Cloud Computing Service Models For Business

Nowadays starting a business is as easy as drinking water. Technology is increasingly becoming affordable and available to everyone at all times. 

Because of this facility, organizations are not worried about capital costs, space to build the infrastructure, amplifying the business whenever it is required, or anything else for that matter.

We especially need to talk about cloud computing, which is making everything easy for businesses and organizations. Cloud Computing is all about virtualization. 

Because of virtualization, everything is becoming so simple without needing to build the infrastructure and not bother about the capital cost.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing Development Services has been in the business for quite a long time. Despite that, many people don’t know the many benefits it brings to the table. We all know that businesses are increasingly moving towards cloud computing.

Cloud computing can provide the services of networking, computing, storage, analytics, databases, etc at a very cheap price for the customers depending upon the service model you select.

The significant benefits of cloud computing are fast, inexpensive, easy to use, flexibility, and many more. In the following, we will talk about the benefits in more detail.

Cost—To start any business, you need ample capital. Without capital, it is impossible to grow the business over the period. Cloud computing can solve this issue by renting out on an as-needed basis to the customers.

Security — This probably comes as the top priority for any business once they decide to start a business. Security is a top priority for any cloud service provider once they decide to offer their services to their customers. Hence, you need not be depressed about this problem.

Flexibility — It is important when you have started a business, you will see your business is growing. Gradually, you need to increase your capabilities of networking, storage capacity, computing capacity, database capacity, etc. In this type of situation, it is very easy to scale up your resources as needed according to the requirements and demands of the customers.

Above are some benefits of cloud computing. Although we have many benefits, this article's primary purpose is to talk about the service models of cloud computing, so wasting no time lets us jump into the territory of service models and how it benefits the businesses.

Types of Cloud Computing Service Models

Cloud computing is majorly classified into three types of as-a-service models. They are namely,

• Infrastructure (IaaS — Infrastructure-as-a-Service)
• Platform (PaaS — Platform-as-a-Service)
• Software (SaaS — Software-as-a-Service)
• Function (FaaS—Function-as-a-Service)

Let us discuss each one of them in detail. To make these service models understood easily, I want to explain these models with a car. Here we go,

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

The name implies that this service provides the IT infrastructure for the business. This includes things like virtual machines, networking, storage, and servers alongside maintenance and support.

This is mainly useful for businesses that are considering starting their businesses right from scratch without fretting about physical resources and capital.

For instance, if you wish to buy a car to go from place A to place B, you decide what sort of specifications you need for your car, like the engine capacity, seating capacity, cost of the car mileage, etc. We can consider this as infrastructure that you need to buy a car to go from place A to place B.

Simply put, it is like you bought a car, and maintained it on your own, which means you handle fuel and other things to go from place A to place B. 

Infrastructure-as-a-Service is like this, which means you are buying the infrastructure, but eliminating the purchasing and managing the physical servers. You also have complete control over the infrastructure and the service model, along with the maintenance and support with maximum flexibility.

Characteristics of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

• Flexibility and Scalability: IaaS is like having a vehicle with a shape-shifting ability; effortlessly scale up or down based on your journey’s demand.
• Cost-Effective: Imagine only paying for fuel when you drive. IaaS follows a similar model, reducing upfront costs by charging based on usage.
• No Hardware Hassles: It’s like enjoying a road trip without worrying about car maintenance. IaaS eliminates the need for physical hardware upkeep.
• Incredible Speed and Performance: Think of it as having a sports car on-demand. IaaS offers high-performance resources at the click of a button, ready when you are.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Next up — platform-as-a-Service model, in which you will own nothing, but you still have control over things like developing tools, web servers, databases, etc.

Instead of focusing on administering services, you can focus more on things like app development, software development, etc. Here you can test, run, and manage the applications.

It is like renting a car from a rental car service. You can still choose a car, drive the car, and maintain it, but you cannot have the facility to specify the engine capacity, mileage, etc., to go from place A to place B.

