Types of Cloud Computing Services: SaaS, IaaS, PaaS and FaaS

What is cloud computing, in simple terms? Cloud computing refers to online resources and computer systems that can provide a number of integrated services without local resources to facilitate user access. These resources include data storage, backup, and self-synchronization, etc.

There are 4 main types of cloud computing services: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and FaaS (functions as a service). 

In this blog we will explore cloud computing technology and highlight the types of cloud computing services. Let's get started!

Types of Cloud Computing Services: SaaS, IaaS and PaaS

What is Cloud Computing? - Types of Cloud Computing Services: SaaS, IaaS, PaaS and FaaS

Overview

Cloud computing: You may have heard this word before; it is undoubtedly the next revolution in the world of the Internet as well as the business world.

If this term is a bit strange to you, I advise you to read this article carefully.

In the sense that the service provider shares its huge potential and powerful servers to provide diverse services for the customer to buy, equip and maintain devices within his company to carry out such tasks and functions.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a set of services offered from a service provider to a customer or to an audience of online clients in order to exploit the abilities and capabilities of the superior service provider without having to purchase expensive equipment in the company to do the same tasks.

The term "cloud computing" dates back to the 1960s when some companies began to think about how useful it would be to make computing service for individuals online.

There are a lot of cloud services such as storage, databases, software and other various services through the Internet.

Cloud computing has many types of services provided by some companies offering infrastructure as a service (IaaS). IaaS provides online storage services through this type of cloud service.

Another type of cloud service is software as a service (SaaS). SaaS provides various software services over the Internet.

Microsoft Office 365 is one of the common software programs that can be obtained through SaaS.

The world has many of the leading providers of cloud services - platform as a Service (PaaS) such as Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud.

Types of Cloud Computing Services

Cloud computing service models fall into 4 categories, including:

Software as a service (SaaS): 

The authority provided to the user is to use the service provider applications running on the cloud infrastructure. 

Applications can be accessed from different client devices either through a thin user interface such as a web browser (e-mail for example), or a program interface. 

In this case, the user does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including the network, servers, operating systems, and storage.

Platform as a service (PaaS): 

The capability offered to the user is to view the user-generated cloud infrastructure or applications acquired, which were created using the programming languages, libraries, services and tools provided by the service provider. 

The user does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including network, servers, operating systems or storage, but can control, as available, distributed applications and settings for the application-hosting environment.

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS): 

The usage right given to the user is to provide processing, storage, network, and other basic computing resources, so that the user is able to use and operate the absolute optional software and can include operating systems and applications.

The user does not manage or control the core cloud infrastructure, but can control the operating systems, storage, and distributed applications used, and may have limited control over the selected network components (eg host protection software).

Functions as a Service (FaaS):

Functions as a Service (FaaS) is a class of cloud computing services that makes it easier for cloud app developers to develop, run and manage microservice applications.

FaaS provides a platform that allows developers to write modular pieces of code on the fly and grants customers (consumers) to develop, run, and manage application functionalities.

FaaS does not require the complexity of building and maintaining an infrastructure that typically relates to developing and launching an app.

Cloud Computing Deployment Models

Here we mean the extent of the information, the scope of access and the category of users and beneficiaries, including:

Private Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is provided for exclusive use by a single organization with multiple users (for example, company divisions). 

The organization, or a third party, or both may own, manage and operate the cloud and maybe located inside or outside the premises.

Community Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is provided for use by a specific group of users sharing interests (eg mission, security and policy requirements, and compliance considerations). 

One or more organizations or a third party, or both, may own, manage and operate the cloud, and may be located inside or outside the premises.

Public Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is provided for public use by all users. 

The cloud can be owned, managed, and operated by a company, academic institution, or government institution. They are located within the premises of the cloud provider.

Hybrid Cloud: In this case, the cloud infrastructure is a combination of two or more distinct cloud infrastructures (private, community, or public cloud) governed by standardized or specialized (entity-owned) technology that allows data and application transfer.

The Applications of Cloud Computing

One of the coolest uses of cloud computing is the ability to use high-level applications and software, regardless of the efficiency of the devices you use.

Because it depends on the strength of the network servers and not on the personal resources of your device.

Whatever the efficiency of your personal computer, you can use Google Docs, without a problem.

To make this even clearer, we take several examples of cloud computing:

E-mail services

Do you use various email services such as Gmail, Yahoo mail or even Hotmail within your company or for your personal use?

If yes, you should know that this is the best example of cloud computing because you simply share with your service provider and take advantage of the storage capacity of your servers too - in this case, Google or Yahoo - to provide servers on which your personal email is based and to upload and send your files to your e-mail.

 In this case, you did not have to buy a server with certain storage capacity at a high price, but you also did not bear the cost of creating, loading and maintaining periodic. All this is provided by different service providers.

Cloud Storage Services

Maybe you've already dealt with one of these services and you might even know them well.

Who has not handled the popular online storage service called the Dropbox and what about Google Drive?

All these services are cloud storage services, that is, they use cloud computing to provide storage capacities for files on the Internet without having physical storage disks on your computer or in your company.

Cloud Applications

The most famous are Google Docs and Photoshop Express. 

Cloud applications that are used to perform some of the required functions such as editing data and images and create text files and tables, just like the programs of Office and Photoshop and others, without the need to download programs on your device, without the consumption of the storage capacity of your personal or office processors.

Cloud Operating Systems

Google is taking the lead in this area by launching its famous program Google Chrome for a cloud operating system known as Chrome OS.

It is expected that there will be a breakthrough in the year of cloud computing and jump into completely new dimensions.

Conclusion 

This was a quick overview of Cloud Computing and types of cloud computing services, and how you can use cloud services in your company, office, or even your personal use.