There are a variety of different cloud computing services and selecting the best one for your business can be challenging. In this blog, we dill go over a few different types of cloud computing service models, their benefits, and some important factors to consider when selecting one for your business.
1. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
One of the most common types of cloud computing services is known as Software-as-a-service (SaaS). The difference between the software that you install on your computer and SaaS is that this solution is hosted on your provider’s servers, giving you access to applications through the internet instead of installing them yourself. When you access the web through whatever browser of your choice, the device sends inputs to a data center. This data center is responsible for processing the inputs and sending the outputs back to your device. There isn’t much processing that is done directly on your device and the nice thing is that as long as you have an internet connection, you can access this software through any device at any time.
A nice feature of SaaS is that you, the end user, is not responsible for any sort of maintenance, installations, or updates. This is all done by the provider and they are in charge of mass updating the software so users all have the same version at the same time. This means that you won’t have to waste time and resources with manually updating your software.
For improved efficiency and productivity, SaaS software solutions typically include document creation suites, accounting software, email services, HR solutions, content management tools, customer relationship management systems, and more.
In a nutshell, SaaS is:
- Available any time over the internet
- Hosted on a third-party’s remote server
- Scalable for different business sizes and needs
- Inclusive, offering security, compliance, and maintenance as part of the cost
2. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
Platform-as-a-Service is mostly used by developers for testing their own software or apps in a virtual environment.
This means developers don’t need to build and maintain their own infrastructure consisting of networking devices, storage, servers, an operating system, and other necessary hardware and software when developing applications. This saves them time and money.
Aside from helping businesses improve the quality of their products, PaaS enables businesses to shorten their product development cycles, leading to faster time to market for new products.
Most companies that utilize PaaS do so to either host or develop their own software solutions or provide support for software used by their employees. But while PaaS is gaining popularity with many small businesses, most won’t have firsthand interactions with this type of cloud unless they need to build their own software or app.
Generally speaking, Platform-as-a-service solutions are:
- Accessible to multiple users for enhanced collaboration
- Scalable, with various tiers of resources to suit the size of your business
- Built on virtualization technology
- Easy to run without extensive system administration knowledge
3. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
IaaS is considered one of the most flexible cloud models, as it gives the most ideal options when it comes to IT hardware infrastructure. IaaS offers services such as pay-as-you-go storage, networking, and virtualization. The most popular and well-known type of IaaS is the virtual machine — a digital version of a computer or server that is accessed over the internet. IaaS gives you cloud-based alternatives to expensive on-premises infrastructure, so you can use your funds to invest in other things.
In other words, if you are looking to virtualize your systems via the cloud, IaaS is a good place to start, as it allows you to easily move existing support systems. Other solutions can then be migrated or introduced as needed.
IaaS is:
- Highly flexible and scalable
- Accessible by multiple users
- Cost-effective
While the cloud offers a wide variety of benefits and solutions, choosing the service model that best fits your company’s needs can be daunting. Get in touch with us today and we’ll help you find the best solution for your business and ensure proper migration and implementation so you can focus on running your business.
