IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: 7 Key differences

What is IaaS? What is SaaS? What is PaaS? Is Netflix a SaaS? Is Facebook a PaaS? Is Amazon a PaaS, IaaS or SaaS? IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: What is the difference? What are the three service models of cloud computing?

This blog post will help you answer all these questions.

What is IaaS?

IaaS refers to infrastructure as a service. IaaS utilizes automated and scalable computing infrastructure to offer different services. IaaS uses an on-demand service model that allows businesses to rent data centers, servers, computers, and other hardware.

IaaS delivers computing infrastructure through a dashboard or virtual data center to give users complete control. Also, with all the resources distributed as a service, multiple users can access a single piece of hardware at once.

IaaS refers to Infrastructure as a service.

What are the benefits of IaaS?

The benefits of IaaS include:

• IaaS enables dynamic scaling that allows you to scale down and add capacity as per the project requirements. 
• IaaS runs on ‘pay-as-you-go’ model wherein you only pay for resources that you use. 
• IaaS offers various hardware options with pre-configured operating systems. 
• IaaS provides provisioning patterns with infrastructure code management to create IT resource packages.
• IaaS enables IT resource deployment in ready-made environments.
  

What are some use cases of infrastructure as a service?

Some use cases of infrastructure as a service include:

1. Big data analysis
   
   IaaS can manage, store and process large amounts of data and integrate data with a wide range of business intelligence tools.
   
   
2. Website hosting
   
   IaaS supports website hosting in the cloud by offering a wide number of servers that can easily handle high traffic and meet unanticipated demands.
   
   
3. Disaster recovery
   
   IaaS offers a centralized file storage system that helps you retrieve data in case of a system failure. Also, you get a data backup of your existing database.
   

What is SaaS?

SaaS refers to software as a service. SaaS utilizes an online browser over the internet to offer hosting services and run online applications. By using SaaS, businesses do not require IT staff to download and install applications on each computer.

By outsourcing application management to third-party vendors, the SaaS model offers excellent maintenance and support. Businesses do not need to handle data middleware, server, storage, and other technical issues. 

SaaS refers to software as a service.

Related Post: The Nine Best KPIs for Your SaaS Platform

What are the benefits of SaaS?

The benefits of SaaS include: 

• SaaS users are not responsible for software or hardware updates
• SaaS hosting is on a remote server to ensure accessibility over the internet
• SaaS provides high convenience and ease of use
• SaaS helps you access multiple devices from any location
  

What are some use cases of software as a service?

Here are some use cases of SaaS. 

1. Customer support
   
   SaaS provides a dedicated dashboard with in-built features and services to provide customer support throughout the customer’s journey.
   
   
2. Video conferencing applications
   
   SaaS provides a strong platform for video conferencing applications and facilitates online meetings, screen sharing, and other cloud-based communication.
   

What is PaaS?

PaaS refers to a platform as a service. PaaS offers a platform to create software applications. By offering specific cloud components, PaaS helps developers create customized applications.

While using PaaS, businesses or third parties can manage middleware, software updates, operating systems, storage, and infrastructure. Thus, developers get more freedom to build software applications.

PaaS refers to platform as a service.

Benefits of PaaS

The benefits of PaaS include:

• PaaS offers pre-built components like authentication, workflow, git repository, directory, and IDEs like visual studio and eclipse.
• PaaS manages virtual machines, disks, networks, and other overhead costs. 
• PaaS reduces the amount of code and enables cost-effective deployment of applications
  

What are some use cases of the platform as a service?

1. API management
   
   PaaS facilitates easy API management by providing the right tools for developing, running, and managing programming interfaces and related microservices.
   
   
2. Databases
   
   PaaS offers a secure, scalable, and resilient platform to create, maintain and manage databases.
   
   
3. Communications tools
   
   PaaS enables seamless creation and integration of communication tools like voice assistant, chat box, and video conferencing in websites and mobile applications.
   
   Related Post: Multi-Cloud vs Hybrid Cloud: 3 Key Differences 

IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: Major differences

Key differences between IaaS, SaaS, PaaS

Summary 

SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS are popular cloud computing models with each offering unique features and functionalities. SaaS gives you a lot of flexibility to choose from a wide range of pre-built applications, IaaS gives you maximum control over the cloud and PaaS manages all the infrastructure for you. With many businesses switching to the cloud, organizations must determine the cloud computing models per project and business requirements.

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FAQs

1. Is Netflix a SaaS?
Yes, Netflix is a SaaS organization that provides on-demand videos using the software.

2. Is Facebook a PaaS?
Yes, Facebook is a PaaS as it allows the developers to create an application on the platform by using proprietary APIs.