What is Platform as a Service (PaaS)?

Platform as a service or PaaS is a set of cloud services which can be used to manage and build applications.  It is a cloud computing model under which a third-party provider provides software and hardware tools which can be accessed by the users over the Internet.  In broader terms, PaaS is a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud which contains the resources that can enable users to deliver basic cloud-based applications as well as more complex and sophisticated cloud-based enterprise applications.

The deployment of PaaS involves a computing platform managed by a vendor. This platform consists of resources, storage, operating system, networking, etc. PaaS also provides the middleware components and infrastructure to help users to integrate, deploy, migrate or manage applications. It offers several programming components that can help developers in improving their applications and introducing new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, etc.

Platform as a service (PaaS) is based on the pay-as-you-go model which essentially means that the users purchase the resources they need from the PaaS provider and access them over the Internet to improve their existing applications. They can then add more tools and infrastructure by paying more. PaaS saves programmers from the hassle of building and maintaining infrastructure and allows them to build new applications in a streamlined manner. From transparent pricing to on-demand scalability, PaaS upticks all the requirements that can help businesses to standardize and simplify their IT operations.

Before the arrival of PaaS in the market, IT was often caught in managing different licensed products due to which they had to constantly juggle between multiple vendors. Naturally, different vendors had their own processes of installation, licensing, integration, etc. As a result, the process of management and integration became very complicated. The introduction of middleware components and the emergence of cloud computing helped in tackling these complexities. Additionally, the digital age increased the demand for PaaS. Now, the point is how does PaaS really help businesses in increasing their efficiency?

• PaaS helps in increasing IT efficiency to a great length by increasing automation, standardizing deployments, and improving scalability. It also helps in eliminating routine tasks.
• PaaS directly aids better results by allowing businesses to be able to take in more business opportunities such as support for more innovative user experiences, risk-free transactions, etc.
• PaaS simplifies the security process by speeding up responses to threats. It helps in preventing data loss and increases the overall business resiliency.

Why is the platform as a service essential for businesses?

The competition among businesses is quite fierce in this digital era. One of the prerequisites of leading the game is to keep the innovation game up. Staying on top of technology and new innovations in the market are the keys of staying relevant in the market. There is a lot of pressure on businesses to accelerate innovation while staying within their budget. This is where PaaS solutions come to play their role. With the help of PaaS, it becomes easier for businesses to deploy applications with the complexity of managing infrastructure. With quick and easy access to development environments, PaaS helps businesses to boost their productivity and unlock lucrative business opportunities.

As defined by the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), PaaS can be deployed in three different cloud deployment models:

• Private Cloud Model: This type of development platform is created exclusively for a single organization. The infrastructure of this platform can be managed and operated either by the organization or a third-party vendor. It can exist on or off premises.

• Public Cloud Model: This development platform is built of infrastructure that can be used by multiple organizations. The infrastructure of this program can be owned and managed by a business or government organisation. It exists on cloud providers.

• Hybrid Cloud Model: This development platform is created across both private cloud as well as public cloud. These two models remain unique but follow standardized technology. Hybrid cloud is not frequently used for PaaS solutions.

To know about the benefits of cloud computing, follow the link.

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