Characteristics of Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

• Streamlined Development: PaaS is like a toolkit for your road trip; it provides all the necessary tools and environment for swift and efficient app development.
• Reduced Coding Time: Imagine having an autopilot for coding. PaaS offers pre-coded components, speeding up the development process.
• Cost Efficiency in Operations: It's like carpooling in the cloud. PaaS reduces costs by sharing underlying infrastructure among multiple users.
• Seamless Integration: Think of it as a universal car charger, PaaS allows easy integration with existing platforms and services, enhancing compatibility and functionality.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

This is more like an end product for the customer. Gmail is a perfect example of this. You can email from any computer if you have the internet and a web browser. Over the internet, you can access the application without worrying about the storage and database.

Software-as-a-service is also called “on-demand” software. It is very easy to access. Users are not responsible for the updates of software and hardware. This also helps in uninstalling the software to access the service over the internet.

In car terminology, it is like ordering an Uber. You do not own the car; you do not maintain the car like buying fuel and other maintenance, but you can still go from place A to place B doing none of the above things.

In SaaS, the administration work is so easy, and it is also compatible because all users have the same version of the software. If at all there are any updates, then it will automatically update without the need of the user.

Characteristics of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

• Accessibility Anywhere: SaaS is like a trusty GPS; access your software from any location, as long as you have an internet connection.
• No Installation Hassles: Forget about lengthy installation processes. With SaaS, you're just a login away from using the software.
• Automatic Updates: It’s like having a self-updating navigation system; SaaS takes care of software updates and maintenance without user intervention.
• Scalability and Flexibility: SaaS can adapt to your journey's needs, easily scaling up or down based on your business requirements.

Function-as-a-Service

Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) is like having an on-demand, task-specific service at your fingertips. Imagine you need a quick, specific service, like a direct shuttle for a short distance. FaaS is just that in the computing world - a way to execute specific functions, almost like calling a bike or a scooter for a quick, one-time ride.

Just like using a ride-sharing app where you pay only for your short journey and not for the vehicle's upkeep, FaaS operates on a similar principle. You use it to run small, specific pieces of code - tasks like automatically resizing uploaded images or processing payment information. You're charged only for the time your function is executed, making it highly cost-efficient.

Think of FaaS as a service that's there when you need it and invisible when you don't. No worries about maintenance or long-term commitments, much like not having to care for the scooter or bike once you've reached your destination. It's perfect for one-off tasks or unpredictable workloads.

Characteristics Function-as-a-Service

• Event-Driven Execution: Just like a motion sensor activates a light, FaaS functions are triggered by specific events, running code in response to each unique trigger.
• Scalability: FaaS can effortlessly handle varying loads, scaling up or down automatically, much like a taxi service that can dispatch more cars based on demand.
• No Server Management: With FaaS, there's no need to manage servers or infrastructure, akin to using a tool without worrying about its maintenance or storage.
• Pay-Per-Use Billing: FaaS operates on a pay-as-you-go model, where costs are incurred only when functions are executed, much like paying for a bike rental only for the duration you ride it.

Which one is suitable cloud Service for Your Business?

It completely depends on your ability to handle the work. 

If you really want a smaller amount of work involved, an inexpensive service model, and you belong to a small scale business, then it is good to go with the SaaS service model. 

PaaS is the preferred model if your major focus is on the development of apps, and you want to build some customized apps since it leases all the computing and networking resources.

Infrastructure-as-a-service is a preferred model when you want to have control over IT hardware infrastructure. With IaaS, you can customize and manage whenever you want, and it is also very flexible in scaling the resources of storage, network, and computing. 

If you have a large enterprise, then you should go with the IaaS model since you have full control over the hardware. Sometimes it even helps startups, too.

Hence, whether your business is small or large, the world is swiftly moving towards a cloud computing development company. With many benefits, it is very reasonable that you shift your business to a cloud computing service model as soon as possible according to your requirements and demands of the organization’s needs.

I hope you select a good service model for your organization. All the best for your new business and adventure.

On that note, we will meet in the next article. Ba-ba-bye!

Thank you!