Transitioning to the cloud stands vital for IT leaders modernizing their technology today. Cloud infrastructure delivers flexibility, savings and speed. Critical workloads shift from restrictive on-premises servers into dynamic global platforms.
But within cloud computing, two primary models exist:
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) – providing raw compute power, storage and networking as flexible resources. Like digital Lego blocks to build what you need.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) – integrated development stacks for deploying apps without managing infrastructure. Complete platforms to simplify coding.
So should you choose IaaS or PaaS?
- IaaS allows control to configure infrastructure as you like
- PaaS enables convenience to speed app delivery
Over the past decade, IaaS/PaaS adoption grew steadily:
- 2011 – Launch of 1st commercial IaaS from AWS
- 2012 – PaaS catches on for web apps with Heroku
- 2014 – Enterprises blend IaaS and PaaS together
- 2018 – Kubernetes drives container platforms
- 2020 – Serverless and cloud-native goes mainstream
Let’s compare key differences to decide what fits best per use case:
Deciding Factors Between IaaS and PaaS
Flexibility vs Integrations
With IaaS, you customize infrastructure from network layouts to server configs. Complete flexibility to architect as wanted.
PaaS takes an integrated platform approach. Services like identity, data, AI embed together to accelerate delivery. But less control over foundational elements.
Good for IaaS: Unique infrastructure needs
Good for PaaS: Rapid prototyping
Control vs Automation
Running infrastructure means hands-on management. IaaS puts you in control but requires deep technical skills. Defining resource policies. Securing every layer.
Alternatively, PaaS automates these operational aspects. Built-in high availability, backups, and monitoring. Less flexible but more automated.
Good for IaaS: Customizing deployments
Good for PaaS: Focus beyond infrastructure
Cost Optimization vs TCO
With IaaS, precisely scale resources via API and least-costly regions/instances.SHORT container workloads to save costs.
But PaaS reduces overall TCO despite higher base fees. Cut extended IT teams required for infrastructure expertise, maintenance and tooling.
Good for IaaS: Granular cost optimization
Good for PaaS: Lower total cost of ownership
Weigh how these align to your priorities within cloud transitions. Got complex needs? IaaS. Want simplified delivery? PaaS.
Next let‘s compare options.
Top Providers Compared
AWS
Dominant IaaS provider with unparalleled instance types and global edge networks. Growing PaaS but still best fits advanced infrastructure needs.
Good For
- Programmatic infrastructure via Infrastructure-as-Code
- High performance computing and batch processing
- Cutting edge ML, AI and quantum computing
Microsoft Azure
Broadest PaaS services winning enterprise deals. Trusted security and identity capabilities. Sophisticated solutions but complex integrations.
Good For
- Legacy .NET applications modernization
- Regulated workloads under customized governance
- Hybrid cloud bridging on-premises and external
Google Cloud
Excellence in analytics, open source and app modernization. Approachable machine learning capabilities. Lower costs but less peripheral services.
Good For
- Modern containerized applications
- Data analytics and streaming data
- AI/ML development and democratization
Salesforce
The SaaS CRM giant built Force.com PaaS to customize applications. Expanding into vertical solutions via acquisitions like Slack, Tableau and Mulesoft.
Good For
- Extended CRM customizations
- Industry solutions on a trusted platform
- Secure and compliant application development
Red Hat OpenShift
Enterprise-ready managed Kubernetes to build cloud-native apps. Robustly designed for complex needs but requires containerization expertise.
Good For
- Microservices and distributed systems
- Portable applications across cloud vendors
- On-premises flexibility like edge computing
With core strengths compared, optimize your workloads accordingly between IaaS and PaaS.
Blending IaaS and PaaS Together
While contrasting differences matter, most enterprises utilize Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service together rather than choosing one. Each model has limitations solved by capabilities in the other.
For example build applications on a PaaS while handling IaaS for:
- A machine learning platform
- Business intelligence and data lakes
- Legacy custom applications
- Authentication systems
This allows focusing engineering on applications rather than infrastructure when it makes sense. But control lower levels as needed to enable system architectures.
The same provider often manages integrations well. Otherwise open architectures like Kubernetes enable connecting IaaS and PaaS building blocks.
Decision Guide
With background covered on IaaS and PaaS, how do you determine what fits best?
Here is a decision guide across common scenarios:
1. Migrating Existing Apps?
- IaaS offers quickest "lift and shift" without changes
- PaaS modernizes apps over time with some rewrite
2. Building New Apps?
- PaaS accelerates delivery not worrying about infrastructure
- IaaS flexibly builds customized needs from scratch
3. Advanced Infrastructure Needs?
- IaaS tailors server types, GPUs, storage tiers, networking
- PaaS provides guardrails to ensure scale and security
4. Focus on Code Over Ops?
- PaaS managed services reduce engineers required
- IaaS optimizations provide ultimate control
5. Unique Compliance or Security Needs?
- IaaS ingests auditing and controls across layers
- PaaS meets common standards and best practices
Matching project goals and application profiles to IaaS and PaaS strengths guides good outcomes. Let‘s prep your team next.
Building Internal Skills
Enable teams across a few key dimensions:
Infrastructure Engineering
- IaaS – Architecting specialized instances and optimized networks
- PaaS – Utilizing managed services like data and authentication
Operations
- IaaS – Infrastructure-as-Code automation skills
- PaaS – Cloud native monitoring, logging and tracing
Security
- IaaS – Custom firewalls, data protection and encryption
- PaaS – Leveraging built-in security controls
Compliance
- IaaS – Infrastructure auditing and regionalization
- PaaS – Aligning to standardized framework requirements
The Cloud-Native Future
As innovators like AWS, Microsoft, Google and VMware race ahead, the next generation of technologies arrive:
Containers – Docker and Kubernetes empowers portable applications across infrastructure.
Serverless – Functions-as-a-Service minimize overhead for event-driven code.
Edge – Distributed systems push intelligence closer to customers.
Multi-Cloud – Applications harness different cloud vendor strengths.
This drives convergence of infrastructure and platform services for interoperable building blocks.
The days of monolithic vendor suites give way to unified cloud-native toolsets. Cross-compatible abstractions free innovators to focus on delivering customer value over underlying plumbing.
Key Takeaways
We covered a lot comparing Infrastructure-as-a-Service to Platform-as-a-Service and approaches to leverage both. Let‘s recap key insights:
- IaaS delivers configurable infrastructure while PaaS provides integrated platforms
- Balance control vs convenience based on internal skillsets
- Blend IaaS and PaaS to avoid limitations of any single model
- Map provider strengths to workload needs if going multi-cloud
- Cloud-native skills will increasingly dominate over vendor-specific
I hope this guide empowers your teams with knowledge to pursue cloud strategies tailored for your goals. Reach out as more questions come up!
