Cloud Service Infrastructure
Infrastructure as a service. It may not sound like the most thrilling subject matter, but for businesses large and small to provide the digital environment that their customers and users demand, it’s a necessary requirement.
But what exactly is infrastructure as a service (or IaaS, as it’s known)? In layman’s terms, IaaS is a form of cloud computing that provides businesses with virtual computing resources over the web. What this means is that a cloud hosting provider hosts components in a virtual environment that would otherwise normally be located in an on-premises data centre.
For example, some of those components used in almost any business with an IT network include servers, storage and networking hardware. By using IaaS, the costs for purchasing and maintaining such hardware is removed, thus making a cloud option the cost-effective choice.
So, who are these providers?
Arguably the biggest name among IaaS is Amazon Web Services – and yes, this is part of the same Amazon where you can buy everything under the sun. In fact, AWS is the largest provider in the world, with reported revenue for 2017 thought to be a staggering $18 billion. The two other big players in this particular field are also household names: Microsoft – whose Azure platform is a direct competitor of AWS, and Google Cloud.
It stands to reason that with such impressive names operating in the field, this is clearly an area that is big business. Of course, smaller players are involved in the industry too, but surely it’s only a matter of time until many of these are swept up by the illustrious names already listed.
When it comes to choosing an IaaS provider, therefore, it probably pays to start with the big names and work your way down, identifying your precise requirements and available budget. Another key consideration is also security, with the need to limit breaches of data more important than ever. Always find out more about the security protocols available before investing.
The future is IaaS
For many companies, entering the world of cloud infrastructure is unavoidable, and therefore investing in the services from businesses like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft is inevitable. For those engaging in software development in particular, taking the time to scope out requirements will ultimately prove rewarding, both financially and in relation to accessing the services you need to complete your projects.
These same businesses should also ensure they look into research and development tax credits. Provided by HMRC, these tax credits reward the R&D work your company engages in to help keep UK businesses at the forefront of technology. Our R&D tax credit calculator shows just how much you can possibly claim as part of the scheme. Alternatively, get in touch with the team at R&D Tax Solutions in Manchester today to find out more about making a successful application.
