Cloud Computing – what is it, models, and service types (PART 2)

In the first part of our article, we have looked at the different Cloud Computing models. In this part, we will explain more about what the different services are and the benefits they can bring to an organisation.

Cloud Computing technologies – services

The Cloud Computing technologies consist of different service types, which are available to the users on-demand.

Most cloud storage services fall into three main categories: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), each of which builds on the previous one. Good knowledge of their differences and opportunities is key to successfully meeting your business goals.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

The providers of cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provide customers with the ability to use computing power, disk space, Internet network, RAM, and other key technology resources that make it possible to deploy and run various software programs such as operating systems and applications.

IaaS also provides a virtual environment as a service where customers have control to determine the parameters of the memory, processing time, number of IP addresses, operating system, installing software applications, as well as additional network components such as firewall, load balancers, and more.

Customers do not have access to the cloud infrastructure, but only determine the parameters of their own virtual machine.

An important condition for IaaS providers is to use the services of a reliable data center and provide users with a rich information system for monitoring virtual machines.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

The platform as a service refers to this type of cloud services that provides a virtual environment for developing, testing, delivering and managing software applications. PaaS has been developed to make it as easy as possible for developers to quickly and easily create their web or mobile applications without worrying about managing the adjacent infrastructure of servers, storage, networks, and databases needed for their work.

In PaaS, the responsibility of the service provider is to ensure the security of the development environment, while the developer’s responsibility is the security of the application itself.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

With this model, the provider provides customers with access to licensed software applications that are installed on the cloud.

Users can access these applications over the Internet through a web browser using a pay-per-use model. They do not have to manage or control cloud infrastructure elements such as a network, server, operating system, or data repository.

SaaS service providers manage the software application and the appropriate infrastructure and provide all kinds of support, including software upgrades and security.

Conclusion

Storing your digital information in a cloud can bring you many benefits. You can view your files from any smartphone, tablet, or computer from anywhere on the planet. All you need is an Internet connection.

The cloud itself serves as a backup of the data in case of technical problems and damage to your equipment. Also, maybe one of the most important benefits of Cloud Computing technologies is that you pay only for the resources used.

For more benefits of Cloud Computing, you can read here.