As a Service Model: What It Is and Its Benefits
What is Anything as a Service (XaaS)
Anything as a Service (XaaS) refers to a variety of IT functions that can be transformed into a service for enterprise consumption through a flexible subscription model instead of a steep upfront purchase of licenses or equipment. Business owners can work with a dedicated managed service provider to identify potential solutions for their organization.
XaaS includes a variety of services delivered in a subscription model. These include Hardware as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service. Below we will breakdown these flexible consumption models and each of their benefits.
HaaS/DaaS – Hardware or Device as a Service
Companies can think of the Hardware as a Service model like a common lease. The hardware or device would be purchased and owned by your managed service provider and placed onsite for your organization to use.
A Hardware as a Service agreement would benefit your organization if you were looking to upgrade your technology stack without a high ownership cost associated with the upgrade. Several organizations do not have large sums of capital to spend on infrastructure that does not lead to revenue-driving activities; HaaS services makes access to these technologies possible. It also provides an upgrade path for equipment without the capital expenditure and combines well with the managed services offerings to achieve a robust IT environment.
It is also important to recognize the rapid increase in cybersecurity attacks that threaten the wellbeing and fortitude of small and large businesses alike. With updated technologies comes increased security measures that support businesses for long term success.
Products that can sold under this model include servers, workstations, network devices (switches & Wi-Fi), and firewalls.
IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a model that allows you to purchase hardware, storage, servers, and data center space just to name a few. You will be able to purchase complex infrastructure components at a monthly fee drastically reducing upfront costs.
Increasing your infrastructure can allow your team to increase productivity and efficiency. For example, expanding your developers access to new technologies can allow for the ease of building and dismantling test environments. This can result in new applications that can be brought to market faster.
IaaS provides unmatched flexibility. As your business expands and contracts, your infrastructure can be scaled to match your current business needs.
PaaS – Platform as a Service
Platform as a Service (PaaS) allows your developers access to platforms that enable the development, testing, running and management of future business applications. This access is available without the heavy investment in infrastructure. This cloud deployment makes it possible to share sophisticated applications to your clients.
Implementing Platform as a Service solutions, cuts time spent on building platform components drastically. Your team will be able to incorporate automated coding that replaces costly manual procedures.
SaaS – Software as a Service
Software as a Service allows end users access to cloud-based apps anywhere at any time. You can pay a monthly fee from a managed cloud service provider and use an application for as long as your team needs it.
Minimal upfront costs makes it easy to justify why you should use Software as a Service. Working with a managed service provider that can host the underlying infrastructure within their own internal data center will provide ease of access to these valuable tools. Common SaaS solutions include email, Office 365, and calendar tools.
Summary
Anything as a Service (XaaS) can be a viable solution for businesses looking to grow at a lower upfront cost. Your team can access the latest technology, and your decision makers can justify the spend with a lower operational cost on the books. Contact your managed service provider to learn more about this subscription models service and how your team can benefit from these services.
