A Closer Look at the Cloud: What is IaaS, PaaS and SaaS

TrainingHub.io | Learning Platform for Building a Career in Cloud Computing & IT

Cloud computing is not just a popular term—it is the main force behind today’s digital economy. Firms of all sizes are quickly embracing cloud services because they are flexible, easy to scale and economical.

But if you haven’t used cloud technology before, you’ve most likely run into three acronyms that may appear confusing. In Cloud computing, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are important terms to know.

At TrainingHub.io, we explain these concepts clearly and help students use them in practical life. This blog explains what the different models represent, their differences and when to apply them.

Let’s look at how it works step by step.

What Does Cloud Computing Really Mean?

Before we get into describing the models, let’s first define cloud computing:

With cloud computing, you can get services like storage, servers, databases and software through the internet whenever you want them, usually for a pay-as-you-use price.

In place of building and operating their own infrastructure, organizations now choose to rent needed resources from cloud companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Now, we will see how those services are delivered using three different types of models.

1. IaaS is also known as Infrastructure as a Service

What It Is:

IaaS makes virtual resources for computing available through the internet. You are given servers, storage and network resources, but you need to manage your operating system, apps and data.

When you use IaaS, you only rent the hardware in the cloud and manage the rest on your own.

What You Manage:

• Applications
• Data
• Runtime
• Operating System

What the Provider Manages:

• Virtualization
• Servers
• Storage
• Networking

Example Use Cases:

• Hosting websites and applications
• Backup and recovery systems
• Scalable test environments

Common IaaS Providers:

• AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)
• Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines
• Google Compute Engine

2. PaaS also called as Platform as a Service

What It Is:

In PaaS, both development and deployment occur in the cloud. It contains infrastructure and the resources needed for building, testing and managing applications. Setting up servers and updating the OS are worries that developers don’t have to deal with.

PaaS is much like a ready-to-use kitchen: just bring your recipe (code) and the ingredients (data) to work with and you’re good to go.

What You Manage:

• Applications
• Data

What the Provider Manages:

• Runtime
• Operating System
• Middleware
• Servers
• Storage
• Networking

Example Use Cases:

• Developing web apps quickly
• Automating software deployments
• Creating APIs and microservices

Common PaaS Providers:

• Google App Engine
• Microsoft Azure App Services
• Heroku

3. SaaS also known as Software as a Service

What It Is:

SaaS provides customers with software solutions they can use through the internet. You don’t have to handle the infrastructure, security or updates yourself because the provider handles them for you.

Software as a service is like Netflix for software; just log in and you can start using it.

What You Manage:

• Just your data (and maybe some user settings)

What the Provider Manages:

• Everything else!

Example Use Cases:

• Email and communication (e.g., Gmail, Outlook)
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Office productivity tools

Common SaaS Products:

• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail)
• Microsoft 365
• Salesforce
• Dropbox
• Zoom

Visualizing the Difference: The Pizza Analogy

Here’s a fun way to remember the differences:

Which One Should You Learn?

At TrainingHub.io, we suggest that students work on and familiarize themselves with all three models, particularly if they are interested in a role in:

• Cloud Support or SysAdmin → You should start with IaaS
• If you are a Developer or App Engineer, you should look into Platform as a Service
• IT Consultants or QA → Learn how SaaS products are used and workflows

Most real-life situations involve a mixture of all three which is why knowing the distinctions between them helps you succeed on the job.

Real-World Career Applications

• A cloud administrator might configure IaaS virtual machines.
• A developer might deploy code using PaaS environments.
• A customer service team may rely on SaaS tools like Salesforce or Zendesk.
• A QA tester may test across SaaS platforms and PaaS-hosted apps.

Understanding your place in the cloud model will help you collaborate more effectively with other teams—and be noticed in job interviews.

Final Thoughts

Cloud computing has moved from being a specific skill to a key element of IT infrastructure. If you want to work in development, testing, support or cybersecurity in the cloud, understanding IaaS, PaaS and SaaS helps you act like a cloud expert.

At TrainingHub.io, our goal is to teach you more than just the facts; we focus on the underlying reasons, too. We create cloud computing courses using examples from the industry, practical assignments and help from instructors to get you ready to use these skills in your job.

Interested in Learning Cloud the Proper Way? Apply now for our upcoming Cloud Computing Intake to work with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and learn about virtualization, storage and networking. If you’re a beginner or need to build your skills for a job promotion, TrainingHub.io is there for you.