Cloud Computing: 3 Ways

•  Saas: Software as a Service
• Pros
• allows users to run existing online applications
• easiest way to cloud compute
• allows users to access off-the-shelf applications over the internet for free or with a small monthly subscription
• accessible from any computer
• facilitates collaborative efforts
• Cons
• not all general applications are suitable for business use
• PaaS: Platform as a Service
• Pros
• allows users to create their own cloud applications using tools and computer languages specific to the supplier
• easily create new online applications at low cost
• Cons
• users risk “vendor lock-in”, which means their applications cannot be moved and accessed from one platform to another
• IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service
• Pros
• allows users to choose their cloud hardware
• run any applications
• allows companies to move existing applications from the company's data center to their IaaS provider and therefor, reduce their internal IT costs
• Cons
• Most costly of the three