Cloud Service Model

“Cloud service models” Cloud computing is a term used to describe the delivery of on-demand computing resources — hardware, storage, databases, networking, and software — to businesses and individuals via a network (usually the internet). Cloud computing enables organizations to access and store information without managing their own physical devices or IT infrastructure:

1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Provides computing power, storage, and network resources, allowing users to manage their own operating systems and applications.

• Example: Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)
• Description: With AWS EC2, users can rent virtual machines (VMs) and manage their own operating systems and applications. It provides the flexibility of on-demand computing resources.

2. CaaS (Container as a Service): Offers services for managing and using containers, which are units of processing that facilitate development and service delivery.

• Example: Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
• Description: GKE allows users to deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications using Kubernetes. It abstracts the complexities of container orchestration and provides a platform for running containerized workloads.

3. PaaS (Platform as a Service):Delivers computing power and a development platform, enabling users to build and modify applications without worrying about the underlying operating system or infrastructure.

• Example: Heroku
• Description: Heroku is a cloud platform that allows developers to build, deploy, and scale applications without managing the underlying infrastructure. It provides a platform for application development, abstracting away server and hardware

4. FaaS (Function as a Service): Provides services for the execution of functions, which are pieces of code that can be invoked in response to events without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure.

• Example: AWS Lambda
• Description: AWS Lambda enables users to run individual functions in response to events without the need to provision or manage servers. It is event-driven and charges based on the actual compute time consumed by the function.

5. SaaS (Software as a Service):Allows users to access and use software applications over the internet without the need to install or maintain the software on their local computers.

• Example: Salesforce
• Description: Salesforce is a cloud-based SaaS solution that provides customer relationship management (CRM) services. Users can access and use Salesforce’s CRM software over the internet without installing or maintaining it locally.

Benefits of Cloud Service Model

• Easy implementation. Cloud hosting allows business to retain the same applications and business processes without having to deal with the backend technicalities. Readily manageable by the Internet, a cloud infrastructure can be accessed by enterprises easily and quickly.
• Accessibility. Access your data anywhere, anytime. An Internet cloud infrastructure maximizes enterprise productivity and efficiency by ensuring your application is always accessible. This allows for easy collaboration and sharing among users in multiple locations.
• No hardware required. Since everything will be hosted in the cloud, a physical storage center is no longer needed. However, a backup could be worth looking into in the event of a disaster that could leave your company’s productivity stagnant.
• Cost per head. Overhead technology costs are kept at a minimum with cloud hosting services, enabling businesses to use the extra time and resources for improving the company infrastructure.
• Flexibility for growth. The cloud is easily scalable so companies can add or subtract resources based on their needs. As companies grow, their system will grow with them. Efficient
• recovery. Cloud computing delivers faster and more accurate retrievals of applications and data. With less downtime, it is the most efficient recovery plan.

Disadvantagesof Cloud Service Model

• No longer in control. When moving services to the cloud, you are handing over your data and information. For companies who have an in-house IT staff, they will be unable to handle issues on their own. However, Stratosphere Networks has a 24/7 live help desk that can rectify any problems immediately.
• May not get all the features. Not all cloud services are the same. Some cloud providers tend to offer limited versions and enable the most popular features only, so you may not receive every feature or customization you want. Before signing up, make sure you know what your cloud service provider offers.
• Doesn’t mean you should do away with servers. You may have fewer servers to handle which means less for your IT staff to handle, but that doesn’t mean you can let go of all your servers and staff. While it may seem costly to have data centers and a cloud infrastructure, redundancy is key for backup and recovery.
• No Redundancy. A cloud server is not redundant nor is it backed up. As technology may fail here and there, avoid getting burned by purchasing a redundancy plan. Although it is an extra cost, in most cases it will be well worth it.
• Bandwidth issues. For ideal performance, clients have to plan accordingly and not pack large amounts of servers and storage devices into a small set of data centers.

Read more at: https://www.stratospherenetworks.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloud.html

Key differences between cloud IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and CaaS

Understanding the difference between IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and CaaS in cloud computing comes down to the level of control and responsibility. Each model offers an alternative to managing your own on-premises data center, but the service provider will manage different elements in the computing stack depending on which type you choose.

The diagram below shows how IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and CaaS compare in terms of who is responsible for managing what:

Reference : https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zpw-v4ZOiAkbLm9ARSl68tGaZFYsFsz1ABwRbl8Cj_ozj12jCTPmgVGKBARz3Xwum1CUsMQ7Hog=e14-rj-sc0xffffff-h1000-w1000

To understand cloud and the different models to choose from, it can help to think about it in terms of housing:

• On-premises: If you decide to build your house from scratch, you do everything yourself. You’ll need to source the raw materials and tools, put everything together, and run to the store every time you need anything. This is similar to running an application on-premises, where you own everything from the hardware to your applications and scaling.
• Infrastructure as a service: If you are busy, you might consider hiring a contractor to do the work. You tell them how you want the house to look and how many rooms you want, and they take the instructions and build your home. IaaS works in a similar way for your applications. You rent the hardware to run your application on, but you are responsible for managing the OS, runtime, scale, and all the data. Example: Compute Engine
• Containers as a service: If buying a home is just too much work due to the maintenance it comes with, you can choose to rent instead. The basic utilities are included, but you bring your own furniture and make the space yours. With containers, you can bring a containerized application, so you don’t have to worry about the underlying operating system but still have control over scale and runtime. Example: Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
• Platform as a service: If you don’t want to worry about furnishing your living space, you can rent a furnished house. PaaS lets you bring your own code and deploy it but leaves the server management and scaling up to the cloud provider. Examples: App Engine, Cloud Run
• Function as a service: If you just need a small dedicated place to work away from your home, you can rent a desk in a coworking workspace. Similarly, FaaS allows you to build and deploy a small piece of code, or a function, that performs a specific task. The cloud provider adds scale if needed when a function executes. Example: Cloud Functions
• Software as a service: Now, imagine you move into a finished house (rented or purchased), but you have to pay for upkeep, such as cleaning or lawn care. SaaS is the same — you pay to use a complete application for a specific purpose that is managed, maintained, and secured by the cloud provider, but you are responsible for taking care of your own data. Example: Google Workspace