Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a foundational model of cloud computing in which organizations rent virtualized hardware resources — such as servers, storage, and networking — via the internet. These cloud-based resources allow businesses to avoid owning or maintaining physical infrastructure while scaling quickly and cost-effectively.
With IaaS, users can create and configure their own computing environments on demand, using intuitive dashboards or APIs provided by services like AWS or Azure.
Understanding IaaS is essential for modern IT professionals, tech support specialists, and business consultants because:
| Provider | Notable Services | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services (AWS) | EC2 (compute), S3 (storage), VPC (networking), Elastic Load Balancing | Largest provider; deep integration across industries |
| Microsoft Azure | Azure VMs, Blob Storage, Azure Backup, Virtual Networks | Strong for enterprise environments and Microsoft ecosystems |
| Google Cloud Platform (GCP) | Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Cloud Networking | Known for AI, analytics, and container-based workloads |
| IBM Cloud | Bare Metal Servers, Cloud Object Storage | Hybrid and security-first solutions for large organizations |
Think of IaaS like renting land and construction equipment to build whatever you want.
With traditional on-site IT, you'd have to buy your own servers, storage, and network hardware — like buying land, a bulldozer, and concrete just to build a tiny home.
With IaaS, you rent just what you need, use it for as long as you need it, and scale it up or down whenever you want — all through the internet. No hardware, no maintenance, no capital expense. Just a login and a dashboard.