What is IaaS | Advantages and Disadvantages of IaaS

23 May 2022

What is IaaS?

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a model of software delivery in which a provider hosts the infrastructure necessary to run software applications. This can include operating systems, network infrastructure, security services, and software applications themselves.

It is a great option for start-ups that need a high level of control over their infrastructure but don’t have the time or expertise to build it themselves.

By the same token, large enterprises can also take advantage of IaaS to build a state-of-the-art infrastructure without having to worry about the day-to-day operations of maintaining and updating that infrastructure.

How IaaS Works?

IaaS is an acronym for Infrastructure as a Service. It is a cloud computing model for providing computing resources on demand. It allows you to rent computing infrastructure — such as servers, storage, networking, and databases — from a third party.

Advantages of IaaS:

• Reduced Cost:

IaaS provides on-demand computing resources at a fixed cost, which can be used to run applications and get certain services done. It is beneficial for companies that have high demand for computing power but do not have the budget for buying physical infrastructure. IaaS also reduces the time and money spent on managing the infrastructure, as well as provides scalability and Disaster Recovery (DR) capabilities. IaaS can also be utilized to host websites, web applications, and online stores.

• Improved Security:

Cloud computing offers many benefits for business, including improved productivity and reduced costs. However, one of the most compelling reasons to move to the cloud is the added security it offers. When your business data is stored in the cloud, you have the ability to access it from anywhere, on any device. This provides you with the ability to work from any location, at any time, with no local reliance on IT.

• Disaster Recovery (DR):

Disaster Recovery (DR) is the process of recovering from a natural or human-caused event that affects a local area, organization, or data center, and the ability of the organization to recover data and services within a given amount of time. DR is a critical function of all IT environments, but especially of cloud environments, where service provisioning is performed over a network.

• Support:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a cloud-based system that stores data in one or more storage repositories. It offers a web-based interface for managing, accessing, and transferring data. This allows consumers to access their information from any device.

• Uptime:

The importance of uptime cannot be overstated. It refers to a cloud service‘s capacity to be available to your company 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cloud companies can guarantee you more than 90% uptime, and the only time they can’t is if their own server, network, or data centers go down. This is advantageous to any company.

• Improves business productivity:

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can benefit from IaaS because they don’t have to invest in or manage the underlying hardware. It boosts business productivity by allowing them to scale operations as needed without missing deadlines. Furthermore, IaaS is a versatile solution that can be tailored to meet changing business requirements.

Disadvantages of IaaS:

• Security Risks:

It is easy for hackers to break into a cloud computing environment because it is not as secure as a physical server. If the system is on a local network, then it is far more secure. However, this advantage of a cloud computing environment also has its disadvantages, such as lack of control over the resources.

• Unexpected Cost:

IaaS is typically cheaper than buying the same services in a packaged format. However, the cost of using IaaS services can increase unexpectedly, which can make IaaS appear even more expensive than traditional services. For example, IaaS providers typically use a formula to calculate how much bandwidth you use each month. If your usage increases, your bill can increase even if you’ve never used more services.

• Dependency on Third-Party Service Provider:

IaaS is a great choice for many organizations, but it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges is how dependent you are on the provider. In the case of Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company owns the hardware, so it is the sole provider of your computing resources. When you use IaaS, you are paying for the computing resources in addition to paying for the operating system, software applications, and data storage.

• Technical Problems:

The technical problems of IaaS are caused by the lack of a standardization of the cloud environment. Cloud service providers have not yet standardized on the following aspects of their cloud environments: networking, service models, security, and network architectures.

Conclusion:

Cloud Computing has many benefits, but also some disadvantages as well. Cloud computing can enable a company to save money by using fewer servers and by using the servers for multiple clients. Cloud computing also allows for the easy set-up of new servers if needed. The disadvantages of cloud computing are the high cost of the servers and the lack of control over the servers.

Still confused about whether or not to opt for IaaS cloud-based service models, feel free to contact us we will guide you in the right path.