Cloud Computing - Services & Offerings

Cloud Computing offers 3 basic services –

1. Software as a Service (S-a-a-S)
2. Platform as a Service (P-a-a-S)
3. Infrastructure as a Service (I-a-a-S)

You will see this in every single article related to Cloud Computing; but let me tell you, Cloud Computing is not at all limited to the above three service offerings.

Initially when Cloud Computing was on its infant stage, most of the organizations and thinkers defined Cloud Computing offerings as 3 basic services just to ease of understanding, but now when we are very familiar with Cloud Computing and its offerings, stating the above 3 would not be a justice with Cloud Computing.

Now question is, what all are the service offerings of Cloud Computing?

And answer is “Infinite”; because you cannot limit one’s imagination and innovations!

Actually, the phrase “as-a-Service” is absolutely common and open to all. Whatever you can think of as an offering, think and add as-a-Service to it!

See, while writing this, I got one "Think-as-a-Service" :)

But, still to give you a somewhat image, here are the current service offerings of Cloud Computing, but once again, it is not at all limited to following as well –

1. A-as-a-S (Authentication-as-a-Service)
2. B-as-a-S (Backup-as-a-Service)
3. C-as-a-S (Code-as-a-Service)
4. D-as-a-S (Desktop / Database-as-a-Service)
5. E-as-a-S (E-mail-as-a-Service)
6. H-as-a-S (Hardware-as-a-Service)
7. I-as-a-S & IT-a-a-S (IT as a Service)
8. K-as-a-S (Knowledge-as-a-Service)
9. N-as-a-A (Network-as-a-Service)
10. P-as-a-S (Platform-as-a-Service)
11. S-as-a-S (Storage / Software-as-a-Service)
12. T-as-a-S (Testing as a Service)

… Remember, still you have a lot of alphabets remaining from A-to-Z!

In above 12 different service offerings, most of them can be combined into the top 3 basic offerings. Let’s see how –

• Services which are related to software / applications can be a part of S-a-a-S.
• IT infrastructure related services could be included in I-a-a-S.
• Finally, those services, which are available for any kind of architecture or platform, could be defined within P-a-a-S.

For them who only go by formal definitions, including here –

.

S-a-a-S (Software as a Service)

                        The cloud provides software applications running on cloud infrastructure.
P-a-a-S (Platform as a Service)

The cloud provides infrastructure, typically virtual machines, which can be loaded with the consumer created or acquired applications.

I-a-a-S (Infrastructure as a Service)

The cloud provides an infrastructure including (virtual) platforms, networking, etc. on which applications can be deployed and run including operating systems.