IaaS, PaaS, SaaS: Choosing the Best Cloud Service Model

Overview of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS

What is Infrastructure-as-a-Service?

IaaS gives access to on-demand resources such as physical and virtual services in the cloud network. These are the same as your on-premises resources and are accessible either through pay-as-you-go model or a subscription model.

Cloud service providers host and manage these resources which saves your time and money. Typically, other users can also use the same resources as you are if you have opted for shared services. But because of security concerns and large requirements, many businesses prefer unshared services.

It offers graphical dashboards or APIs to let you check number of physical hardware, storage capacity, or networking resources available or in use.

Popular Cloud Service Providers of IaaS

• Amazon Web Services
• Microsoft Azure
• Google Cloud Platform
• IBM Cloud

Pros and Cons of IaaS

Also Read: How Cloud Optimization Minimizes Waste and Maximizes ROI

What is Platform-as-a-Service?

PaaS offers a cloud platform to host, build, and deploy applications or software. It includes all the resources required for development such as servers, operating systems, databases, frameworks, tools, storage, and more. Cloud service providers host and manage these resources.

Examples of Platform-as-a-Service

• AWS Elastic Beanstalk
• Apache Stratos
• Kinsta
• Red Hat OpenShift
• Google App Engine
• Apprenda

Pros and Cons of PaaS

Also Read: SaaS in 2024: Trends That Will Reshape This Industry

What is Software-as-a-Service?

SaaS gives access to ready-to-use software built and managed on the cloud itself. Such software is accessible from the browser or mobile app and available on a subscription model. More users can be added later by paying additional costs.

Examples of SaaS Solutions

• Salesforce
• Dropbox
• DocuSign
• Google Workspace apps
• HubSpot
• Trello
• Canva
• Slack
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Zendesk

Pros and Cons of SaaS

You can either use one or a combination depending on your business type and needs. However, large enterprises use all three with or without traditional IT. Now, it is time to decide which cloud computing service model is good for you.

IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: How They Are Different?

Which is Better?

The answer depends on what you need. For example, if you do not have an in-house IT team, IaaS is not good for you. And if you lack a development team, forget about PaaS. However, if you still need the as-a-service model, decide on two things- ease of management and control. Let’s understand again with an example. 

Suppose you need a CRM solution for your internal team, you may either purchase a SaaS CRM or build a new one on the platform-as-a-service. It depends on whether you need the solution urgently or ready to compromise with features and functionalities.

But PaaS is the best fit if you need specific features in the CRM to meet the unique needs of your business operations. So, the ultimate choice depends on your needs.