Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Fundamentals
Slide deck explaining Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) fundamentals, provider and customer responsibilities, what you rent in IaaS, typical actions, scenarios, and common pitfalls.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Fundamentals
Introduction to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) fundamentals, covering what IaaS is and how it differs from other cloud service models.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Fundamentals
Introduction to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) fundamentals, covering what IaaS is and how it differs from other cloud service models.
IaaS fundamentals: the big picture
IaaS equals you rent infrastructure, and you still manage a lot of the stack. Provider vs you: who manages what. The 'OS clue' for quick identification. IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS in real situations.
What you rent in IaaS
IaaS provides servers, storage, and networking on demand. Rent infrastructure building blocks. Create Virtual Machines (VMs). Attach storage as needed. Configure networking in the cloud.
Provider responsibilities (IaaS)
The provider runs the physical datacenter and hardware. Physical datacenter operations. Hardware maintenance and replacement. Physical security. Underlying connectivity foundation.
Your responsibilities (IaaS)
If you manage the Operating System (OS), you're usually in IaaS. OS (Operating System) install and configuration. OS patching and updates. Networking and storage configuration choices. Security of workloads you deploy.
The 'who manages what' clue
Service model equals how much of the stack you manage. Manage OS equals IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Deploy code; provider manages OS/runtime equals PaaS (Platform as a Service). Use a complete app equals SaaS (Software as a Service).
Typical IaaS actions
IaaS looks like building your environment from infrastructure pieces. Create Virtual Machines (VMs). Attach storage volumes or disks. Configure networking and security rules. Manage via portal, automation, or API (Application Programming Interface).
Scenario: move a server with minimal changes
Lift-and-shift often maps naturally to IaaS. Keep OS-level control. Keep installed software and configuration. Provider handles physical infrastructure. You still patch and update the OS.
Scenario: dev/test environments fast
IaaS gives speed plus OS-level control for repeatable environments. Rapid provisioning for dev/test. Repeatable environment setup. Full OS and configuration control. Still responsible for operating and securing.
Quick classification examples
Classify by control: OS, runtime, or full app. VM service equals IaaS. App hosting platform equals PaaS. Productivity suite equals SaaS. 'Cloud' does not automatically mean IaaS.
Common pitfalls with IaaS
IaaS removes hardware work, not responsibility. 'No management' assumption. OS patching ownership confusion. PaaS misclassified as IaaS. Ignoring cloud networking and security choices.