A Comprehensive Guide to Infrastructure as a Service. Why is IaaS Important?

When it comes to managing your company’s technology infrastructure, you have many options. Cloud computing is the latest trend in tech infrastructure, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is one of the most popular cloud services available. Also known as cloud virtualization, IaaS enables users to access centralized computing resources from different vendors through a standard API. Sounds complicated? Don’t worry; we’ll break it down for you! In this blog post, we’ll introduce IaaS and why businesses should consider switching to an IaaS model for their technology infrastructure. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of IaaS, how it works, and examples of providers that offer this service.

What is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

IaaS is a cloud computing model that provides users with access to computing resources, such as Data Center capacity, network bandwidth, servers and other related gear, from a centralized vendor. IaaS also includes software that allows users to remotely manage their virtual machines (VMs). IaaS can be used for various purposes, including running applications, storing data and deploying other services. IaaS is also widely used for managing disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) services. IaaS is typically offered as a pay-as-you-go, multi-tenant service with a monthly contract and an SLA. This hybrid model provides the flexibility and scalability of the public cloud with the security and control of a private cloud. End-users who need to add capacity to their IT environment will find it easier to do with IaaS as opposed to self-managed IT environments.

Why is IaaS Important?

The advantages of IaaS outweigh the risks. IaaS is a good choice for businesses that need scalability, high availability and lower costs. However, there are a few disadvantages to consider before making your decision.

Let’s go over the pros and cons of IaaS to make the right infrastructure decision for your company.

● Scale: When you operate in a scalable environment, you can easily accommodate sudden changes in your business. For example, if your company experiences an increase in sales, you can instantly scale your technology infrastructure to maintain high performance.
● Cost: The cost of running your technology infrastructure is another major advantage of IaaS. Many providers offer pay-as-you-go pricing, allowing businesses to only pay for their use. This model can significantly reduce your operational expenses.
● Flexibility: With an IaaS solution, you can easily expand or reduce your capacity to match seasonal or short-term changes in your business. You can also quickly transfer your workload to another data center if there is a natural disaster in your area.
● Availability: High availability is another advantage of using IaaS to manage your technology infrastructure. Your data is usually replicated across multiple data centers, which increases availability and reduces the risk of downtime.
● Security: Businesses that operate in the public cloud must take extra measures to ensure the security of their data. IaaS providers usually employ industry-standard security measures to keep your data safe. They also provide an SLA on the uptime of your services. - Control: One of the main reasons companies choose IaaS over other cloud services is to maintain control of their Infrastructure. With IaaS, you can quickly scale up or down resources and switch to another data center during a disaster.

How does IaaS work?

The IaaS model provides users with virtualized computing resources from a third-party vendor. These resources are hosted in a data center that the vendor manages. Users access these resources through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that lets them remotely manage their infrastructure. When choosing an IaaS provider, you’ll want to consider the type of services they offer. For example, some providers specialize in compute services, while others offer a broader set of services. Most providers offer compute services, such as virtual machines, virtual networks, storage and databases. However, not all providers offer the same set of services. When choosing a solution, you must ensure it offers the features your business needs. For example, if you run a database-heavy application, you need a provider that offers database services.

Advantages of IaaS

● Scale: When you operate in a scalable environment, you can easily accommodate sudden changes in your business. If your company experiences an increase in sales, you can instantly scale your technology infrastructure to maintain high performance.
● Cost: The cost of running your technology infrastructure is another major advantage of IaaS. Many providers offer pay-as-you-go pricing, allowing businesses to only pay for their use. This model can significantly reduce your operational expenses.
● Flexibility: With an IaaS solution, you can easily expand or reduce your capacity to match seasonal or short-term changes in your business. You can also quickly transfer your workload to another data center if there is a natural disaster in your area.
● Availability: High availability is another advantage of using IaaS to manage your technology infrastructure. Your data is usually replicated across multiple data centers, which increases availability and reduces the risk of downtime.
Disadvantages of IaaS
● Security: One of the main reasons companies choose IaaS over other cloud services is to maintain control of their infrastructure. However, with IaaS, you lose control of your data since it is hosted in a public cloud environment. You must take extra measures to ensure the security of your data.
● Vendor lock-in: Another major disadvantage of IaaS is vendor lock-in, which occurs when an organization relies heavily on a specific vendor. If you host your applications in a public cloud, you will likely run into vendor lock-in. If you select a single vendor, you will have a hard time migrating to a different vendor in the future.
● No control over hardware: When you host your applications in a public cloud, you have no control over the hardware. Your application is affected if a vendor runs out of capacity in a specific data center. In a private cloud, you have control over the hardware, allowing you to lease different types of hardware. - No control over network: With IaaS, your network is hosted in a third-party network. If there is an issue with the network, your application will be affected. With a private network, you can control the network and monitor its performance.

Bottom Line

As we’ve discussed, Infrastructure as a Service is a good choice for businesses that need scalability, high availability and lower costs. However, there are a few disadvantages to consider before making your decision. We’ve outlined the pros and cons of IaaS to make the right infrastructure decision for your company.