Microsoft 365 FundamentalsDescribe cloud conceptsMedium
A software development company wants to set up a testing environment quickly for a new project. They need virtual machines, storage, and networking components but want to retain full control over the operating system, middleware, and applications they install. Which cloud service model provides this level of control over the infrastructure while offloading the management of physical hardware?
- AInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- BPlatform as a Service (PaaS)
- CServerless Computing
- DSoftware as a Service (SaaS)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS provides the fundamental computing, networking, and storage resources, allowing customers to deploy and run arbitrary software, including operating systems and applications. The cloud provider manages the underlying infrastructure.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. PaaS provides a managed platform, but the customer still doesn't manage the OS directly.
- C. Serverless computing abstracts away servers entirely, focusing on code execution, not VM or OS control.
- D. SaaS provides a fully managed application, offering no control over the OS or middleware.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
A cloud service model that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, giving users control over operating systems, applications, and data.
- Cloud provider manages physical hardware, networking, virtualization.
- Customer manages OS, middleware, runtime, applications, data.
- Offers the most flexibility among cloud service models.
Memory trick: I P S: Infrastructure, Platform, Software – think of building blocks.