Cloud computing has revolutionized the way businesses operate, leveling the playing field for companies of all sizes. Whether you’re a startup or an industry leader, the cloud empowers you to meet growing consumer demands and compete with the big players. Ready to make the move? The key question is: which cloud computing service model is the perfect fit for your organization — SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS?
What Are the Three Cloud Computing Service Delivery Models?
Without a doubt, you want to maximize the value derived from your cloud service. Concurrently, safeguarding your assets from potential threats is paramount. To achieve this, it is imperative to comprehend the functionality of each cloud computing service delivery model. Additionally, a thorough understanding of the Shared Security Responsibility Model associated with each model is essential. For a winning and secure cloud strategy, it’s all about choosing the model that hits the sweet spot for your business goals.
There are three main cloud service delivery models:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
While all are powered by cloud computing, each model operates uniquely, offering organizations a wide array of distinct services.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS is the most well-known of the three cloud service delivery models. That’s because most people use SaaS applications every day, whether they know it or not. When people talk about “the cloud,” they usually mean SaaS applications like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Netflix.
The SaaS delivery model enables users to utilize fully functional software that is operated and managed in the cloud. Typically, users access SaaS applications through a web browser. The key advantage to this is the elimination of concerns related to downloading and installing programs, as these tasks are handled by the vendor. However, depending on the specific service, you may need to download a plugin.
Key benefits of SaaS include:
It’s lightweight
Running SaaS applications typically doesn’t require as many computing resources as on-prem software.
No need for software updates
Vendors manage and update SaaS applications. That means everyone has access to the most up-to-date version at all times.
No more software licensing
Premium SaaS applications follow a subscription-based model, removing the need for purchasing and renewing software licenses. This model is especially popular with businesses that have remote workers, as it allows them to use powerful business tools without requiring hardware upgrades or manual software updates.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Historically, a company’s IT infrastructure was stored on-premises, meaning organizations had to constantly invest in expensive hardware and ensure everything stayed up to date.
As technology advanced, organizations increasingly relied on cloud service providers to streamline the management of their IT infrastructure. This shift led to the emergence of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), prompting organizations to migrate from on-prem to cloud-based infrastructure. IaaS empowers businesses by providing access to virtualized computing resources hosted on cloud servers, with benefits including:
Greater flexibility
IaaS lets you access infrastructure services on demand. Additionally, you can scale infrastructure to support business growth and reduce it when needed.
Cost savings
You don’t have to buy physical hardware every time you want to upgrade. As your computing infrastructure is provided on a subscription basis, your vendor is the one responsible for infrastructure management.
Reliability
Your assets are stored in a remote data center, where it’s managed by cloud service providers. This service model all but eliminates the threat of a single point of failure.
IaaS eradicates the necessity for in-house hardware, allowing organizations to access cutting-edge IT infrastructure at a significantly reduced cost. This renders IaaS an increasingly favored service model, particularly among small and medium-sized companies. By eliminating the need for substantial hardware investments, IaaS facilitates a more equitable competitive landscape, enabling smaller enterprises to rival larger organizations with more extensive budgets. Additionally, the flexibility to scale infrastructure on demand further enhances the appeal of IaaS for businesses of varying sizes.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
This cloud computing service delivery model is commonly referred to as a solution stack. It empowers organizations to develop, execute, and oversee cloud-based software without the necessity for onsite infrastructure. These platforms are supplied and maintained by a third-party vendor, relieving businesses of concerns related to tasks such as backups and server provisioning—all of which are handled on their behalf. PaaS benefits include:
Improved efficiency
Since a third party handles your IT infrastructure needs, businesses can spend more time focusing on developing, testing, and deploying applications.
Simplicity
PaaS gives businesses a platform with development tools, so they can develop, test, and host applications in the same environment.
Better collaboration
PaaS requires teams to develop over the internet, eliminating the need to transfer files and manually sync data. Everyone works with the same up-to-date information all the time.
Which Cloud Computing Service Model Is Right for You?
When adopting cloud technology, it’s crucial to choose a model that not only fits your budget but also drives your organization’s growth by meeting its unique demands efficiently.
All three cloud models provide businesses with an excellent alternative to on-prem solutions. For an overview of the differences of on-prem vs. cloud, check out On-Premises vs. Cloud: What’s the Difference? Each cloud computing model offers distinct benefits and challenges. Selecting the ideal option for your organization hinges on understanding your unique needs and the goals you aim to achieve through cloud migration.
When to choose SaaS
SaaS is the best model for companies that need applications, but don’t need to develop an up-to-date infrastructure. As such, this makes SaaS a great excellent solution for small and medium-sized businesses that:
- Need to support remote work
- Frequently require teams to collaborate
- Don’t have the resources or need to deploy on-premises hardware
Keep in mind that SaaS prioritizes configuration over customization. Many organizations have on-prem software solutions customized (or developed) to suit their unique business needs. But this isn’t an approach commonly associated with SaaS.
