One of the reasons that the term “the cloud” is so confusing to so many people is because it’s difficult to narrow down. It can actually mean several different things since it can cover different types of services. People tend to use the term for quite a few things today, including things that might not necessarily be a part of the actual cloud. Before one can understand just what types of benefits it can offer to a business, it is important to understand what cloud computing really is. Let’s look at the three different types of services that are actually a part of the cloud.
What Is the Stack?
Quite often, those who are in the field will refer to cloud computing as being a stack, which refers to the various types of services build together in the cloud. These include software as a service, platform as a service, and infrastructure as a service.
What Is Software as a Service?
Just as the term might suggest, this is a piece of software used via the Internet rather than a program on your computer installed through a physical copy. This could be a subscription option, or a pay as you go model. In some cases, the software might even be free, as long as it has another way of making money, such as through advertising revenue. One of the biggest and most popular software makers, Adobe, now offers SaaS for Photoshop, Illustrator, Audition, and the other products they offer. Many find that this is a better option.
This is becoming popular for many reasons. The users do not have to deal with the upgrades and patches to the software, as it happens at the source instead. It is also very easy to use, and it tends to be more economical.
What Is Platform as a Service?
PaaS has many similarities to SaaS. Platform as a service is a system of development tools that the host provides over the web. This can allow companies to create software and applications of their own without the expense and hassle of buying and maintaining their own set of development tools onsite.
What Is Infrastructure as a Service?
This option is the cloud at the highest level. It’s able to provide the customer with virtual storage and virtual servers, as well as application program interfaces. This lets the customers have greater control over their virtual servers, and the companies are able to buy the amount of space they need. This is a good option for many companies, as they can buy on a budget and expand as they grow and as their company needs it.
The Cloud Is… Everything
Still, despite trying to break down and understand the cloud and the different sorts of cloud computing types out there, it will still be difficult for many to understand that the cloud really does encompass so many different things. It’s important for business owners today to learn what they can about the cloud and other technological advances for their business. Stay on top of the changes and the different types of offerings available and then choose the ones that make the most sense for your company. As the power of the cloud grows, it becomes a better idea to move up to the cloud as soon as you can.