Cloud computing enables businesses to save on hardware and software programs, which are essential to the day-to-day operations of a business today. This technology allows your company to use applications and other IT resources, which are often under the management of third-party IT companies.
Your business can apply cloud computing to increase your IT capacity and functionality without getting additional software and personnel or without setting up new infrastructure and training new personnel. If you want to try your hands at this technology, here are various types of cloud-based program management solutions:
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
This is the lowest category of the cloud solution, and it involves cloud-oriented computing infrastructure as a fully outsourced service. Here, your provider delivers pre-installed and pre-configured software applications using a virtual interface. Whatever you decide to do with the cloud services is up to you. This option allows you to only pay for the service you want, gain access to enterprise-grade infrastructure and resources, reduce the total capital expenditure, and cost of ownership.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
While this is a bit similar to infrastructure as a service, it is much more advanced. With PaaS, besides the infrastructural benefits, your provider adds a solution stack and a computing platform as a service.
The IT infrastructure in this level comes with features such as programming languages, run-time system libraries, operating systems, and graphic user interfaces. This service is mostly sought after by companies who want to engage in the development, testing, collaboration, and deployment of cloud solutions for specific applications.
Benefits of PaaS include low upfront costs as you no longer have to invest in software and hardware. This solution also helps in reducing maintenance expenditures because you don’t need to run upgrades — your provider will perform the upgrades themselves. Above all, you get simplified deployment, which enables your team to focus on other important aspects of the business.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Your SaaS provider will offer you fully functional web-based applications upon your request. The software app is best suited for business owners as they come with features such as web conferencing, time management, email, CRM, ERP, and project tracking. Benefits of SaaS include but are not limited to bundled maintenance and support, rapid scalability, custom service offerings, access from any internet enabled location, and elimination of infrastructure concerns.
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)
DRaaS comes in handy when your company requires services such as archiving, backup replacement, business continuity solutions, and disaster recovery in a single, integrated level. This cloud service helps you recover data centers, servers, and data files. Its benefits include prevention of permanent or temporary loss of data, fast and accurate data recovery, and prevention of permanent loss of infrastructure.
Whether big or small, companies benefit from cloud services through improvement of operational efficiency and cost reduction. Your business may adopt cloud services depending on your area of expertise, your business processes, and your business priorities. Similar to any other IT projects, proper preparation and planning must be done for a smooth transition to cloud services.