IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS – Roles & Responsibilities (AWS Perspective)
Why This Matters
When using AWS (or any cloud provider), responsibility is shared between:
- You (the customer)
- AWS (the cloud provider)
How much AWS manages versus how much you manage depends on the service model you choose:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
Visual Overview
On-Premises (Traditional IT)
Who Manages What?
You manage everything.
You are responsible for:
- Applications
- Data
- Runtime
- Middleware
- Operating System
- Virtualization
- Servers
- Storage
- Networking
Key point:
This model offers maximum control but also maximum operational overhead.
IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service
Example AWS Services
- Amazon EC2
- Amazon EBS
- Amazon VPC
Responsibilities
You (Customer) manage:
- Applications
- Data
- Runtime
- Middleware
- Operating System
AWS manages:
- Virtualization layer
- Physical servers
- Storage hardware
- Networking infrastructure
Key point:
IaaS gives flexibility and control, but you are still responsible for OS management and patching.
PaaS – Platform as a Service
Example AWS Services
- AWS Elastic Beanstalk
- AWS App Runner
- AWS Lambda (partially PaaS)
Responsibilities
You (Customer) manage:
- Applications
- Data
AWS manages:
- Runtime
- Middleware
- Operating System
- Virtualization
- Servers
- Storage
- Networking
Key point:
PaaS allows you to focus on application logic instead of infrastructure.
SaaS – Software as a Service
Example Services
- Amazon WorkMail
- Amazon QuickSight
- Gmail (non-AWS example)
- Salesforce (non-AWS example)
Responsibilities
AWS or the SaaS vendor manages everything:
- Applications
- Data
- Runtime
- Middleware
- Operating System
- Virtualization
- Servers
- Storage
- Networking
Key point:
You simply use the software. There is no infrastructure management.
Summary Table
| Service Model | Customer Responsibility | AWS Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| On-Premises | Everything | Nothing |
| IaaS | Applications → Operating System | Virtualization → Networking |
| PaaS | Applications & Data | Runtime → Networking |
| SaaS | Nothing | Everything |
Key Takeaways
- More control means more responsibility
- Less management means less flexibility
- AWS always manages:
- Physical data centers
- Physical hardware
- Global networking backbone
Understanding this model is critical for:
- AWS certifications
- Cloud architecture decisions
- Security and compliance planning
AWS Shared Responsibility Model (Exam Tip)
AWS is responsible for security OF the cloud.
You are responsible for security IN the cloud.
The exact boundary changes depending on whether you use:
- IaaS
- PaaS
- SaaS
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