Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) means renting servers, storage and networking from a provider instead of buying and housing the hardware yourself. You pay for the capacity you use, and the provider maintains the equipment.
What changes for you
- No server hardware to buy, house, power or replace
- Capacity can be added when you grow, without a new purchase
- The provider looks after the equipment and the datacenter
- Your applications and data work the same way as before
When it makes sense
IaaS is worth a look when a server is due for replacement, when you are opening another location, or when you don't want critical systems sitting in an office closet.
Some systems still belong on site, such as equipment tied to machinery or a very slow internet connection. Many businesses end up with a mix.
IaaS at LiveIT
LiveIT offers IaaS on cloud infrastructure it built and operates itself, with an optional IaaS Backup for an additional layer of protection. The engineers who run the cloud are the ones you call.
Take the two-minute IT health check to see where your own setup stands, or read more answers.