What are the Three Main Types of Cloud Computing?
Unless you’ve spent the last decade living under a rock, you will have heard of the cloud at some point. Plainly put, cloud computing is a general term used for services and data hosted and stored over the internet instead of in a physical hard drive. The benefits are plain to see. End users can access the required information from wherever they are, enabling a faster and more seamless approach to data storage.
There are three main types of cloud computing. Keep reading to learn the differences between them.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
The fundamental pillar of cloud IT, IaaS, provides infrastructure and eliminates the need for physical hardware. As companies abandon offices, more and more businesses are relying on cloud IaaS due to their flexibility and low running costs. Because IaaS can be adjusted according to demand, it is particularly popular with small and medium businesses looking to boost growth.
Before the advent of IaaS cloud computing, companies would have their own IT infrastructure. Suffice to say, this was extremely expensive — not to mention unfriendly to the environment. By relying on a third-party cloud service provider, companies can save huge amounts of money and time.
Traditionally, IaaS is used for website hosting, data storage and online applications.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
More specific than IaaS, PaaS gives companies a cloud platform to build, test and develop apps. It affords flexibility at a reduced cost, proving extremely successful for start-ups trying to make their mark in a competitive IT world. Usually, companies pay only for the features they are actually using.
On top of that, PaaS grants developers unprecedented freedom to try out innovative ideas. It basically guarantees a risk-free approach to app-developing, providing the platform to experiment without the financial uncertainty.
Popular PaaS providers include Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS grants access to cloud-based apps via online subscription instead of them being bought and installed on an individual basis. This is perfect for business software like email, instant messaging or CRMs. Chances are that you use SaaS every day. From Adobe Creative Cloud to SalesForce, this type of cloud computing has never been more prevalent in office environments.
Its main benefit lies in its convenience. Unlike installing software, accessing SaaS solutions in the cloud is a completely seamless experience. SaaS is also ideal for our current working environment where more and more employees have turned their homes into an office. Because they remain the same regardless of the device used, SaaS ensure a smooth transition from the office desktop computer to the home office laptop.
Invest in tailored cloud computing services
Want to join the long list of companies benefitting from cloud computing services but don’t know where to begin? Thankfully, we’re here to help. With our own state-of-the-art OGL Cloud, and as a Gold Microsoft Azure Partner, we can host all your important data services in a safe and accessible online location.
We can also put you in touch with one of our cloud computing experts so you can decide which service is best for your business.