Most vendors develop SaaS applications with an objective of serving as many customers as they can. While you can configure these applications to suit your needs, you probably won’t be able to customize them if you need a one-of-a-kind software solution.
When to choose IaaS
If your organization requires more computing power but you don’t have the time or resources to upgrade your on-prem IT infrastructure, IaaS can help. Some reasons you might need IaaS include:
- Rapid deployment and/or reduction of infrastructure based on your business performance
- Access to greater computing power to pursue your digital strategies, but you don’t want to own the infrastructure
- A solution so you don’t have to bring on IT personnel to manage your infrastructure
After choosing an IaaS vendor, you need to decide which type of service model you want:
- Private cloud that’s used exclusively by your organization. It’s a more flexible option offering control over their infrastructure, but it’s more expensive.
- Public cloud that’s used by multiple organizations. It’s less expensive and provides customers powerful computing power, but organizations have less control over their configurations.
- Hybrid cloud that uses both public and private infrastructure, providing the best of both worlds, but it can be significantly more challenging to implement and maintain.
When to choose PaaS
If your organization requires a flexible computing platform for developing and testing applications and software, PaaS is your best bet. Whether your company specializes in software development or simply implements agile methodologies, PaaS can help.
PaaS gives you the tools to quickly build, test, and deploy applications so you can develop iteratively and modify software based on customer feedback. Here are some reasons why you may want to implement PaaS:
- You have projects requiring collaboration with multiple developers.
- Your business model requires you to have shorter development cycles.
- You need a solution that enables you to scale your applications as needed, without putting a strain on internal resources.
Be mindful of vendor lock-in when choosing a PaaS provider. Most providers have their own configuration requirements, which can make it challenging to migrate from one platform to another.
Securing Your Cloud Computing Services
Whether you opt for SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS, a comprehensive cloud security strategy is essential to safeguard your assets. Unfortunately, there is no universal security solution applicable to all cloud services. Each model operates distinctively, requiring careful consideration when devising a security strategy. According to the Cloud (In)Security Report, a staggering 98.6% of organizations experience misconfigurations in their cloud environments.
Security for SaaS
SaaS providers are responsible for ensuring the security of their cloud services. This means you don’t have to worry about finding and correcting security vulnerabilities within the SaaS application your provider will handle that.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to factor SaaS into your security strategy. You still could fall victim to a data breach if an unauthorized party accessed your account. Here are some SaaS security practices to minimize your threat risk:
- Implement single sign-on (SSO) capabilities so you can easily authorize and revoke employee accounts when needed.
- Ensure employees only have access to resources they need to complete their jobs. Revoke access when they no longer need those privileges.
- Make sure your SaaS providers have a good track record with security, follow applicable compliance regulations, and include end-to-end encryption in their services.
SaaS security starts with you. Make sure your organization has systems and policies in place to promote good security practices. Things like multifactor authentication (MFA) and a strong password policy go a long way in protecting your data from cyberattacks.
Security for IaaS
IaaS operates under the shared security responsibility model, where the cloud service provider is responsible for securing the cloud infrastructure, while the customer is tasked with securing everything built on that infrastructure. Here are some recommended security practices for IaaS:
- Maintain up-to-date systems to keep your cloud infrastructure protected against security threats.
- Conduct privilege audits to ensure everyone has access to what they need to complete their tasks — and nothing more.
- Actively scan for security vulnerabilities that malicious parties could exploit.
- Identity and correct threats using deep packet detection or intrusion detection systems.
One of the most important parts of securing IaaS is fixing misconfigurations. As the customer, it’s your responsibility to detect those misconfigurations and prevent them from growing into bigger problems.
Security for PaaS
PaaS also follows the shared security responsibility model. This means you’re responsible for ensuring the security within your cloud software apps not your service provider. Some PaaS security best practices include:
- Use real-time protection solutions that can detect and block attacks. Most PaaS platforms come with a range of native security tools and add-ons you can use to protect your cloud applications.
- Routinely scan your applications and libraries for vulnerabilities and threats.
- During your development lifecycle, consistently analyze your code for potential vulnerabilities.
- Strengthen your security posture and regulatory compliance by using a tool for collecting and analyzing logs.
Because you use PaaS to develop software, it’s important you have security baked into your development process. Teams always must consider security and compliance implications when developing and launching software.
Choosing the Right Cloud Computing Service Delivery Models
Successful cloud migration is achievable with the right approach. Once you have a clear understanding of your company’s needs and strategic goals, selecting a model that aligns with your business objectives and brings value to your organization becomes straightforward.
Whether you are utilizing cloud services to develop software or expand your infrastructure, ensuring continuous and robust security is essential. This is where Fortra XDR and Fortra’s Alert Logic Managed Detection and Response (MDR) comes into play. Our solution offers round-the-clock protection against potential threats. By leveraging this advanced security solution, you not only safeguard your systems from attackers but also ensure ongoing compliance and proactively address security incidents before they escalate into major issues.
