The topic of cloud computing has reached a level of popularity to the extent of being a buzzword in the business space. Years of innovation show that cloud computing is much more than a trend, though, and is an essential part of the cloud native future. To fully understand and effectively implement the cloud in a meaningful way, decision-makers must peel back the layers of cloud computing for a closer look.
Key Takeaways:
When it comes to an organization’s IT infrastructure, its on-premises architecture serves as the foundation of all operations. This includes legacy datacenter resources such as physical servers, storage devices, and network equipment.
Even in the age of cloud computing, on-premises hardware remains important for maintaining control over sensitive data and protecting information privacy. This is why more and more organizations are opting for a hybrid cloud approach that combines elements of on-premises infrastructure with the flexibility and scalability of the public cloud.
In this type of deployment, on-premises infrastructure can be considered a sort of “layer zero” in the overall cloud computing architecture. By peeling back the other layers of cloud computing, it becomes possible to fully understand the benefits and functionality of the cloud as a whole.
These layers are service-defined, with each one offering different services to different segments of IT operations and the markets they inhabit.
Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) is a cloud service delivery and computing model that entails acquiring on-demand resources from a third-party provider for compute, storage, and networking processes in a subscription-based plan.
At the IaaS layer, the cloud service provider takes responsibility for several foundational elements of the datacenter including the physical infrastructure, networking devices, and virtualization processes. Organizations operating in this cloud computing layer can shift some or all of these infrastructure processes to the public or hybrid cloud where the platform provider owns and manages the physical infrastructure.
Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) is one example of a service platform that exists at the IaaS layer of cloud computing. NCI powers operational simplicity through standardization on a secure hyperconverged infrastructure that is capable of delivering all applications and data at any scale to any cloud.
Businesses that enter the infrastructure-as-a-service layer gain the advantage of an entire IT ecosystem without having to purchase or manage all the hardware. This can bring about lower costs, scalability, and improved availability for use cases such as building temporary testing or development environments as well as backup and recovery procedures.
The platform-as-a-service (Paas) model refers to a cloud computing methodology in which a third party delivers hardware and software tools to users. This differs from infrastructure-as-a-service in that IaaS primarily serves to create efficiencies with hardware and facilities costs, though many providers do blur the lines between IaaS and PaaS.
After peeling back the IaaS layer and arriving at the PaaS layer of cloud computing, the cloud service provider additionally takes responsibility for the operating system component of the cloud computing model. The user can opt to retain control over deployed applications and hosting environment configurations.
Nutanix Cloud Platform is a prominent PaaS solution that is both secure and resilient while also boasting effective self-healing capabilities. The Nutanix PaaS ecosystem places the power of multiple hypervisors into the hands of enterprise leaders, giving them the resources they need to satisfy a broad range of use case requirements.
By using a PaaS tool like NCP, IT teams can realize a faster time to market with lower cost of ownership due largely to simplified consolidation of existing applications. Automation on a state-of-the-art platform even yields improved security, better performance, and an overall boost to business continuity.
Software-as-a-service, sometimes synonymous with cloud services, refers to a model that hosts applications through a network. Access protocols and data management continue to be under the direct control of the organization, but all other aspects of cloud computing become the provider’s responsibility.
At the SaaS layer of cloud computing, the service provider additionally takes responsibility for the application layer. SaaS entails cloud-based software delivery, and the provider takes on the role of developing, maintaining, updating, and distributing software applications.
Shifting to a software-as-a-service approach is yet another way to improve development scalability and generate economies of scale. Through SaaS, maintenance becomes a non-issue for in-house development teams, and the possibility of operating on a platform with self-service capabilities further reduces the burden on the enterprise when it comes to managing, scaling, and deploying applications.
Fortune Business Insights reports that the global software-as-a-service market size was valued at USD $237.48 billion in 2022 with a projected growth to USD $908.21 billion by 2030. This tremendous growth comes as little surprise considering the value of software applications in modern IT and the reality that the SaaS layer of cloud computing exists on top of all other cloud computing service types.
Cloud computing is a layered architecture for handling cloud services through a third-party provider. As we peel back the layers to reveal infrastructure-as-a-service, platforms-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service, it becomes apparent that each encompasses the services of those that came before and adds more functionality to the stack.
There are many benefits to cloud computing, but it is also a broadly encompassing technology that brings many processes and potential complications to the business. Even when a third party is doing most of the heavy lifting, enterprise leaders need a solution like the Nutanix Cloud Manager(NCM) to provide orchestration, security compliance, and visibility over cloud costs.
NCM facilitates ease of use for organizations in need of a platform on which to build and manage cloud deployments with the fastest possible time to value. It is a path of least resistance for managing layers of cloud computing.
Learn more about why businesses need cloud-native computing and how to build a private cloud for hybrid deployments.
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