References to “the cloud” have become quite common in business today, and it’s helpful to understand the differences between IaaS and PaaS, which are two types of cloud computing services.
Infrastructure as a Service, or IaaS, is a type of cloud computing and has become a popular topic of conversation with businesses today. IaaS uses virtualized computing sources located at a data center that users access from the internet.
The benefit of using IaaS is that a business doesn’t need to spend money upgrading hardware to run certain types of programs and can save money on technology upgrades by using IaaS.
One of the major IaaS providers is Amazon Web Services, and users of the service have the ability to launch their own virtual servers using an operating system of their choice at any time.
Platform as a Service, or PaaS, is an option that allows businesses to develop their own programs or applications and run them on a remote, virtualized server. With PaaS, the cloud provider not only provides the hardware infrastructure, but they also maintain the operating system.
Essentially, a PaaS provider supplies all of the necessary resources except for the application itself. The benefit of using PaaS is that businesses can develop, maintain, and use applications in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. A business with a relatively new app that features proprietary information may benefit from using PaaS as a way to save money on hardware and operating system upgrades.
Regarding business and information technology, there are two assumptions business owners often make that can reduce efficiency and increase costs. The first is that the newest technology is always the best option for a business simply because it’s new. The other assumption is that “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” means you can keep old technology around as long as it still works.
The reason it’s helpful to consult with an information technology expert is because he or she can help a business owner decide whether updating systems to use IaaS or PaaS services is the best choice or whether using legacy equipment is appropriate for the time being. Every business might not immediately require the newest technology, and may save money by upgrading at a future date when the price of a brand new service has come down.
A discussion most businesses should have at a certain point is one on utilizing cloud computing. One of the reasons a business might hold off moving apps to the cloud is because of a legacy app that may not work in the cloud. At a certain point, many businesses must make the decision to develop a new app or stop using a legacy program.
Do you have questions about cloud computing? Would you like further information on IaaS versus PaaS and which option might work best for your business? Contact Magnet Solutions today to set up an appointment. We’ll help you develop an effective, safe, and affordable information technology solution for your organization.