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Cloud Service Models Cheat Sheet
IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, FaaS, and cloud deployment models
| Model | Full Name | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | Infrastructure as a Service | OS, Runtime, Apps, Data | Servers, Storage, Network, Virtualization | AWS EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute |
| PaaS | Platform as a Service | Apps, Data | OS, Runtime, Servers, Storage, Network | Heroku, Azure App Service, Google App Engine |
| SaaS | Software as a Service | Data (some config) | Everything | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Gmail |
| FaaS | Function as a Service | Function code only | Everything else | AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, GCP Functions |
| CaaS | Container as a Service | Containers, Apps, Data | Container orchestration, Infrastructure | AWS ECS, Azure AKS, GCP GKE |
| DBaaS | Database as a Service | Schema, Data, Queries | Database software, Backups, Scaling | AWS RDS, Azure SQL, MongoDB Atlas |
| DaaS | Desktop as a Service | User data, Apps | Virtual desktop infrastructure | AWS WorkSpaces, Azure Virtual Desktop |
| Public Cloud | Public Cloud | Varies by service | Infrastructure | AWS, Azure, GCP |
| Private Cloud | Private Cloud | Everything (often) | May assist | VMware, OpenStack, on-prem |
| Hybrid Cloud | Hybrid Cloud | Mix | Mix | Azure Arc, AWS Outposts |
| Multi-Cloud | Multi-Cloud | Orchestration | Individual clouds | Using AWS + Azure + GCP |
| Community Cloud | Community Cloud | Varies | Shared infrastructure | Government, healthcare clouds |
📊 Responsibility Model (Pizza Analogy)
IaaS
Buy ingredients, cook yourself
PaaS
Take & bake pizza
SaaS
Dine at restaurant
FaaS
Pizza by the slice