.
The web tier offers a graphical user interface (GUI), which displays information to and collects information from the users. The application tier handles the business logic and processes user inputs. The database tier is where the information is stored and managed.
Is S3 a PaaS or IaaS? ›
Iaas stands for Infrastructure as a service. Iaas sells products analogous to hardware like VMs, storage and data management servers. The most famous Amazon Web Service (AWS) offering in Iaas is EC2 (Elastic computing 2), S3 (Simple Storage Service), and RDS (Relational Database Service).
What are the three main cloud computing service models quizlet? ›
refers to the integration of all three primary cloud service models defined by NIST - Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
What is SaaS PaaS and IaaS with examples? ›
IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS stand for infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service. IaaS provides a pay-as-you-go approach for storage, networking, and virtualization. In addition, PaaS includes even more services like hardware and software development tools available via web.
