Understanding Infrastructure basics
As many organizations move to a cloud environment, either on-premises or hosted in data centers, the IT operations administrator's (IT ops admin) role is being redefined. The scope and complexity of this change increases significantly based on the type of environment that your organization wants to deploy.
Before you moved to the cloud, you worked with an inherently secure environment with systems that are connected to your private LAN or intranet. In a cloud environment, you're now expected to perform the following tasks:
- Procure your system components from "somewhere."
- Understand network implications and security challenges.
- Work with different technologies.
- Integrate the new environment with tools that are not natively part of the cloud stack.
- Continue to support your internal customers as if you still have an on-premises data center.
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Cloud service models
Three types of cloud service models exist: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Figure 1 explains who does what within each service model. For more information, see IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS - IBM Cloud® service models.
With the IaaS model, your provider is responsible for maintaining the underlying infrastructure only and optionally installing software, such as operating systems, applications, and databases. Your access to the underlying infrastructure is limited, and you're responsible for installing your software or have your service provider install it. You're also responsible for all other maintenance, which includes service packs, virus software, and patches.
With the PaaS model, your provider is responsible for the systems through the operating system and for all infrastructure management, which includes OS patches, hardware repairs, and network settings. You build and maintain the application, and you or your provider can install middleware, including databases or other types. This model is used to develop and test software.
With the SaaS model, your provider maintains the systems through the actual application. The application is cloud-aware, and users can use different end points, depending on the software provider, to use the software. The cloud provider is responsible for all infrastructure and application management, which includes software updates, hardware repairs, and network settings. This model is often used in pay-as-you-go software licensing models. For more information, see SaaS applications for business and IT.
Cloud types
Three different types of clouds are available: public, private, and hybrid. A public cloud includes a shared set of resources that are provisioned to allow access to a company's resources. It is hosted in a multi-tenant environment on a virtual server, and it can be accessed from anywhere.
A private cloud includes resources that are provisioned to allow access to a company's resources. It is hosted on dedicated hardware, such as a bare metal server, and either onsite at the company's office (or across offices) or by a cloud provider. A private cloud can be accessed from anywhere.
A hybrid cloud includes resources that combine the aspects of both public and private clouds. It is hosted both onsite at a company's office (or across offices) and by a cloud provider. A hybrid cloud can be accessed from anywhere.
Next steps
To continue, see Planning your infrastructure.