Cloud computing is an essential element of digital transformation that enables companies to drive their digital change efficiently. Imagine having access to a flexible and scalable IT infrastructure that allows you to utilise resources such as computing power, storage space and applications via the internet – without expensive hardware or extensive IT infrastructure.
Cloud computing allows you to optimise your business processes by enabling you to react quickly to changing requirements. You only pay for the resources you actually use and can easily adapt them as required. This means you don’t have to make large investments and still have a high-performance IT infrastructure.
In Switzerland, investments in cloud services are increasing rapidly. According to a forecast by MSM Research AG, the cloud market will grow strongly until 2025. In 2022, a total of CHF 3341.6 million was invested in cloud services. Of this, CHF 1251.1 million was invested in Software as a Service (SaaS), CHF 804.9 million in Platform as a Service (PaaS) and CHF 1285.6 million in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Investments are expected to rise to an impressive CHF 5381.3 million by 2025. SaaS is expected to account for CHF 1196.3 million, PaaS for CHF 1050.1 million and IaaS for CHF 1527.5 million. These figures illustrate the growing importance of cloud solutions for Swiss companies. Cloud computing is not just a trend, but is increasingly becoming an indispensable part of the IT strategy in Switzerland.
IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS – The 3 cloud service models
Cloud computing services offer practical pay-as-you-go models, eliminating the high costs and hassle of maintenance. Cloud providers host infrastructure, platform and software offerings that you can simply rent. Here are the features of the four different services.
SaaS – software on subscription
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a delivery model in which software applications are made accessible via the internet and are usually based on a subscription model. Users can access these applications via web browsers or APIs (application programming interfaces) without having to install the software on their own devices.
IaaS – infrastructure hosted on the internet
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides computing power, storage and network resources as a service via the internet. Companies can use these resources as required without having to buy or maintain physical hardware.
PaaS – development without limits
Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing platform that provides developers with tools and services to develop, deploy and manage applications over the internet without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure.
On Premise – everything under one roof
On-premise is not an official cloud service, but refers to a local infrastructure that is fully owned and controlled by the user. This means that all physical resources, such as servers and storage, are hosted directly in the company.