Infrastructure as a service

Infrastructure as a service: agility without constraints

Infrastructure as a service or IaaS is a service model in which an organization’s IT infrastructure is outsourced to a third party. As one of the three fundamental service models of cloud computing — alongside Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) — it typically provides hardware, storage, servers and data center space or network components.

In an ideal world, every company’s IT infrastructure reflects its business requirements. The real world, however, is marked by constant change: speedy growth, acquisitions, new customer demands, technology advances, etc.. To keep up, the company should be able to adapt its infrastructure to every new situation in a flexible way. That’s where Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) fits in.

4 reasons to choose IaaS

Today, many business owners already recognize the significant benefits of outsourcing IT infrastructure to an external party that adds more resources and expertise. Computer resources delivered as a service are quickly becoming the standard, and it’s not hard to see why:

• It enables businesses to scale up or down without constraints: resources are available as and when needed, there are no delays in expanding capacity, or unused capacity wasted. In this way, risks are minimized and operating expenses optimized. With a limited investment, you gain access to unlimited computing power. This flexibility also boosts operational excellence.
• IT availability, continuity, and security are the responsibilities of the service provider. In most cases, the latter has unsurpassed expertise and resources to rely on, and is heavily committed to achieving 100% success rates. Virtually all service providers have redundancy configurations in place as well.
• The service can usually be accessed anywhere – all it takes is an internet connection and the necessary security protocols. This location independence opens up new ways of working.
• The role of infrastructure in business innovation is increasing, offering enterprises new ways of differentiating themselves. Apart from compute models, typical devices like drones, beacons and measuring equipment will take on a more prominent role in the infrastructure landscape.

Make your way to the cloud

Making your organization cloud-connected can happen in several ways: from a ‘big bang’ approach to phased migration, or even by starting with just a few targetedsolutions at first. For example, if your hardware has reached end-of-life, a full-blown switch to the cloud could make sense for your organization. However, a gradual journey is the way to go to increase operational excellence and availability without disrupting your existing infrastructures and processes.

See the bigger picture

As a consultancy firm with integrator roots, delaware has a multi-platform and multidisciplinary offering and a hands-on approach. We are independent, which means we’re not restricted to just one cloud environment, but we have strong partnerships with service providers like Microsoft, SAP and BT. That, along with our extensive experience, allow us to see the bigger picture.