PaaS

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a step on from Infrastructure-as-a-Service as it provides a configured environment to build software and services over the network.

PaaS allows developers to create applications based on tools provided by the PaaS service. Platforms are made from previously optimised features, packages and configuration ranging from Operating Systems, execution environments, server management software, design and development tools and hosting tools.

Platforms can build on basic infrastructure to create development, test, integration and deployment environments. As environments become more rules based and API driven it becomes possible to wrap up an environment (virtualized hardware, configuration and software) into a single package and simply move it from place to place. This “Containerization” means that as well as considering the progressing of changes during development we can also progress environments, or even networks of environments, as iterative development builds.

PaaS involves taking the grunt work out of development by providing, ideally portable, well configured server, development and deployment environments that are already hooked up to common Enterprise Architecture Mechanisms such as authentication, logging, security, asset management etc.