| Cloud computing or the platter of hosted Internet | | | | of purchasing, maintaining or facilitating hosting |
| services is the newest kid on the IT solutions block and | | | | capabilities. This outsourced IT support service includes |
| it has taken over the realm by storm. There are many | | | | all facilities that aid the development and delivery of |
| IT solutions around but probably none that resolves so | | | | web applications and Internet-based services. |
| many shortcomings and wrings in so many benefits. | | | | * Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): This refers to the |
| Cloud computing IT solutions slash your operational | | | | practice where businesses do not purchase software |
| costs by letting you access your data, web-based | | | | but instead have them deployed over the Internet or |
| applications, and e-mails quickly and efficiently; remotely | | | | from behind a firewall. An IT solutions provider allows a |
| manage the changes in your business's hardware, | | | | business to use an application as a service on demand. |
| software and database management systems; and | | | | The business has to either subscribe to this service or |
| implementing innovative desktop solutions that do | | | | pay as per usage. Though originally meant to aid |
| away with the need to refresh your hardware or | | | | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and sales |
| software. These solutions also reduce your business's | | | | force automation, this service is now being widely used |
| carbon footprint by significant amounts. | | | | to complete tasks like automated billing, invoicing, |
| Cloud computing facilitates these network support | | | | human resource management, service desk |
| services: | | | | management and content management. |
| * Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): This refers to a | | | | * Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS): Businesses in need |
| provision model where a business outsources, to a | | | | of IT solutions are nowadays showing preference for |
| service provider, the equipment it needs to perform its | | | | managed services. Thus in the HaaS provision model, |
| day-to-day operations. This may include the hardware, | | | | the business does not have to house the hardware in |
| storage systems, the servers and networking parts. | | | | its premises. Rather the system remains with the IT |
| The service provider owns the equipment and the | | | | solutions service provider and the business uses and |
| onus is on them to maintain and keep the machinery | | | | pays for whole or part of the core functionality. The |
| functional. | | | | service provider is thus responsible for maintaining, |
| * Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS): This allows a business | | | | repairing and keeping the piece of hardware in working |
| to deploy applications without having to bear the cost | | | | condition. |