August
04

What is SaaS, Cloud Computing, PaaS and IaaS?

Posted By: Wayne Schulz    



clouds computing SaaS.jpg

There’s quite a bit of confusion around the definitions of cloud computing.

Some users and consultants use the term to mean any software program that isn’t stored and used directly on site.

Yet others have latched onto a whole laundry list of acronyms that more accurately describe different types of cloud computing.

For example:

SaaS – Software As A Service

Essentially based on the concept of renting application functionality from a service provider rather than buying, installing and running software yourself. Offerings within this range from services such as Salesforce.com at one end, delivering the equivalent of a complete application suite, to players like MessageLabs at the other, whose services are designed to complement your operational infrastructure.

PaaS – Platform As A Service

Platform as a service (PaaS), which is all about providing, a platform in the cloud, upon which applications can be developed and executed. Players like Google, again Salesforce.com (this time with Force.com), and Microsoft (with Azure) exist in this space. Facilities provided include things like database management, security, workflow management, application serving, and so on.

IaaS – Infrastructure As A Service

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS). The proposition here is the offering of compute power and storage space on demand.

The difference between this and the other two categories of cloud is that the software that executes is essentially yours. In practical terms, the model is based on the same principles of virtualisation that we are all familiar with in the context of server partitioning or flexible storage. Rather than running a virtual image on a partition existing on a physical server in your data centre, you spin it up on a virtual machine that you have created in the cloud. Virtual disks can be created in a similar manner, to deal with the storage side of things.

For more details about cloud computing as well as to read an argument about whether this type of computing poses a danger to Internet Service Providers – read the full story at The Register.

© 2009, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Sage 50, Sage 100, Sage 300 and Sage 500 are registered trademarks of Sage. Have additional unanswered questions about MAS90? You may contact Schulz Consulting here.

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Related posts you might want to review:

  1. Intacct and Netsuite – My SAAS thoughts from IT Alliance Spring 2009

About

This entry was written by a Sr Consultant who has worked with Sage 100 ERP ( Formerly Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200) since 1986. He provides technical support to companies located throughout the United States on all versions of Sage 100 ERP Contact Wayne via our info request page.The views expressed on this site are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinion or position of any other person or company. We are NOT in the business of providing tax, accounting or audit advice and you are advised to consult with your tax professional in such matters and not to rely on any information here as authoritative tax, technology or accounting advice. Information is subject to change without notice. Google+

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Comments

  • jakeburns

    Thanks for the post. PaaS and the cloud are the future of software.

  • jakeburns

    Thanks for the post. PaaS and the cloud are the future of software.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3GAFYQI25TMNZ6OYCWSFSHW2DE Anna Li

    usefull infromation! I have read a similar article here: http://dcxcloud.blog.com/2011/07/22/whats-saaspaasiaas/  which is very helpful also.