Types of Cloud Services

What Are Cloud Services

Cloud services are a wide range of services delivered on-demand to companies and customers
over the internet. They offer flexible resources, faster innovation, and economies of scale
without the need for local infrastructure or hardware. By using cloud services, users can
access resources like storage, databases, servers, networking, software, and analytics
remotely. Cloud service models are not mutually exclusive, and you can choose to use more
than one in combination or even all of them at once.

Types of Cloud Services

Cloud services are usually categorized into three main types based on the service models:

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. It gives users direct access
to storage, networking, and computing resources (like virtual machines) that can be managed
on a pay-as-you-go basis. IaaS Delivers on-demand infrastructure resources, such as
compute, storage, networking and virtualization. IaaS is highly scalable and offers
businesses more flexibility than on-premise solutions. IaaS can be seen as the basic layer in
cloud computing. The virtualized components available through the internet are equivalent to
the servers and hardware companies would traditionally store in their building.

 When to use IaaS?

Organizations of all sizes can benefit from IaaS. Small companies who want to avoid
purchasing hardware or don’t have the time, staff, or ability to host large data centers on-
premise, as well as larger businesses who want to stay in control of their apps and only want
to consume the resources they actually need. The scalability of IaaS is also great for
companies that experience rapid growth.

 IaaS delivery
With IaaS, enterprises get a full cloud computing infrastructure including network,
servers, operating system, and data centres/storage. The IaaS provider is responsible for
managing and maintaining servers, hard drives, storage, and virtualization tools. However,
applications, runtime, OS, middleware, and data still need to be managed by the client.
 Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP),
Microsoft Azure.
 Use Case: IaaS is often used by organizations that need more control over their
infrastructure but do not want to invest in physical hardware. For instance, a company
could use IaaS to host its servers without maintaining the physical machines.
 Benefits:
o Cost savings as companies avoid hardware expenses.
o High scalability and flexibility.
o Complete control over the infrastructure.

 Disadvantages:
o Legacy system: Before migrating to the cloud, legacy apps might have to be
enhanced for the new type of infrastructure.
o Internal Training: Staff might have to undergo additional training to effectively
manage and monitor IaaS.
o Security: While you are in control over your apps, data, middleware, and the
OS platform, you are also responsible for mitigating new security threats.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS provides a development environment in which developers can build, test, and deploy
applications. It includes the tools and infrastructure needed to develop applications without
worrying about the underlying hardware.
The platform that can be accessed through the internet provides developers with a
framework and tools to build apps and software that are tailored to the organization’s
individual needs.
PaaS can be seen as a scaled-down version of IaaS. Just like IaaS, the customers have
access to servers and data centers which are maintained and managed by the third-party
provider. However, they mainly use PaaS for building custom SaaS applications.

 When to use PaaS?

There are several situations when a Platform-as-a-Service would be a good idea.
For example, if you have several developers working on the same development project,
PaaS is a great way to streamline workflows.
You can even include other vendors and stay flexible during the entire process. PaaS is
also the way to go if your organization requires customized applications that need to be
developed and deployed in a short amount of time.

 PaaS delivery
PaaS delivery can be compared to the way SaaS is delivered. The only difference
is that customers don’t access online software, but an online platform for the creation of
software. And since tools and environment are ready-to-use, software engineers and
developers can concentrate on building applications without having to worry about other
components like operation systems, storage, and infrastructure.
 Examples: Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure App Service, Heroku.
 Use Case: PaaS is ideal for developers who need a complete development
environment without managing the backend infrastructure. For example, a
team developing a web application can use PaaS to speed up the development
and deployment process.
 Benefits:
o Simplified application development with pre-built tools and libraries.
o Saves time by managing software upgrades, storage, and scaling.
o Reduces infrastructure management.

 Disadvantages:
o Data Security: Using third-party vendor-controlled servers means that there are
various security risks to look out for.
o Runtime Issues: Some PaaS solutions are not optimized for the language or
framework that your development teams are used to.
o Integrations: You might encounter some challenges with integrating new
applications as not every component of your legacy IT system is built for the
cloud.
o Limitations: Customized cloud operations tend to have automated workflows
that might not be compatible with PaaS solutions, thus limiting operational
capabilities for your end-user.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS)

 SaaS provides ready-to-use applications over the internet. Users access software via a
web browser or an app, typically on a subscription basis. The service provider manages
everything
from infrastructure to application updates. SaaS is hosted on remote servers and fully
managed, updated, and maintained by a third-party vendor. This results in less responsibility
but also less control for the end-user.

 When to use SaaS?

SaaS is ideal for small companies or startups that don’t have the capacity to develop
their own software applications. From e-commerce to short-term projects, SaaS is the
quickest and easiest solution if you don’t need highly customized applications. SaaS is also a
great option for applications that are not used very often, e.g. tax software.

 SaaS delivery
SaaS is delivered as a fully functional service and can be accessed remotely via any
web browser, allowing clients to work from anywhere. The users connect to the app through a
dashboard or API and rely on the SaaS provider when it comes to bug fixes, middleware,
support, and any potential technical issues.

 Examples: Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), Salesforce, Dropbox,

Microsoft 365.
 Use Case: SaaS is used by businesses and individuals needing applications without
the hassle of installation or maintenance. For example, a company can use SaaS
for CRM, document editing, or collaboration without installing software on each
employee’s computer.
 Benefits:
o Accessibility from anywhere with an internet connection.
o Easy scalability and flexibility.
o Low initial setup costs as there’s no need for on-premise installations.

 Disadvantages:

o Data Security: Since large volumes of sensitive data are being exchanged with
off-premise server, security and compliance might be compromised.
o Limited Customization: SaaS only allows for minimal customization when it
comes to features and capabilities.
 o Interoperability: It might be difficult to integrate SaaS with existing apps and
services due to dependencies.
o Less Control: Users have very little control over functionalities, performance,
downtime, or how their data is governed.
o Wasted Resources: With the ease of use and scalability SaaS provides, an
organization's SaaS stack includes many overlapping, underutilized, or unused
apps.

4. Additional Cloud Service Models

Some providers and organizations also use other terms and models, including:

 Function as a Service (FaaS): Often linked with serverless computing, where

users deploy code in response to specific events without managing servers. Examples
include AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions

 Backend as a Service (BaaS): This model provides backend cloud

storage, database management, authentication, and other services for mobile and
web applications, letting developers focus only on frontend development.