In this article, I will explain the 2 most important types of virtualization: Virtual Machines and Containers. Typically virtual machines are used in the context of infrastructure and DevOps practices, whereas containers are typically within the domain of application development. However, these two layers of virtualization are interrelated and it's important to understand their similarities and differences.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) is essentially the middle level of the cloud deployment stack. It can be thought of as existing somewhere in between SaaS and IaaS. PaaS includes cloud-based tools for deploying applications easily, without having to manage and configure the specifics of the underlying infrastructure.
Software as a Service (SaaS) differs from the traditional software model in that the application is installed and configured within a cloud platform. Most SaaS providers use cloud hosting services to develop their applications, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure.
Cloud computing is receiving a great deal of attention, both in publications and among users, from individuals at home to large organizations and governments. Yet it is not always clearly defined. In this short article I will explain the basics of Cloud Computing, example services, and how it's implemented.