Taking advantage of cloud services has become a major part of modern business, but, as with any new and constantly changing practices, it can be hard to keep track of the benefits and uses of new technology. So how do cloud-based services, such as SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), affect YOUR business?

SaaS

This is the most common cloud-based service and likely the easiest to understand and navigate for users. In fact, if you use Gmail for work or personal e-mail, then you’re already using Software as a Service. The most valuable aspect of this model is that those using it no longer need to install applications onto their device – instead, they’re hosted on a web server and accessed through a client. Gmail offers e-mail, storage, spreadsheets, document editors and other useful tools all through an online sever accessible through web and mobile devices. This makes it easy for users to sign up for and begin using new services. SaaS also provides benefits for developers, such as making it much easier to roll out updates as the application is hosted centrally. Benefits of SaaS include:

• Easy access to applications
• Lower initial costs
• Hassle-free upgrades
• Seamless Integration

PaaS

Primarily used as a development tool to provide IT workers with a standardized and versatile building framework, PaaS is the standard for testing and hosting applications. It generally accounts for less revenue than SaaS, but is still an incredibly viable component to the cloud computing market. PaaS has been known to greatly reduce the cost of entry for software entrepreneurs, as well as streamline application development. PaaS billing is based on usage and the vendor is in charge of management, leaving developers free to work on what they do best. Overall benefits of PaaS include:

• Reduction in total costs
• Improved navigation, speed, and flexibility

IaaS

IaaS users are responsible for installing their own operating system and managing their applications themselves, while the IaaS provider takes care of the management of underlying hardware. This may be a bigger burden on administration, but it provides added flexibility and can easily be scaled up or down to comply with demand. It is the most basic cloud offering and serves as the infrastructure powers many of the most popular services and applications. Benefits include:

• Cost saving
• Allowing time to focus on business growth
• Easy availability

In the new technology age, business practices are constantly evolving and can be slightly hard to keep track of. If you’re looking for help to determine how to best integrate cloud-based services in your business, contact {company} at {phone} or send us an e-mail at {e-mail}.