Whether you are a professional looking for what cloud services can offer you, someone who is looking to get into the field of all things cloud or are a personal user who wants to have a bit more storage freedom; there is a cloud service or plan that will suit you.
There are many cloud service providers that offer advantages over self-hosted solutions by greatly simplifying installation, setup, management, and cost savings. Besides that, many cloud service providers, offer a range of professional services designed to support customers in building customized cloud projects.
This type of service provider is ideal for businesses seeking one comprehensive solution for their cloud needs without sacrificing quality or functionality. All in all, it is a bit difficult to understand what is cloud computing and how to implement it.
That being said, it can be difficult to know where to begin or understand what it is when you are starting out. This piece has been created to help you understand the three different types of cloud computing service models and what they mean – just read on to find out more.
3 Types of Cloud – Public, Private and Hybrid
Cloud computing has become an integral part of our lives, but what exactly does it mean? Let’s find out more about types of cloud computing and what are the key differences among them.
There are three main types of cloud computing:
- Public
- Private
- Hybrid
Public Cloud is where a third party provides access to a shared pool of resources through the internet.
Private Cloud is hosted on servers within a company’s own network, which does not connect to the Internet.
Hybrid Cloud combines both public and private cloud architectures.
Three Cloud Computing Service Models
To put it as simply as possible, cloud computing is the delivery of virtual computing services on demand. These services can be anything from storage, data protection, and security, hosting applications, or improving process power – all over the internet. They often come in plans which are ‘pay as you go’, so you only pay for what you need and can expand or terminate servers at any time.
There are 3 types of cloud computing service models:
- IaaS or HaaS
- PaaS
- SaaS
1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) or HaaS (Hardware as a Service)
Infrastructure as a Service (also known as Hardware as a Service) is a cloud computing service that offers the ability for businesses to rent servers to use for computer storage. There are no limits as to what operating system you can use, which means you are able to use any applications you need.
The price also includes maintenance and operating costs, so you do not need to worry about those either. The brilliant thing about IaaS is that these servers are able to scale up or down depending on what is required of them, so you are not out of pocket for services you are not using.
2. PaaS (Platform as a Service)
Platform as a Service is geared toward software developers, which give them on-demand useful tools that help them develop, test, manage and deliver their software applications. This framework is commonly used for those who create the apps we know and love on our phones. It takes out all of the hassle of creating and managing an underlying infrastructure of servers (and everything else that is needed with them) themselves.
If cloud computing is something you are interested in, why not consider Microsoft Azure training? This specialist training will take you through the fundamentals of cloud computing right through to being a professional.
3. SaaS (Software as a Service)
Software as a Service is something many of us commonly use in our day-to-day lives now. Think Google Sheets and Microsoft Office 360. This type of cloud computing offers on-demand software applications through the Cloud, often on a subscription or pay monthly basis, unless the services are free!
This software is then managed and maintained, can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and stable web browser, and used across multiple different devices. Software as a Service is, of course, extremely popular with both professionals and for personal use. The advanced tools you might need will depend on whether you are using services just for yourself and a small business or if you are thinking about using them on a wide scale.


