Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)Describe cloud conceptsEasy
A small non-profit organization wants to reduce its IT operational burden and capital expenditure. They decide to use cloud services for their email, customer relationship management (CRM), and document storage, where the provider manages all aspects of the application and underlying infrastructure. Which cloud service model are they utilizing?
- ASoftware as a Service (SaaS)
- BServerless Computing
- CPlatform as a Service (PaaS)
- DInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS) provides ready-to-use applications managed entirely by the cloud provider, minimizing the user's operational burden and capital expenditure. This is ideal for email, CRM, and document storage where the organization doesn't want to manage anything but use the software.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Serverless Computing is a deployment model for specific functions, not a full application service model like CRM or email.
- C. PaaS requires the user to develop and deploy their own applications.
- D. IaaS still requires the user to manage operating systems and applications.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
A cloud service model where the cloud provider hosts and manages the software application, and users access it over the internet. The user has no control over the underlying infrastructure, operating systems, or platform capabilities.
- Ready-to-use applications
- Provider manages all infrastructure and software
- Accessed via web browser or app
Memory trick: SaaS is like 'software-on-a-shelf', ready to use with no setup.