Essay Example - Platform as a Service (PaaS).

Initially, for a developer to develop, test, and render software applications, they must have appropriate software and hardware capabilities that can render the application. This meant that developers who lacked the start-up capital associated with setting up the development environment were locked out despite having the skill. However, all this changed with the introduction of Platform as a Service(PaaS). The innovative concept allows developers to develop and render applications using third-party software platforms and software while paying for the Platform as a service (Kolb &Wirtz, 2015). The invention of Paas has been impactful in th industry for not only individual developers but also firms that aim to boost mobility, agility, simplify cost, and seamlessly run applications. This paper discusses Paas, highlighting how the framework works while also addressing how the service enhances mobility for both individuals and businesses.

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Platform as a service (PaaS) is defined as a model of cloud computing in which a third-party firm offers hardware and software frameworks to developers over the internet. In the setup, the service provider is responsible for hosting and maintaining the infrastructure while clients are allowed to access the services at a cost (Mahowald et al. 2013). The innovative solution relieves the developer from setting up the infrastructure or software; instead, the form offers the service at a fee while running the other system aspects, such as the servers and operating system. Among renowned Paas, service providers include giant technology firms like Google, Microsoft, and IBM (Mahowald et al. 2013). All these firms offer Paas services customized to developers, mainly categorized by the development platforms.

PaaS exist in various forms depending on the type of cloud computing platform they can be hosted on and also depending on their core purpose. However, the service can be categorized into three factions. The initial one is Public PaaS. Public Paas is hosted on the public cloud and structured to allow users to control software development while the provider of the service handles the delivery of all the pertinent IT aspects necessary for hosting applications like the operating system, the database, and storage of data and information(Kolb &Wirtz, 2015). This way, both businesses can deploy their services without incurring initial start-up costs.

The second type of PaaS is the private Paas, which can be ascribed as an upgrade of the public PaaS. Private PaaS is delivered as software within the client's firewall. The software is then locally maintained on a firm's premises rather than remotely(Natis et al. 2011). The advantage of this Platform is that it can be developed on any cloud platform and offers enhanced internal control and security features. On the other hand, Hybrid PaaS is a combination of both public and private types of PaaS. This third Platform offers both the flexibility of public Paas and the control and the internal control associated with private ones. This can be developed on a hybrid cloud. Other relevant PaaS include communication PaaS, which allows developers to incorporate real-time communication components in their applications like Skype and Facetime.

Paas is both an innovative and effective way to enhance mobility for both individual software developers and businesses. Firstly, PaaS grants individuals the ability to develop their applications anywhere at any time as long as they have access to the internet. As noted earlier, PaaS service providers are responsible for setting up the infrastructure, which means everyone needs to access the internet, log in, and continue working. This is also advantageous to businesses since their employees can work remotely without having to be at the workplace. This enhances both mobility and productivity.

Secondly, when settling for a PaaS provider, individuals and businesses are free to settle for a service most appropriate for them, that is, they can weigh the cost and payment options, platform privileges, and security aspects. This means that users can choose a service they deem feet for their current needs without having to pay for unnecessary long-term costs. An example would be on issues of costs of the service; some services are offered on a pay-as-you-go basis while others offer a fixed amount for specified periods; this way, both individuals and businesses can decide to only pay for infrastructure and software when they only need it.

The third and most crucial merit of PaaS is the fact with Paas; one does not need to buy, set up, or even maintain the needed software and hardware. This role is left to the provider. The advantage arising from this setup is that firms and individuals are relieved of the massive initial start-up costs of projects that are on the pilot stage. Developers can develop, test, and render applications using the PaaS services to gauge their viability, which informs whether they can invest in the application, modify, or drop the idea. This would have otherwise been expensive on either a business attempting to launch an application on trial or pilot phase. Moreover, this setup relieves developers from the task of maintaining computer systems, leaving them to concentrate on application development while the PaaS service provider concentrates on providing the service.

Conclusively, PaaS bare numerous advantages that both individual developers and businesses can reap off. Application developers can now pay for coding frameworks only when they need them while still accessing a fully-fledged software development environment from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection. Paas has made it possible for businesses to set up anywhere while owning a virtual working space, thus enhancing mobility, reducing on-premise costs, and enhancing productivity.

Reference

Kolb, S., &Wirtz, G. (2015).Towards Application Portability in Platform as a Service.retrieved from www.uni-bamberg.de/fileadmin/uni/fakultaeten/wiai_lehrstuehle/praktische_informatik/Dateien/Publikationen/sose14-towards-application-portability-in-paas.pdf

Mahowald, R. P., Olofson, C. W., Ballou, M., Fleming, M., &Hilwa, A. (2013) Worldwide Competitive Public Platform as a Service 2013– 2017 Forecast. IDC, Tech. Rep., November 2013, retrieved fromwww.idc.com/ getdoc.jsp?containerId=243315

Natis, Y. V., Lheureux, B. J., Pezzini, M., Cearly, D. W., Knipp, E., & Plummer, D. C. (2011). Paas road map: A Continent Emerging. Gartner Research.retrieved from www.gxs.fr/wp-content/uploads/wp_gartner_paas_road_map.pdf