Infrastructure As A Service: A Growing Force In Cloud Computing

Sagiss, LLC : Published: August 24, 2023       Updated: June 1, 2024

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offers a flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient solution to simplify the complexity of managing IT infrastructure. IaaS enables you to provision and access virtualized hardware and resources online while your partner manages the technology powering your data center and infrastructure.

IaaS has quickly become an instrumental part of cloud computing. Companies are investing more than $150 billion in IaaS services in 2023, making up about a third of all cloud spending. Why are so many companies moving to IaaS solutions? We’ll explain the benefits of IaaS and how a managed service provider (MSP) can leverage their expertise to help businesses make the transition cost-effectively.

WHAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SERVICE (IAAS)?

In computer science infrastructure is defined by computers and servers that write or store information and cables and devices that connect to these machines. The server, hard disk and router also constitute infrastructure. Previously, most companies used cloud infrastructure for hosting the entire application on-premise or cloud-based services. Infrastructure-as-a-service is a cloud computing platform in which the cloud computing service providers host infrastructure for customers. The provider houses infrastructure on the cloud, which is in multiple data centers. It is available through a web browser.

An MSP can help you find the right mix of services, handle the transition or transformation of your business, and create a plan for evolution as your business grows.

IaaS architecture and related components

IaAS comprises physical and virtual resources that provide the basic tools that the user needs to run applications on the cloud. IaaS providers manage large worldwide data centers that contain the servers necessary to provide energy to the various layers of underlying infrastructure above them. IaaS uses the availability of Virtual Machines (VM) as the foundation for cloud computing.

How does IaaS work?

IaaS users can access resources and services via wide area networks (WAN), including the Internet, and may utilize cloud services provided by a service provider to build applications. For example, the user is able to log in to the IaaS platform and create and manage virtual machine instances. Customers can use their cloud providers services to track their expenses, monitor network usage and network traffic, and diagnose application errors and manage disaster recovery.

Why do developers and businesses use IaaS?

Scalability: Creating scalable products and services is easier using the IaaS framework. Instead of buying, installing and maintaining a new server, if the company is growing, it can simply add a new server in real time using an IaaS provider. This availability scalability can be found across all cloud services and cloud service models. With IaaS it means an organization essentially outsourcing servers to purchase maintenance and updates for IaaS services. 

IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS

You can control cloud storage more easily and efficiently than PaaS and SaaS. PaaS or SaaS virtualizes the functionality of infrastructure and you have less component management versus IaaS. When managing your IT infrastructure you must invest in or maintain everything listed herein. If you switch to public cloud services it will also work. 

What are the benefits of IaaS?

Organizations are embracing AI to improve efficiency, speed efficiency, and cost savings in managing workloads. It allows businesses to hire or lease this equipment to another business. IaaS offers cloud services as well as cloud-based solutions. In the context of implementing software development, it may be more economical to host/test the application using Google Cloud or IaaS services. The company may remove the software from the IaaS environment to make a traditional onsite deployment if needed.

IaaS can offer businesses of all sizes significant benefits, including:

COST SAVINGS

Cloud service providers provide and manage the hardware, so you do not have to make the hefty capital investment upfront on premise infrastructure or worry about keeping the equipment maintained. There’s no concern about equipment becoming obsolete, and any hardware problems will be handled by your cloud provider.

RIGHT-SIZING AND SCALING

Companies often overspend when it comes to hardware purchases, making sure they have the various computing resources they may need in the future. However, studies show that the majority of businesses spend money on capacity they’ll never need.

With IaaS, you don’t have to worry about overprovisioning. Services are delivered on a pay-as-you-go model, so you only pay for what you need.

Cloud resources are also highly-scalable, so you can right-size your computing infrastructure for your current needs without worrying about capacity for peak loads, seasonal demands, or growth. If you need more capacity, it’s easy to scale fast.

FLEXIBILITY AND RELIABILITY

You can quickly add or adjust resources to meet workload demands.

IaaS also has high availability. When you build your own infrastructure, on a platform like Microsoft Azure, for example, you get a highly redundant infrastructure. There are no single points of failure across the Azure ecosystem.

BACK-UP AND RECOVERY

This redundancy means your data and operating systems can be backed up automatically, making business continuity and disaster recovery easier.

SPEED AND PERFORMANCE

The flexibility and scalability can be a significant competitive advantage. You can provision the networking resources you need within minutes, increasing your time to value. Rather than waiting to purchase, install and configure equipment, you can quickly add the resources you need.

SECURITY

IaaS platforms are exceptionally secure. For example, Microsoft has announced plans to spend $20 billion on cybersecurity to protect its platforms over the next five years.

IS IAAS RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESSS?

If you are evaluating whether IaaS is a good fit for your business, there are several factors you should examine, including:

• Cost analysis: Analyze your current and future computing needs to compare the cost-effectiveness of IaaS against on-prem or Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) options.

• Technology: Part of your cost analysis should include an inventory of your legacy recourses. If your equipment is heading towards end-of-life, you can save money by moving to an IaaS solution. However, if your infrastructure is built on outdated systems, you may need to modernize before adopting IaaS.

• Workload and infrastructure needs: You will also want to assess your utilization in terms of workloads. For example, if your infrastructure utilization varies, IaaS can often provide significant cost savings.

• IT expertise: Managing your infrastructure yourself can be challenging and costly, especially with today’s shortage of IT talent. IaaS can reduce the burden on your IT team, but you may also need to invest in upskilling your team to manage hybrid and cloud environments.

• Security and compliance: You will also want to identify your security and regulatory compliance obligations.

Making sure IaaS is right for you and making the right choices are important decisions. An MSP can provide expert guidance to help you analyze your unique situation and help you make a more informed decision.

How Can Managed Service Providers Help?

Partnering with an MSP enables businesses to maximize the benefits of IaaS while minimizing risk. The right MSP, like Sagiss, can help you:

• Evaluate your IaaS options and provide unbiased recommendations

• Develop a roadmap for moving to the cloud (or not)

• Migrate your legacy infrastructure, applications, and data to the cloud

• Manage the IaaS environment and provide support

• Monitor performance, security, and costs to optimize efficiency

• Ensure your infrastructure is up-to-date and in compliance

• Serve as a single point of contact for all issues related to the IaaS environment.

An MSP works as an operating system, an extension of your team. This lets you remain focused on your core competencies while your MSP manages your infrastructure.

CONTACT SAGISS FOR IAAS

MSPs play a crucial role in leveraging IaaS to benefit businesses from planning to implementation to management.

Contact the IaaS experts at Sagiss today to talk about your options.

Sagiss is a certified managed services and cloud service provider, and a Microsoft Gold partner.