Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Word of the Day: Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Word of the Day WhatIs.com
Daily updates on the latest technology terms |May 16, 2018
Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model in which a third-party provider delivers hardware and software tools -- usually those needed for application development -- to users over the internet. A PaaS provider hosts the hardware and software on its own infrastructure. As a result, PaaS frees users from having to install in-house hardware and software to develop or run a new application.

PaaS architecture and how it works

PaaS does not typically replace a business's entire IT infrastructure. Instead, a business relies on PaaS providers for key services, such as application hosting or Java development.

A PaaS provider builds and supplies a resilient and optimized environment on which users can install applications and data sets. Users can focus on creating and running applications rather than constructing and maintaining the underlying infrastructure and services.

Many PaaS products are geared toward software development. These platforms offer compute and storage infrastructure, as well as text editing, version management, compiling and testing services that help developers create new software more quickly and efficiently. A PaaS product can also enable development teams to collaborate and work together, regardless of their physical location.

PaaS pros and cons

The principal benefit of PaaS is simplicity and convenience for users -- the PaaS provider supplies much of the infrastructure and other IT services, which users can access anywhere via a web browser. PaaS providers then charge for that access on a per-use basis -- a model that many enterprises prefer, as it eliminates the capital expenses they traditionally have for on-premises hardware and software. Some PaaS providers charge a flat monthly fee to access their service, as well as the apps hosted within it.

Service availability or resilience, however, can be a concern with PaaS. If a provider experiences a service outage or other infrastructure disruption, this can adversely affect customers and result in costly lapses of productivity. Provider lock-in is another common concern, since users cannot easily migrate many of the services and much of the data produced through one PaaS product to another competing product. Users must evaluate the business risks of service downtime and lock-in before they commit to a PaaS provider.

Internal changes to a PaaS product are also a potential issue. For example, if a PaaS provider stops supporting a certain programming language or opts to use a different set of development tools, the impact on users can be difficult and disruptive. Users must follow the PaaS provider's service roadmap to understand how the provider's plans will affect its environment and capabilities. Read more...

Quote of the Day

"Part of the excitement around platform as a service is that PaaS platforms make it much easier for enterprises to quickly spin up experiments in a safe and secure way." - George Lawton

 

Trending Terms

Software as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service
OpenShift
Microsoft Azure
private PaaS
SPI model

 
Learning Center

Build a culture of innovation on PaaS platforms
PaaS platforms can make it easier for IT teams to spin up experiments, but there are risks to adopting this form of cloud computing, including pushback from corporate IT staff. Tech execs from Deutsche Bank and Experian offered advice at the Red Hat Summit in San Francisco.

Azure IaaS vs. PaaS: Find the right service to reduce costs
This Azure IaaS vs. PaaS comparison gives IT administrators a breakdown of the pros and cons of simply executing a lift and shift into the cloud as opposed to using the PaaS features that might be more cost-effective with better performance.

Test your knowledge of PaaS providers with this brief quiz
As the cloud market continues to grow, it can be tough to keep track of PaaS providers and the various tools they offer. Take this quick quiz to see how much you know about vendors such as AWS, Azure, Google and more.

Deciding between IaaS and PaaS for microservices
Choosing between IaaS and PaaS as the foundation for a move to microservices requires a stable DevOps environment and other considerations.

IaaS and PaaS blurred lines increase lock-in risks
The gap between IaaS and PaaS is disappearing. Emerging technologies, such as containers, blur the distinctions between the service types, which can hide potential risks.

Writing for Business

If you're not _______ well-versed in microservices and containers, you're running at the back of the pack.

A. already

B. all ready

Answer

 

Stay In Touch
For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact me at: mrouse@techtarget.com

 

Visit the Word of the Day Archives and catch up on what you've missed!

 

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