Infrastructure as a service – Cloud Deployment for businesses
Infrastructure as a Service is a service in which the complete computing infrastructure is offered by a cloud provider. The cloud provider offers network, storage, delivery processing, routing, application and virtualised operating system hosting services to a user. The user has complete control over the firewall, storage, OS, and deployed applications. IaaS deployment is popular among organisations that want to run their own business applications on an infrastructure hosted in the cloud eliminating the need to own server hardware.
Choosing the right IaaS provider
IaaS vendors are basically service providers because they provide the entire infrastructure needed to run the OS and related applications.
The user is completely reliant on the cloud vendor for this infrastructure, so it is very important to choose the right service provider. This article will help you ask the right questions while choosing the IaaS vendor.
1) Location
2) Provided Features
3) Security
4) Management & Support
5) Cost Effectiveness
Location – Even though the cloud is accessed via the internet, the IaaS includes server, network hardware, and storage devices that are positioned in the data centre. Most providers have many data centres and function from multiple locations. Service providers with more data centres are a better option than a provider servicing the entire globe with just one data centre. Having your business run on a server nearer to your location offers more flexibility and minimal latency.
Provided Features – The most important features of an IaaS provider is server computing power and load balancing. Servers or ‘instances’ are the main computing source of the IaaS service, as the physical server runs instances of virtual servers on it. OS choice should cover both Linux variants and Microsoft platforms with updated versions. Windows 2008 and CentOS are the most popular operating systems presently available with most good service providers.
Load balancing is a technique in which a virtual IP connection is provided, and this distributes the service request across a number of instances of an application. This feature is extremely important when large numbers of users are using the same applications on various platforms. It is also helpful to counter the high demand for application access and scale down when the demand is met.
Security – In a cloud, both physical and logical security are a concern in terms of IaaS. If a provider has poor physical security, it can result in a data breach or in the worst-case scenario, long outages that can bring your business to a grinding halt. On the other hand, if logical security is poor, then unauthorised access will be a major cause for concern in a multi-user environment. A good IaaS provider will always list all the security features and standard compliances in the contract and adhere to the standards.
Management – IaaS cannot be handled as a normal service, so the management should be extremely simple but efficient. Web based management should have scalable features and provide integration with APIs. Good providers always update their interfaces with better and newer features.
Cost Effectiveness – A service provider’s bill is based on an effective computing basis i.e. the infrastructure resources used. Most IaaS providers offer packages that suit your needs and charge extra for additional services. The provider you choose should have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that extensively covers poor services and proper compensation if the promised degree of service is not presented.
Major providers of IaaS:
- Amazon – Amazon Elastic Block Store
- Rackspace – Cloud Servers & Openstack
- VMware – VMware vCloud
- Salesforce – Force.com platform
- Google – Google Apps
- Joyent – SmartMachines
- IBM – IBM SmartCloud Enterprise and Enterprise+
- NetSuite – SuiteCloud
With the dwindling need for dedicated servers, the concept of virtual infrastructure or IaaS is catching up. Multiple providers can also be chosen for specific processes, which will reduce your risk. One single API can control all the processes even though they are from multiple providers. Users should always get references from reliable sources and review the same using the above mentioned aspects. Always choose a provider who understands your needs and exceeds your expectations while acknowledging your requirements.
All of our IaaS providers offer awarding winning services so please contact us and allow us to help you find the best provider available within your budget.
