What Is Infrastructure as a Service?

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is an increasingly important part of the cloud computing conversation across the globe. The research firm GlobalData projects that IaaS will be a US$39.3 billion dollar industry in the Asia-Pacific region by 2024. The same analysis projects that Australia will be among the top five countries in the region when it comes to IaaS growth. Overall, they believe that this growth will be driven by a combination of ‘increased government spending to modernize the existing IT infrastructure’ and a ‘growing shift towards server virtualization’. (1)

So, what is IaaS? Understanding infrastructure as a service in Australia begins with a general look at cloud computing, and the place that IaaS has within it.

What is Cloud Computing?

IaaS is one platform for delivering cloud computing. The sector is big business, with major firms that offer the service competing over contracts with clients as large as the United States Defence Department. So, what is it, and why is it growing so much?

Peter Mell and Timothy Grance define ‘cloud computing’ in a report issued by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as follows: ‘a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources’. (2)

Mell and Grance list several ‘essential characteristics’ of cloud computing:

• On-demand self-service
• Broad network access
• Resource pooling
• Rapid elasticity
• Measured service (2)

They also list four different deployment models, which vary in terms of how many entities have access to the cloud, where it is housed, and who operates it:

• Private cloud
• Community cloud
• Public cloud
• Hybrid cloud (2)

For many companies, the hassle of owning and operating their own cloud is too much to take on. Concerns for the operators of data centres include everything from electromagnetic interference to nuclear attacks. This helps to explain the next major category that Mell and Grance break down: service models. (2)

SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS

Mell and Grance list three service models for cloud computing: SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. Standing for software, platform, and infrastructure as a service respectively, these three service models each have something different to offer to consumers:

SaaS—The highest level of ease for the consumer is with software as a service, a complete application that is hosted elsewhere. It also offers the least ability to control and customize.

PaaS—The ‘platform’ here sits in between a complete application and the infrastructure itself, which rests a level below. This allows a consumer to focus on building out their application, rather than all the necessary ‘plumbing’ to make that happen.

IaaS—This is the most basic option available and at the same time the one which offers the most flexibility and the most options for the consumer: a virtual data centre available when it’s needed. (2)(3)

Some IaaS Benefits

Infrastructure as a service offers a range of benefits to the consumer versus the alternatives, such as owning and operating a data centre. For instance:

• Security is someone else’s problem—While it’s still a concern, the consumer can trust that their provider has thought about the wide range of security concerns around running infrastructure.
• No procurement process—Before even having a chance to worry about security, there’s the headache of purchasing and installing all of the equipment necessary to run a cloud in the first place. IaaS gets rid of that hassle.
• Available on demand—It’s one of the essential characteristics’ of cloud computing for a reason, and one of its major appeals. The consumer can have the infrastructure to use when they want it, then not worry about it when they’re not using it.
• Metered like an appliance—An upshot of being on-demand: if it’s not on, the consumer doesn’t have to pay for it. This can save much on the cost compared to running and maintaining one’s own infrastructure.
• Focus on building applications, etc.—Instead of spending time on the maintenance required to keeping the infrastructure running, the consumer can focus on the application that they want to build, or whatever else has led them to need cloud computing infrastructure in the first place. (3)

Conclusion

‘Infrastructure as a Service’ is a cloud computing delivery method that provides the consumer with on-demand computing infrastructure. The substantial growth projected in the sector, across the globe, the region, and in Australia in particular, means that businesses should consider if and how IaaS could fit into their cloud computing strategies going forward.

Though switching from one system to another can seem complicated, and may cause a headache or two, there are guides that can help to ease the process by outlining a cloud migration strategy. Ultimately, if the benefits are big enough, they could be well worth the hassle.