Cloud computing is most commonly associated with storage and hosting opportunities, particularly for those who are new to the world of cloud-based applications and resources, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Platform as a Service, also known as PaaS, is a valuable cloud platform that facilitates the development of applications and other forms of software. If your company develops applications internally, PaaS opportunities can be among the best ways to streamline your development projects, no matter the size or scale. This is what you need to know about why to use Platform as a Service.
What Is Platform as a Service Software?
Cloud computing is a commonly-used phrase, but it’s more of a broad concept than a specific service. In reality, it can be divided into three distinct categories: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS). PaaS and IaaS can frequently be confused, but there are substantial differences.
Unlike IaaS and SaaS, Platform as a Service software is a cloud computing option in which a PaaS provider, like Salesforce, creates a platform for software and application development in a cloud-based environment. Historically, companies have used their own in-house resources to build customized applications. However, for those with significant workloads, this can require significant resources. Application construction can necessitate significant server space, regular and ongoing updates to supporting hardware and software resources, data center and infrastructure maintenance, and proper security to protect information. For smaller companies without the computing resources to accommodate this, development can be prohibitively expensive. This is one of the reasons people have flooded to Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, or AWS, in recent years.
With cloud PaaS services, all of the infrastructure related to development is managed behind the scenes, creating a cohesive and comprehensive platform for companies to use to create products and opportunities for the future.
PaaS software products are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, so attempting to evaluate them based on commonalities isn’t necessarily the right strategy. While one product might be the wrong fit, there may be a better solution available. Before moving forward with cloud-based services, companies are encouraged to do their due diligence regarding what resources are required versus what a particular product has to offer.
What Is Application Platform as a Service?
Platform as a service can be a valuable part of how your company does business, but it’s important to realize the distinctions between the different opportunities on the market. Application PaaS, or aPaaS, is a cloud subcategory that is intended explicitly and specifically for application development.
Application PaaS is often used interchangeably with PaaS in general, and there is some logic in this: most people who employ PaaS cloud-based solutions do so for the purpose of application development. Application PaaS programs are designed to do exactly this, supporting the development lifecycle from brainstorming to final product.
However, aPaaS solutions are adequate under all circumstances. For some companies, aPaaS options can provide more than enough support and capability – most notably those with small development plans and no need for enterprise-level products – and can be a great fit. However, this is not true for all businesses. Large national or multinational companies, for example, will likely have a significant need for development products used to support many different aspects of operations. When further capabilities are required in a way that is integral to the ongoing course of business, more advanced avenues may be required.
When Is Platform as a Service Used?
Platform as a Service can be used in any kind of application development process. In using PaaS solutions, development tools are available that support all aspects of the creation lifecycle, including collecting brainstorming thoughts to building applications themselves to pushing projects to market, whether that means internally or externally.
In essence, processes within the development environment shouldn’t be radically different from in-house processes employed prior to the use of PaaS. Code is created and entered into the PaaS software, at which point testing, updating, and, eventually, publication are all fast and easy. However, PaaS solutions don’t have to be used as comprehensively. In some cases, PaaS products are used as a complement to other in-house development practices, or to either start or end the process – in deployment, for example.
For those not intimately familiar with the stages in product development, a website is a beneficial analogy. In this model, code is written by web application designers and developers to create all of the features necessary to meet internal goals. Then, this code is uploaded to a website hosting service and yields a completed website. This site can be tested and tweaked while in development before ultimately being rolled out for mass use. A PaaS product is used in roughly the same manner: when a code is available, it can be entered into the PaaS software in order to bring the backend pieces to life.
How and when PaaS is used can vary greatly from one company to the next based on everything from personal preference to business needs. As such, there’s no exact answer to when PaaS is used. With this in mind, however, it’s important to highlight that this variation in use can limit the useful nature of these cloud-based solutions, particularly when considering specific applications sold by third parties without a customizable approach to use.
Don’t Let IT Dictate Your Capabilities as a Business. Leverage IT to Improve Your Business.
How Is Platform as a Service Delivered?
So, you know that Platform as a Service products have a lot to offer, but that doesn’t exactly explain how PaaS solutions make it from the provider to your network. Like many other forms of cloud solutions, PaaS products are delivered through the internet and supported by cloud-based virtual machines.
