Today, there are so many as-a-service options there’s a whole new category to describe this computing model – Everything-as-a-Service! It’s written as XaaS for short, and it’s a term that describes services and applications delivered to uses over the internet, on-demand. One of the most well-known terms in this realm is SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). We’re all familiar with everyday examples, including Google Apps, Salesforce, Slack, MailChimp, ZenDesk, etc. There’s also PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service). PaaS describes services teams use to develop, test, deploy, host, and maintain applications. That might include companies relying on Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google App Engine for these environments.
IaaS is a gold mine – especially for SMBs
The other most common category of as-a-service options is, you guessed it, infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This computing method is a potential gold mine of efficiency and productivity for SMBs and businesses of all sizes. IaaS is a game-changer because it allows companies to utilize web-based applications, operating systems, and storage on an on-demand, subscription basis. This model means that big or small companies no longer have to purchase, manage, and support the underlying cloud infrastructure. Instead, organizations pay a subscription fee, and they receive all the storage, computing, networking, and infrastructure components via the internet. Some well-known examples of IaaS platforms include Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, or AWS.
So you may be wondering, can IaaS transform my business? Let’s dive into the ins and outs and top benefits so you can decide for yourself.
- Get lean and save money – One of the most significant benefits of Iaas is that companies can dramatically reduce their infrastructure costs! That’s because they no longer need to spend resources purchasing data center hardware. Not only that, IaaS businesses don’t have to maintain or replace aging equipment. Because IaaS is a subscription-based model, companies are solely responsible for paying for their capacity when they need it.
- Guaranteed uptime for things that matter most – IaaS enables enterprises to access apps, data, and other resources using an internet connection. These capabilities can make a big difference for companies looking to support their mobile workforce better or to bolster disaster recovery plans. As an example, by relying on IaaS, companies get access to a virtual cloud computing infrastructure. So, essentially the data center is virtualized in the cloud. Using this model, IT administrators have complete control over their cloud environment without maintaining the environment in-house. IT teams can then set up remote working tools and an IT framework for their teams. A virtual desk environment or Desktop-as-a-service application gives individuals access to all of their apps, data, and corporate resources using an internet connection. This cloud computing model also supports the BYOD trend allowing employees to be more responsive and productive, with the ability to access cloud-based apps and services, whether working in the office or at home. This remote working model powered by IaaS also improves security because IT teams can set specific parameters for user access, helping keep hackers out and data secure.
- On-demand resources improve competitiveness – One of the most significant benefits of using IaaS as a strategy for growth is that it makes your business more scalable. That means that enterprises can quickly scale their capabilities up and down – compute, network, and storage capacity- to build their IT infrastructure. This flexibility means that your organization can keep pace depending on business needs, changing opportunities, or consumer demand. Immediate availability of infrastructure and dynamic changes to capacity helps teams deliver robust and highly available solutions. It also cuts down on time to deploy new functionalities. Whether customers opt for private cloud, public cloud, or a hybrid cloud model where customers leverage a combination of both for applications or overall architecture, they can benefit from the scalability and on-demand provisioning, leading to greater competitiveness.
What are some examples of IaaS, and what’s next?
Companies of all sizes and those in nearly every stage of the business can benefit from an IaaS strategy. Excellent flexibility, scalability, and cost savings IaaS options bring to the table are hard to beat. One typical example of using IaaS to scale up in retail is to expand web and application capacity during the holiday months of November and December. Or during the COVID era, when everyone is buying more online, many retailers may have upgraded network, storage, and compute capacity up for good to accommodate customers. Another example of leveraging cloud infrastructure is when creating a backup and disaster recovery plan. IaaS is an ideal solution for managing and storing data and providing reliable access when needed. Do you have questions about how an infrastructure-as-a-service model can help your business? Wonder how cloud services can change your business? Whether you’re new to the cloud or you’d like to streamline existing cloud solutions in 2021, at Infinium, we’ll help get you there. Call or email us!