Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the internet. These services are divided into three main categories or types of cloud computing: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
Cloud infrastructure involves the hardware and software components required for the proper implementation of a cloud computing model. Cloud computing can also be thought of as utility computing or on-demand computing.
The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that’s often used to represent the Internet in flowcharts and diagrams.
Cloud computing works by enabling client devices to access data and cloud applications over the internet from remote physical servers, databases, and computers.
Read more on: Basics Of Aviation Industry
Types of cloud computing services
Cloud computing can be separated into three general service delivery categories or forms of cloud computing:
IaaS.
- IaaS providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), supply a virtual server instance and storage, as well as application programming interfaces (APIs) that let users migrate workloads to a virtual machine (VM).
- Users have an allocated storage capacity and can start, stop, access, and configure the VM and storage as desired.
- IaaS providers offer small, medium, large, extra-large, and memory- or compute-optimized instances, in addition to enabling customization of instances, for various workload needs.
- The IaaS cloud model is closest to a remote data center for business users.
PaaS.
- In the PaaS model, cloud providers host development tools on their infrastructures. Users access these tools over the internet using APIs, web portals, or gateway software.
- PaaS is used for general software development, and many PaaS providers host the software after it’s developed. Common PaaS products include Salesforce’s Lightning Platform, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, and Google App Engine.
SaaS.
- SaaS is a distribution model that delivers software applications over the internet; these applications are often called web services.
- Users can access SaaS applications and services from any location using a computer or mobile device that has internet access.
- In the SaaS model, users gain access to application software and databases. One common example of a SaaS application is Microsoft 365 for productivity and email services.