Once a product has been purchased – say, for example, a Salesforce product – cloud-based infrastructure resources are available in a web environment. Generally, this means logging into a software interface via a website or portal. All of the resources normally required to maintain a development environment, including storage space, security, and data center management, are all handled behind the scenes by the platform provider. All features used in development, including things like beta testing and deployment, are managed through the PaaS platform.
Choosing PaaS for Your Business
For companies just dipping a toe into this cloud infrastructure and development pool, have special projects on the horizon, or are frustrated with current development opportunities, PaaS sounds like a great option. And for many companies, it is. However, PaaS isn’t necessarily right for every company, so before making an impromptu purchase, you need to ask yourself: how well does PaaS fit with my current business plan?
When considering IT acquisitions, it’s easy to get starry-eyed over the potential available from new and evolving solutions, but this can be a dangerous cycle. Instead, any potential change to infrastructure or programming processes should be evaluated within the context of how it can be utilized within an existing business model rather than in terms of overall benefits.
Instead of pulling the trigger in hopes you’ll find a use for PaaS, ask yourself these questions:
- What development projects are on the horizon this year? Next year? Beyond that?
- How well does your current development platform meet your needs?
- How complex are your development projects? Are you limited to one particular type of use or are you in need of cross-platform apps?
- Is there a strong need to switch approach to development?
- Can a PaaS product integrate within your current networks, whether or not you use other cloud products or another cloud provider?
- Are there any potential compatibility issues that could arise in the future should you choose to switch to any kind of infrastructure-based IaaS solution?
- Can your chosen programming languages be accommodated by your chosen PaaS product?
- Are your development needs substantial enough to require an investment in PaaS, including implementation costs, onboarding, training, and support?
- Can your budget accommodate per-user costs, particularly if you have a large number of users?
- Would other alternatives, like a private cloud-based service infrastructure with development capabilities, be a better fit for your needs?
Asking yourself these kinds of questions, as well as anything else that could be relevant that is specific to your company, can help you be sure PaaS fits in with your business plans. And if it doesn’t – that’s okay. Not all business solutions will work for everyone. If you do plan to move forward with PaaS, keep these criteria in mind while evaluating options:
- Overall features available: do they check all of your development needs?
- Per-user costs: will implementing a product provide cost savings opportunities?
- Security approach: will use adequately protect your information?
- Support: are available resources adequate to meet tech support requirements?
- Growth: are there adequate abilities to grow should your development needs change?
- Alternatives: are there better options available, like Infrastructure as a Service avenues with development capabilities, that can meet needs in a more comprehensive manner?
As with all choices in information technology, it’s important to evaluate the points most relevant to your business.
How Does PaaS Compare to Internally-Hosted Development Platforms?
The potential impact of PaaS on your business is in many way dictated by the differences between what PaaS solutions can offer and the available opportunities your internally-hosted development platform can provide. The pros and cons of these options can vary greatly, particularly as most companies employ customized or adapted on-site development avenues rather than one set platform as is the case with most PaaS applications.
Perhaps the largest way in which PaaS differs from an internally-hosted platform is the uniformity. Most PaaS solutions are sold as-is, or largely as-is. This means that all customers are working with the same development tools in the same manner rather than whatever an in-house IT team can develop. In many ways, this can be a benefit. Most PaaS products offer sophisticated options that go above and beyond what an internal team can produce, particularly for small businesses without complex needs. For companies still determining what they need and the scale of future problems, this is highly advantageous.
Further, PaaS solutions reduce the IT burden. Nothing is stored on-site, data centers and infrastructure are managed by a third party, and support is handled largely by PaaS providers rather than on-site assets. Upgrades are generally automatically pushed by PaaS vendors rather than requiring manual rollouts, ensuring all tools and options are as up to date as possible – something not always an option for companies with limited tech budgets. Scalability can be limited with PaaS products but can still allow for greater flexibility than in-house products.
However, in some cases, an internally-hosted platform can offer benefits serverless computing can’t. The ability to create a fully custom environment that goes above and beyond what PaaS can provide can be necessary, especially for companies with niche needs that can’t be accommodated by a one-size-fits-all solution. Attempting to force development needs into a pre-designed program can limit development opportunities. Also, all tools are selected and maintained by the PaaS provider, so there’s no good way to expand offerings should needs change.
