The Top 5 Cloud Service Models: Which One is Right for You?
For businesses large and small, cloud services have become quite common. There are a lot of different types of cloud service models available, which can make it difficult to know which one is best for your needs.
We’ll look at the five most common types of cloud services – Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Desktop as a Service (DaaS), and Backend as a Service (BaaS) – and help you determine which one is right for your business.
Another area is Managed Software as a Service (MSaaS), which includes more hand-holding and managed help with a SaaS solution.
With cloud computing services, businesses can access powerful resources and applications on demand with little or no upfront costs.
Why is it Important to Choose the Right Cloud Service Model?
The five types of cloud services we’ll discuss can all provide different levels of functionality and flexibility. It’s important to understand which one best fits your business needs before committing to a particular model.
For example, a business that needs to store and access large amounts of data will likely benefit from an IaaS cloud solution, while a business that needs an enterprise-level application platform may be better suited for PaaS. Every situation is unique and only you can make the decision for yourself.
You will probably need different service models for the various parts of your business. You don’t need to only use one model for everything.
the Top Five Types of Cloud Service Models
Let’s go over each type in detail.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides businesses with virtualized hardware resources such as servers, storage, and networking infrastructure. With IaaS, businesses can quickly scale up or down their computing resources without the need for large upfront investments in physical hardware.
IaaS provides businesses with access to easy-to-create servers, storage, networking, and virtualization.
Characteristics of IaaS
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
- Flexible and quick scalability
- High availability and reliability
- Reliability with the larger providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.)
- Built-in level of redundancy
Benefits of IaaS
- You can create and configure a new server in a few minutes
- You can delete a server quickly
IaaS Use-Cases
- Web Servers in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Things to Consider Before IaaS Implementation
- You should have a rudimentary knowledge of servers prior to creating a cloud-based server.
- You should also have a plan to manage your servers and make sure they are secure.
- Costs can quickly scale up if you aren’t careful with your usage.
- You should still need to monitor the performance of your servers.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides businesses with an integrated development environment that enables them to build, test and deploy applications in the cloud.
PaaS is scalable and flexible and has pre-configured services such as databases, web servers, analytics tools, and more to use.
Characteristics of PaaS
- A secure and reliable cloud environment
- Ease of deployment, scalability, and flexibility
- Highly automated development tools
Benefits Of PaaS
- You can develop applications quickly and securely in the cloud
- No need to worry about hardware maintenance or software
PaaS Use-Cases
- Cloud-based application development
- Web app deployment
Things to Consider Before PaaS Implementation
- You should understand the services being offered by the provider.
- You should have a plan for managing and securing your applications.
- You may need to use third-party tools and services to extend the capabilities of PaaS.
- Costs can quickly scale up if you aren’t careful with your usage.
- You should have a rudimentary knowledge of the programming language and technologies used in PaaS before getting started.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS) provides businesses with access to software applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP), which they can access over the internet.
This type of cloud service provides users with access to a range of applications over the web. With SaaS, businesses can access a suite of applications without having to install and configure software on individual devices.
You have most likely already subscribed to a SaaS application for something in your life. If you pay a monthly fee and access any software over the internet, then that application is most likely a SaaS application.
Characteristics of SaaS
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
- Easy access to applications over the internet
Benefits of SaaS
- You can access your applications from anywhere (including your phone), at any time.
- Software upgrades are done by the provider, not by you.
- You can get up and running quickly, without needing to configure your own infrastructure.
SaaS Use-Cases
- Team collaboration tools (Slack, Zoom)
- CRM systems (Salesforce)
- ERP systems (NetSuite)
- Microsoft Office 365
- Google Docs
Things to Consider Before SaaS Implementation
- You should have a plan for managing and securing your data.
- You should ensure that the applications you use are compliant with any regulations or standards that you must adhere to.
- You should evaluate the performance, reliability, and security of the applications before committing to them.
- Costs can quickly scale up if you aren’t careful with your usage.
- You should understand the services being offered by the provider before subscribing.
- IMPORTANT – You should make sure you have a plan for migrating your data to another provider in the event that they go out of business or stop offering the service.
Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a type of cloud computing that allows businesses to deliver virtual desktops to users over the internet. You can provide users with access to desktops that exist in the cloud. Users can access their workstations from any device with an internet connection, allowing employees to work remotely and securely from anywhere.
