What Is IaaS? Understanding Infrastructure as a Service

Key takeaways

• Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model that allows businesses to outsource the provisioning and maintenance of virtualized hardware resources to a cloud service provider.

• IaaS in cloud computing supports computationally intensive workloads by providing on-demand access to high-performance computing resources.

• Examples of IaaS uses include hosting websites, analyzing big data, and creating development and testing environments.

Amazon’s cloud platform AWS offers services across all three cloud models: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Read on to learn more about how IaaS benefits businesses and explore job roles that involve working with this technology. Afterward, if you’re ready to take the first step toward a career in information technology (IT) support, enroll in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. Beginner-friendly, this program offers guidance on computer assembly, wireless networking, end-to-end customer support, and more.

What is IaaS used for?

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides virtualized infrastructure and computing resources. In this model, cloud service providers deliver scalable and on-demand access to virtualized hardware resources over the internet. Some resources include virtual machines, storage, and networking capabilities without the need for physical infrastructure on the user's end. Essentially, IaaS allows businesses to outsource their hardware needs to a cloud service provider, eliminating the need to invest in and maintain physical servers and infrastructure.

IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS

While IaaS, platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS) are all cloud computing models, they differ in the level of management and control they provide to users, with IaaS offering the most infrastructure control. Other factors that set IaaS apart from PaaS and SaaS include:

• IaaS is a virtualized infrastructure.

• PaaS aims to provide an environment that fosters application development.

• SaaS provides software applications accessible to you online.

While IaaS provides the most control and flexibility, allowing users to manage their operating systems and applications, PaaS abstracts away the infrastructure concerns, allowing developers to focus solely on application development. SaaS, on the other hand, eliminates the need for you to install or manage software applications because you access them over the internet on a subscription basis.

Read more: What Is IT Infrastructure?

Benefits of IaaS for companies

Beyond reducing infrastructure costs and improving business continuity, IaaS provides companies with many benefits, including:

• Scalability: Companies using IaaS can scale their infrastructure up or down at any time to accommodate current plans and overall needs. Based on how a business's demand fluctuates, it can always maintain peak performance at a low cost by onboarding additional resources or cutting unnecessary resources.

• Cost savings: With IaaS, companies spend less of their capital on costly upfront payments for critical, physical infrastructure. Instead, the infrastructure utilized comes at a subscription cost. Also referred to as a pay-as-you-go model, this setup results in cost savings over traditional on-premises infrastructure. This allows companies, and specifically the IT team, to spend less time managing expenses and more time building and running the business.

• Flexibility: IaaS provides the flexibility to experiment with different technologies and configurations without needing physical hardware. It gives you the ability to create and deploy new applications and services for businesses rapidly. This creates an opportunity for companies to quickly address market demands.

• Disaster recovery and data backup: Many IaaS providers include crucial disaster recovery and data backup features within their service to ensure the safety and availability of critical business data. Important features include a wide range of disaster recovery tools and a built-in data redundancy tool.

Is Amazon an IaaS or PaaS?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is Amazon's cloud platform, which includes cloud computing for PaaS, IaaS, and SaaS. It also has tools for computing virtualization, database usage, and delivery.

What are examples of IaaS use cases?

From software development and testing to big data analytics, the practical applications of IaaS are plenty. Consider the ways you can use IaaS:

• Development and testing environments: IaaS provides a flexible and cost-effective platform for creating development and testing environments, allowing you to rapidly create and release new business applications.

• Web hosting and website infrastructure: You may host your websites and web applications on IaaS platforms to benefit from the scalability and reliability of cloud infrastructure.

• Big data and analytics: IaaS helps process and analyze large volumes of data by leveraging cloud capabilities. It can help you perform complex data analytics without needing to invest in dedicated infrastructure.

• High-performance computing (HPC): IaaS can support computationally intensive workloads by providing access to high-performance computing resources on demand. These tasks are also now more affordable with IaaS through the pay-as-you-go model.

Careers in IaaS

Cloud solution architect, cloud systems administrator, and cloud DevOps engineer are among the several career paths you can explore in the IaaS field. Discover how much you can earn yearly in each role below.

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of September 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

1. Cloud solution architect 

Median total annual pay (Glassdoor): $232,000 [1]

As a cloud architect, you may work with businesses to create and implement cloud solutions tailored to their specific needs. Additionally, you might collaborate and partner with the necessary clients in the business to determine which features to include in the overall cloud strategy to ensure that the solution aligns with business objectives.

2. Cloud systems administrator

Median total annual pay (Glassdoor): $131,000 [2]

In the position of a cloud systems administrator, you might work toward managing and maintaining the IaaS infrastructure by installing computer systems, organizing networks, and troubleshooting complications when they arise. Furthermore, you might ensure the operation and performance of the cloud environment.

3. Cloud DevOps engineer

Median total annual pay (Glassdoor): $160,000 [3]

As a cloud DevOps engineer, your work might involve managing code releases and integrating the cloud infrastructure on different platforms. You may also look to improve the solutions available and bolster the infrastructure to perform as highly as possible.

4. Cloud security engineer

Median total annual pay (Glassdoor): $170,000 [4]

One of your primary tasks as a cloud security engineer involves ensuring the security and compliance of IaaS environments. Other work duties may include designing and implementing security measures, monitoring for any possible risks or threats, and introducing and maintaining the optimal procedures to protect data.

5. Cloud consultant

Median total annual salary (Glassdoor): $190,000 [5]

As a cloud consultant, you may provide expert advice and guidance to organizations on cloud adoption, including IaaS solutions. Additionally, you might assess business requirements, improve the efficiency of operations, and provide recommendations on optimizing cloud resources.

Job outlook for careers in IaaS

Careers related to IaaS or cloud computing are growing at a much faster rate than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035 [6]. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), occupations in computer and information technology will have an average of about 280,000 job openings each year during the forecast period [6].

Explore our free resources on cloud computing

Join Career Chat on LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications. Then, discover more about cloud computing with our other free digital resources:

• Structure your learning: Cloud Computing Learning Roadmap: From Beginner to Expert

• Watch on YouTube: Your Quick Guide to Cloud Computing

• Take a quiz: Which AWS Course Should You Take? Find Out in 1 Minute

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