The term Cloud Computing is referring to shared resources via the internet that can be accessed by applications and users. The need for scalable on-demand network access is growing daily. More entities are joining the cloud environment to help them manage there Data and Application needs.
The are three main available option, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
IaaS – Infrastructure as a service
The IaaS offers virtual resources that multiple people can access. These resources include Networking, Data Storage, and Servers. IaaS is not for everyone and catered for System Administrators as primary users. The Admins oversees the applications that run on the cloud provided infrastructure. The Admins are responsible for the security and service request, just like they would have been if it was a physical environment.
The scalability that helps the increase or decrease of resources makes it a very flexible option.
Paas – Platform as a service
Paas is a good option for developers who need all the comfort of a developing environment, but don’t want to give up office real estate. You get what you need, a Database, operating system, and a web server where developers can run and compile their programs. The only thing developers are responsible for is managing the Data. Infrastructure support gets handled by the Paas service provider and thus here is no need for infrastructure support from the developer.
SAAS – Software as a service
SaaS is an on-demand service that provides access to different application and workstations. You can access these via an internet browser or a local application client that allows you to run remote applications. An excellent example of this is when Mac user has something they need windows for, they can get an Amazon or Microsoft Asure virtual windows 10 PC. These SaaS options are inexpensive, and you only pay for what you use. The vendor manages all backend resources and infrastructure. Therefore the SAAS is a good option for small businesses or schools.
