Understanding different types of compute
When we architect solutions, there will often be at least one component that needs to host, or run, an application. The application could be built specifically for the task or an off-the-shelf package bought from a vendor.
Azure provides several compute services for hosting your application; each type can be grouped into one of three kinds of hosting model:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): VMs are within this category and support services such as storage (that is, disk drives) and networking. IaaS is the closest to a traditional on-premise environment, except Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure, including hardware and the host operating system. You are still responsible for maintaining the guest operating system, however, including patching, monitoring, anti-virus software, and so on.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): Azure App Service is an example of a PaaS component. With PaaS, you do not need to worry about the operating...