IaaS

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a foundational cloud computing model that delivers virtualized computing resources — such as servers, storage and networking — over the internet. Instead of owning and maintaining physical hardware, individuals and organizations can provision infrastructure on demand, paying only for what they use.

Learn more with Micron about how IaaS can be used, and contact our Sales Support team for more information.

What is IaaS?

IaaS definition: Infrastructure as a service is a ​cloud computing model that provides scalable, on-demand access to IT infrastructure through ​​virtual machines and cloud-based storage.

IaaS eliminates the need for costly physical systems, offering flexibility, rapid deployment and simplified management. This saves costs on endless physical resources to store data, as IaaS is easily expandable and scalable.

Typically, IaaS is offered as a pay-as-you-go service, offering users flexibility in paying for what they use based on ​data storage space, data processing and network storage.

Common providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, which deliver secure, reliable environments for running applications and storing data.

How does IaaS work?

With IaaS, users rent computing resources from a cloud service provider (CSP). The CSP manages the underlying hardware, networking and security, while users control their applications and data.

Key components of IaaS include:

• ​Virtual machines (VMs): VMs emulate physical computers, allowing multiple operating systems and applications to run on a single hardware platform. This enables remote application hosting and workload isolation, reducing hardware costs and improving flexibility for IT teams and developers.
• Configurable resources: Cloud environments let users configure compute resources based on workload requirements, such as CPU cores, memory (RAM) and storage capacity. Different cloud service providers (CSPs) offer a variety of configuration options and pricing models, allowing businesses to optimize performance for everything from lightweight applications to data-intensive analytics without overprovisioning hardware.
• Security features: IaaS includes enterprise-grade security to protect data in motion, also called data in transit (as it moves across networks), and data at rest (when stored). Common safeguards include virtual private networks (VPNs) for secure connectivity and encryption technologies that prevent unauthorized access, ensuring compliance with data protection standards.
• File and block storage: Cloud platforms provide multiple storage types, including file storage for shared access and collaboration, and block storage for high-performance workloads such as databases and virtual machines. These options enable backups, disaster recovery and scalable capacity, helping businesses maintain resilience and meet growing data demands.

What is the history of IaaS?

When exploring the history of IaaS, it is important to see it as part of the broader evolution of cloud computing. IaaS represents the fine-tuning of the cloud compute model to keep pace with growing demand for scalability, flexibility and cost efficiency. From early time-sharing systems to today’s enterprise-grade cloud platforms, IaaS has become a cornerstone of modern IT infrastructure.

• 1960s, time sharing: IBM and MIT pioneered the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS), a mainframe operating system that allowed multiple users to access computing resources simultaneously. While not cloud computing as we know it today, CTSS laid the foundation for shared-resource models and is widely regarded as an early precursor to modern cloud architectures, including IaaS.
• 1970s, emergence of virtualization: ​Virtualization technology began reshaping computing, laying the foundation for cloud computing and IaaS. Virtualization is the process of creating virtual versions of physical hardware, allowing multiple workloads to run on a single physical system. This innovation introduced resource efficiency and flexibility that later became core to cloud models.
• 1990s, organizations and their IT infrastructure: As personal computer costs dropped dramatically, businesses widely adopted PCs. This shift changed how people worked and drove demand for scalable infrastructure. The concept of IaaS gained traction because it offered centralized storage and compute resources that could grow with organizational needs, which was an early step toward modern cloud adoption.
• 2000s, rise of CSPs: Major cloud service providers emerged, offering IaaS solutions. Companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft quickly established themselves as IaaS leaders, delivering on-demand compute, storage and networking resources. This era marked the transition from traditional data centers to elastic, pay-as-you-go cloud models.
• 2010-20s, IaaS as a core cloud computing model: By the 2010s, IaaS had become a dominant cloud computing model for organizations and individuals alike. The rapid expansion of the internet and advances in virtualization accelerated adoption. IaaS offered unmatched scalability, cost efficiency and global accessibility, key factors that cemented its role as a foundational component of modern IT strategies.

What are the key types of IaaS?

IaaS is part of a broader ​​​cloud computing framework that includes platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). Each model offers different levels of control, customization and responsibility, helping organizations choose the right balance for their needs.

While there are no distinct types of IaaS, it’s important to understand how IaaS compares to other major cloud service models that serve different purposes.

Together, these models reflect a shift from infrastructure ownership to service consumption, enabling organizations to scale operations, reduce costs and accelerate innovation. Micron’s memory and storage technologies support all layers of this stack, ensuring performance and reliability across IaaS, PaaS and SaaS deployments.

Platform as a service

Whereas IaaS offers raw compute, storage and networking resources,​ ​PaaS adds tools and frameworks that accelerate development and simplify application lifecycle management. PaaS provides a managed environment for developers to build, test and deploy applications while the provider manages the underlying infrastructure. PaaS includes tools, frameworks and runtime environments.

A software team might use PaaS to develop a mobile app collaboratively, without worrying about server setup or operating system updates. PaaS empowers developers to create custom solutions without handling infrastructure complexity.

Software as a service

​Software as a service delivers ready-to-use applications that users can access via a web browser or app, with minimal setup or maintenance required. SaaS providers handle everything, from infrastructure and platform to updates and security, allowing users to focus solely on using the software.

This model has become dominant for both enterprise and consumer applications due to its ease of use, subscription-based pricing and minimal IT overhead. Common examples include email platforms like Gmail, customer relationship management (CRM) tools like Salesforce and productivity suites like Microsoft 365.

Unlike IaaS, which focuses on raw IT infrastructure, or PaaS, which provides a managed environment for developers to build, test and deploy applications, SaaS is about accessing software remotely. SaaS is ideal for organizations that want fast deployment and low IT overhead.

How is IaaS used?

IaaS is widely adopted by organizations of all sizes, and increasingly by individuals. It delivers flexible, on-demand infrastructure and more storage space without the need for physical hardware. From hosting applications to safeguarding data, there is a wide range of IaaS use cases that enable scalability, resilience and cost efficiency.

• Application hosting: Run production workloads remotely without maintaining on-premises servers. This capability has transformed work by enabling global teams to access programs from anywhere, reducing hardware costs and scaling resources dynamically based on demand.
• Big data and analytics: Harness elastic cloud resources to process and analyze massive datasets without investing in physical infrastructure. IaaS supports advanced workloads, including AI and machine learning, by providing scalable compute and storage capacity, enabling organizations to uncover insights and drive innovation at speed.
• Data and backup recovery: Protect critical data with secure, scalable cloud storage. IaaS enables automated backups and rapid recovery options, ensuring data integrity even in the event of hardware failure or cyberattacks.
• Development and testing: Provision virtual environments quickly for software builds and quality assurance (QA) testing. Developers can spin up resources on demand, experiment without impacting production systems and accelerate release cycles.
• Disaster recovery: Ensure business continuity with offsite infrastructure. IaaS provides redundant systems and failover capabilities, minimizing downtime during outages and safeguarding operations against natural disasters or system failures.