Security can also be a concern; for companies with a strong focus on security and high-end on-site resources, allowing a third party to oversee development projects and trusting data to remain secure can be uncomfortable. In many ways, a sophisticated in-house platform can overcome the potential limitations of PaaS solutions, especially for companies with a robust approach to development already in place. Implementing PaaS can also cause compatibility issues for companies not already transitioned to a cloud-based platform, resulting in a balancing act between networks and resources.
How Does PaaS Compare to Internally-Hosted Development Platforms?
The potential impact of PaaS on your business is in many way dictated by the differences between what PaaS solutions can offer and the available opportunities your internally-hosted development platform can provide. The pros and cons of these options can vary greatly, particularly as most companies employ customized or adapted on-site development avenues rather than one set platform as is the case with most PaaS applications.
Perhaps the largest way in which PaaS differs from an internally-hosted platform is the uniformity. Most PaaS solutions are sold as-is, or largely as-is. This means that all customers are working with the same development tools in the same manner rather than whatever an in-house IT team can develop. In many ways, this can be a benefit. Most PaaS products offer sophisticated options that go above and beyond what an internal team can produce, particularly for small businesses without complex needs. For companies still determining what they need and the scale of future problems, this is highly advantageous.
Further, PaaS solutions reduce the IT burden. Nothing is stored on-site, data centers and infrastructure are managed by a third party, and support is handled largely by PaaS providers rather than on-site assets. Upgrades are generally automatically pushed by PaaS vendors rather than requiring manual rollouts, ensuring all tools and options are as up to date as possible – something not always an option for companies with limited tech budgets. Scalability can be limited with PaaS products but can still allow for greater flexibility than in-house products.
However, in some cases, an internally-hosted platform can offer benefits serverless computing can’t. The ability to create a fully custom environment that goes above and beyond what PaaS can provide can be necessary, especially for companies with niche needs that can’t be accommodated by a one-size-fits-all solution. Attempting to force development needs into a pre-designed program can limit development opportunities. Also, all tools are selected and maintained by the PaaS provider, so there’s no good way to expand offerings should needs change.
Security can also be a concern; for companies with a strong focus on security and high-end on-site resources, allowing a third party to oversee development projects and trusting data to remain secure can be uncomfortable. In many ways, a sophisticated in-house platform can overcome the potential limitations of PaaS solutions, especially for companies with a robust approach to development already in place. Implementing PaaS can also cause compatibility issues for companies not already transitioned to a cloud-based platform, resulting in a balancing act between networks and resources.
How Much PaaS Can You Really Use?
For anyone with diverse development needs, PaaS sounds like a great opportunity to move away from traditional in-house development platforms and toward a sophisticated and modern opportunity with many advantages. And, for a lot of businesses, particularly smaller operations, this is absolutely true. PaaS avenues can offer sophisticated alternatives that aren’t in-line with what many smaller companies can currently access and are a wonderful way to replace out of date platforms that can’t keep up with current demand.
However, PaaS isn’t perfect and there may be a cap to how much PaaS access is truly required. Development is a different process for every company, and it’s very possible that attempting to force all development requirements into a single platform may be as limiting as it is freeing. Some PaaS products will not be able to accommodate all development needs, leading to shortcomings in the process that can lead to delayed of compromised results.
Further, putting all apps in one basket – particularly one basket provided by a third party PaaS provider with limited control regarding functionality – can be stifling, both regarding workflow as well as results. Due to the general involvement of a third-party public cloud PaaS provider, there are a lot of elements that can’t be controlled. Should things with how a PaaS product works change, like adding or removing features, or, worse, a product is recalled or phased out, companies may find themselves with significant issues and no easy solution.
Using one PaaS product, or even several to meet varying business needs, can be a great way to facilitate effective application development. However, there is a limit to how much PaaS can truly serve any one business.
Is PaaS the Best Choice?
PaaS can be a great choice for product development, but it’s not the only option available. For many companies, a private cloud provider’s infrastructure with development capabilities eliminates the headaches in balancing varying networks and servers, creating a way to effectively safeguard information while still facilitating streamlined coding and creation. A great alternative for companies with diverse needs that value the security and services available with a third-party managed cloud, deferring PaaS for IaaS provider opportunities can save money, create a more flexible and scalable environment, and provide a more comprehensive solution for all elements of doing business.
If you are considering IT platforms that go beyond data management or would like a more complete technology setup that takes into account a broader range of purposes rather than one facet of your operations, solutions like Avatara’s CompleteCloud can help move your company forward. Contact us today to learn more.
