What is Platform as a Service?

Platform as a service (PaaS) is a business model used by B2B companies where hardware and software are provided to other businesses via cloud services. The infrastructure for both the hardware and software is maintained by the provider, so the customers in these scenarios don’t need their own in-house resources. This is ideal for companies with smaller IT teams.

Why is Platform as a Service Important?

PaaS is ideal for many development teams because it allows them to create and manage applications without having to stress about maintaining internal infrastructure and putting additional strain on their IT team.

The company selling PaaS models hosts and maintains everything within the network for their customers. Ultimately, they are responsible for the following:

• Servers and storage.
• Operating systems and their functionality.
• Middlewear (the software that acts as a bridge between the network and operating system, transferring all data and relevant information).
• Networking and databases.
• Other services as required.

The customer purchasing PaaS is responsible for their data, and however they’re applying the platform and integrating it into their daily use.

Benefits of Platform as a Service

There are many reasons why companies use PaaS models.

Easy to Use

Implementing a PaaS model allows development teams to easily build, run, and manage their own applications. Technical teams can focus on fine-tuning their internal tools and processes without having to worry about maintenance.

Faster Workflow

PaaS frees up valuable resources and makes the development lifecycle faster and easier to implement. Without having to worry about maintenance, there’s more time and resources to dedicate to new projects, debugging issues, and scale workflows.

Cost Effective

Maintaining internal databases is expensive. You need to pay for the hardware, staff time, and general maintenance costs. This adds up quickly and can increase a company’s overhead costs drastically. Paying for PaaS subscriptions is often a more affordable option.

When shopping around for PaaS resources, check pricing structures. Some are pay-as-you-go, whereas others may offer flat-rates with add-ons for additional features.

Room for Customization

With resources already in place and taken care of, developers have the opportunity to create custom programs that benefit not only their processes, but workflows throughout the entire company. This allows for easier reporting, scalability, and solving unique problems within specific businesses.

PaaS vs. IaaS vs. SaaS

While shopping for PaaS resources, you’ll likely encounter infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) options as well. It’s important to understand the difference so you can identify what best suits your needs.

• PaaS: Hardware and software is provided via its own maintained infrastructure. Developers can build and manage their own programs.
• IaaS: Typically billed as a pay-as-you-go service where infrastructure services are offered (such as storage, for example), but the customer is responsible for their own operating systems, middlewear, and various applications.
• SaaS: An entire application or program is delivered to customers and is accessible online. Everything is controlled and managed by the provider, and the customer simply utilizes the program to increase their business output.

It’s important to understand what your business needs and what it’s capable of maintaining itself when determining what type of service is needed. Your IT and development teams should be consulted before purchasing these products to ensure there’s no overlap and resources are being used appropriately.