Businesses provide remote access to applications and data without maintaining physical hardware (a work laptop) in each location. It may also provide users with improved performance and reliability since they are accessing their desktops from the cloud instead of local servers.
Characteristics of DaaS
- Secure, cloud-based delivery of desktops
- Highly automated and easy to use
Benefits of DaaS
- You can access your desktop from anywhere, at any time.
- Desktop upgrades and software upgrades are handled by the provider, not you.
- No need to purchase or maintain hardware in each location.
- Simple to add new users and remove old users
- Simple to replicate the exact same configuration to certain member groups.
DaaS Use-Cases
- Remote team collaboration.
- Virtual desktops for students or remote workers. No need to ship a company laptop to remote hires.
Things to Consider Before DaaS Implementation
- There will be a latency issue to deal with. You are remoting into the DaaS, which adds a (hopefully) fractional amount of lag time to each keyboard and mouse click.
- You should have a plan for managing and securing your data.
- The provider should provide secure access controls to ensure that only authorized users can access the desktop environment.
- Costs can quickly scale up if you aren’t careful with your usage.
- You should make sure that the service you choose is compatible with any applications or data you need to access remotely.
- If the service provider goes down or is unreachable, you can’t do any work. That’s not good.
Backend as a Service (BaaS)
Backend as a Service (BaaS) is a type of cloud computing that allows businesses to quickly and easily create web and mobile applications. It provides developers with access to a wide range of services, such as databases, analytics tools, push notifications, and storage solutions, which they can use to build their applications. This eliminates the need for developers to build these components from scratch, saving time and money.
You can quickly build mobile or web applications using services such as authentication, storage, user management, analytics, and messaging without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure or codebase themselves.
Characteristics of BaaS
- Secure, cloud-based access to backend components
- Highly automated and easy to use
Benefits of BaaS
- Rapid application development. Developers can quickly build and deploy applications without having to create their own custom code.
- Reduced costs associated with infrastructure and maintenance. BaaS providers handle all the heavy lifting, so developers don’t have to worry about managing servers or databases.
- Greater flexibility for developers. BaaS providers offer a wide range of features and services, so developers can choose the components that are best suited to their applications.
BaaS Use-Cases
- Mobile applications for customers and employees.
- Database-driven websites.
- Real-time analytics for customer engagement.
Things to Consider Before BaaS Implementation
- You should ensure that the provider’s security protocols meet your industry standards.
- The provider should provide secure authentication methods to ensure that only authorized users can access the backend components.
- You should understand the types of data being stored and how it is protected.
- You should consider the impact of latency and bandwidth on your application performance.
- You should make sure that the service you choose is compatible with any third-party services you need to integrate with.
- IMPORTANT – You should check the provider’s SLAs for uptime and reliability. This ensures that your applications remain available when customers
Choosing the Right Cloud Service for Your Business
What features are most important to your organization when making your decision – do you need more computing power? Would you benefit from faster deployment times? Are security or scalability more important?
Prioritize your needs in order to select the right cloud service for your business. With the right cloud service provider, your business can benefit from improved performance and scalability, faster deployment times, and lower operational costs.
Each type of cloud service has its own advantages and disadvantages
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) provides cost-efficient computing power and storage, but the user is completely responsible for the security of their data.
Platform as a service (PaaS) enables users to quickly create various applications while outsourcing some related hardware and software needs.
Software as a service (SaaS) offers instant access to software applications hosted by third parties, but no ownership of any application code.
Backend as a service (BaaS) is great for speeding up application development, but the connection speed to the BaaS application can ultimately affect your own application speed.
Use a reputable and experienced provider
You should choose a cloud service provider that is reputable and known for delivering reliable, secure, and quality services. Not all providers offer the same types of cloud services and it is essential to understand your individual business needs before engaging a provider to develop a solution.
Take the time to read customer reviews from other customers who have used them in the past.
Conclusion
There are a lot of options for you, and this list seems to be growing larger each day.
Once you have determined which type of cloud service you need, be sure to select a reputable provider that offers the type of cloud service you require. I’d recommend starting with Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure as a cloud service provider.
They have been around for many years and seem to offer nearly every service offering you can think of. Also, there are many books and online documentation for their services. The learning curve for them will most likely be less than other providers.
Good luck!
