There are several cloud service models that provide different levels of management and control for users, depending on their needs. These models can be broadly classified into three categories:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS provides the fundamental building blocks of cloud computing, offering virtualized computing resources over the internet. It includes services such as virtual machines, storage, and networking. With IaaS, users can rent IT infrastructure on a pay-per-use basis and manage the operating system, applications, and other software themselves.
- Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform.
- Use case: Hosting websites, creating virtual machines, and running large-scale enterprise applications.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS provides a platform that allows developers to build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying hardware or software infrastructure. PaaS services offer development tools, databases, and middleware that can help streamline the application development process.
- Examples: Heroku, Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure App Service.
- Use case: Building and deploying web and mobile applications, especially for developers who want to focus on coding without managing servers or infrastructure.
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS delivers software applications over the internet, which are hosted and managed by a third-party provider. Users can access the software via a web browser, without the need for local installation or maintenance. SaaS applications are typically subscription-based and provide automatic updates.
- Examples: Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), Microsoft 365, Dropbox, Salesforce.
- Use case: Email, collaboration tools, customer relationship management (CRM) software, and other enterprise applications.