Platform as a Service is a service provider software platform is one of the types of cloud services. It allows developers to solve their hosting and other related data center hosting infrastructures without worries and save time and money.
What is PaaS?
PaaS is one of the three models of cloud computing services that take care of infrastructure maintenance and management, and as a result, developers do not get involved in these cases. The development of web applications becomes very simple. There is no need to configure and install the operating system and server management; So, developers need to deploy their code on the server.
This method is called cloud computing because the user cannot see or specify the physical condition or host organization that he has rented and receives the cloud resources and returns to the same cloud after release. A cloud is a set of web servers and services that implement cloud computing.
PaaS is designed to support a complete lifecycle of web applications, including building, testing, growing, and managing and updating.
Cloud computing services are three models that are:
Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS (read more about IaaS)
Platform as a Service or PaaS
Software as a Service or SaaS (read more about SaaS)
IaaS includes the cloud computing service infrastructure managed by cloud server providers, and SaaS includes general applications that are hosted on cloud servers.
If we consider the SaaS customer as a tenant of a house, then the PaaS customer is like a person who has rented the equipment needed to build a house immediately; However, these tools and equipment are maintained and repaired by their original owner.
After IaaS, PaaS cloud services are in the second tier, allowing web application developers to focus on application development and leave other tasks to the cloud service provider without engaging with PaaS.
why PaaS?
Pass is the perfect growth and development environment in cloud computing with resources that allow you to change everything from simple cloud applications to more complex enterprise applications. You purchase the required resources from a cloud service provider and access them via the Internet.
PaaS services can include pre-configured features. Customers can select the required features after subscription and discard other features; So packages can range from providing simple point-and-click frameworks to providing infrastructure options for advanced development.
Software programmers, Web developers, and business developers can be customers of this cloud system who may aim to create software or sell specific software. For example, it can be used individually at any stage of the development, testing, and finally hosting of your website, as well as those developing their internal software, which can use PaaS.
What is offered in PaaS?
1. Development tools
2. Infrastructure
3. Operating system
4. Database management
Of course, there may be other items in this model, but the above items are common to all of them.
Tools provided in PaaS
A variety of essential tools for software development by PaaS providers such as access to logs, Compiler, console access, and other requirements for program development are provided.
PaaS providers may offer different tools; However, they meet a developer’s needs to build the program. One of the essential advantages of this cloud model is preparing and managing the operating system to implement programs by its providers.
Database management
The providers of this service provide managed databases to their customers.
Infrastructure
Since the PaaS cloud computing model is the top layer of IaaS, so whatever is in IaaS, there is also in PaaS; thus, server management also performs storage and data center space.
Reasons for using PaaS by developers
1. Increase speed
In this type of cloud model, PaaS is responsible for all the construction and provision of the Platform and its infrastructure, and there is no need for developers to worry about this; Therefore, the only task of the developers is to write the code and other activities are the responsibility of PaaS.
2. Use an environment to the end
In this cloud service, developers will build and deploy their applications in an environment and update their code as needed.
3. Reasonable price
Using this cloud service is much more cost-effective than IaaS.
It eliminates the cost of managing and providing server staff and reduces companies’ costs. They receive a fee from their customer, which reduces additional costs; Because the payment model in these services is the so-called Pay-As-You-Go. It eliminates the cost and complexity of purchasing and managing software licenses, infrastructure, core applications, communication software, development tools, and other resources. You manage and provide the applications and services you develop, and Cloud service manages other things.
4. Ready development environment
As mentioned, this service prepares everything and provides it to the user quickly, so there is no need to prepare the software development environment. The user can only code the application and upload it to the server.
5. Analytics
In addition to the developers’ development environment, various additional software, such as data analysis tools, business intelligence, data chi tools, etc. are provided to the user.
6. No need to hire a Haptic specialist
Since cloud computing companies do a lot of work, people using the PaaS cloud system will no longer need the technical staff to manage servers and things like that.
7. No need to manage the server
Since PaaS is implemented in the second layer of cloud services on the IaaS service, developers can focus on coding without any changes and leave server management to this service.
8. Flexibility
This service’s customers can fully manage the tools installed through the Platform and design a platform according to their specific tastes and needs. In other words, they can choose and use the features that they feel are necessary for them.
9. Compatibility
All the features used can be changed at the required time and conditions. Meantime, teams in different places can work together and participate in building a program; Because an internet connection and a browser are all you need.
10.Development is also available for non-specialists
With some PaaS services, anyone with minimal technical knowledge can develop an application. Prominent examples are content management systems installed with just a few clicks, such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.
What problems will the use of PaaS cause?
1. It is not possible to change the service of the PaaS provider
Since their unique Platform may be used to develop products that are different from other services, it may not be easy to change the service provider. Of course, this limitation does not exist in all PaaS services, and after using some of them, you can easily use another service provider or even IaaS.
2. Security
In the PaaS architecture, data and code are stored, and sometimes an IaaS provider is used for the infrastructure. However, despite the providers’ claims in this cloud model in security and data storage, a complete security assessment to ensure the protection of applications and data is not an easy task.
Conclusion
The primary audience for Platform as a Service or PaaS is web programmers, and developers who do not need to buy servers, config, upgrade management, and beautification because they leave all this to cloud service companies and all their efforts are focused on coding the application.
In short, PaaS services provide an operational environment for application development. In other words, it creates a similar architecture to the overall infrastructure to support software development. These services include storage and software support network and management services; So it’s a great way to develop new applications on the web and mobile devices and PCs.
