Cloud service models define how services are delivered and managed in a cloud environment. The three primary models are:
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources such as servers, storage, networking, and virtualization over the internet. Customers manage their own operating systems, applications, and data, while the cloud provider manages the underlying infrastructure.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): Provides a platform for developers to build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. Examples include Google App Engine and Microsoft Azure App Services.
Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers fully functional applications over the internet, eliminating the need for users to install or maintain software locally. Examples include Salesforce CRM, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office 365.
Database as a Service (DaaS): A specialized subset of PaaS that provides managed database services.
In this question, the focus is on access to networking, storage, servers, and virtualization , which are the core components of IaaS . IaaS allows customers to rent infrastructure on-demand and build their own environments without investing in physical hardware.
Why IaaS?
Flexibility: Customers have full control over the operating systems, applications, and configurations.
Scalability: Resources can be scaled up or down based on demand.
Cost Efficiency: Pay-as-you-go pricing eliminates upfront hardware costs.
JNCIA Cloud References:
The JNCIA-Cloud certification emphasizes understanding the different cloud service models and their use cases. IaaS is particularly relevant for organizations that want to leverage cloud infrastructure while maintaining control over their applications and data.
For example, Juniper Contrail integrates with IaaS platforms like OpenStack to provide advanced networking and security features for virtualized environments.
[Reference:, NIST Cloud Computing Reference Architecture, Juniper JNCIA-Cloud Study Guide: Cloud Service Models, ]
