TL;TR

In today's cloud-driven world, choosing the right compute service to host your application's resources is essential. Azure offers various compute services, each with unique features and benefits. This article will explore the different hosting models available on Azure and the factors you should consider when choosing a compute service for your workload. To make an informed decision, you'll need to understand the architectural drivers that could steer or affect your choices. These include workload requirements, development and deployment needs, level of control and customization, budget, security, and scalability. We'll detail each of these drivers and help you determine which hosting model best suits your needs. We'll also take a closer look at the different hosting models available on Azure, including Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Container-as-a-Service (CaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS). By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each model, you'll be able to choose the right compute service for your workload.

Cloud Hosting models and decision drivers

Azure offers many ways to host your application code. The term compute refers to the hosting model for your application's resources. This article helps you choose a compute service for your application. We must know the architectural drivers that could steer or affect our choices.

Workload requirements:

When choosing a hosting model for your workload, it's essential to consider your application's specific requirements and needs. Different hosting models are better suited for different workloads, and choosing the wrong model can lead to unnecessary costs and complications.

• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is a good choice if you need a high level of control and customization over the underlying infrastructure, such as virtual machines, networking, and storage. With IaaS, you can provision and customize these resources according to your needs and deploy your applications and workloads onto them. This model is well-suited for complex, resource-intensive workloads or applications requiring a high level of customization.
• On the other hand, if you need to host a simple application or service, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model might be sufficient. PaaS provides a managed hosting environment where you can deploy your application without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. This model is well-suited for applications that only require a little customization or for developers who want to focus on building and deploying their applications rather than managing infrastructure.

Development and deployment needs:

• When choosing a hosting model for your workload, it's essential to consider the available tools and services and how well they meet your development and deployment needs. Different hosting models offer different levels of support for different workloads, and choosing the suitable model can significantly affect your productivity and efficiency.
• For example, if you need a complete development environment with a wide range of tools and services, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model might be a good choice. PaaS provides a managed hosting environment with various development tools and services, such as integrated development environments (IDEs), source control, and deployment pipelines. This can be especially useful for developers who want to focus on building and deploying their applications rather than worrying about the underlying infrastructure.
• On the other hand, if you need a high level of control and customization or want to use your development tools and services, an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) model might be a better fit. IaaS provides access to computing resources, such as virtual machines, storage, and networking, which you can customize and configure according to your needs. This model is well-suited for developers who need a high level of control over the development environment or want to use their tools and services.

Level of control and customization:

• When choosing a hosting model, you must consider the level of control and customization you need. Different hosting models offer different levels of management and customization, and selecting the suitable model can significantly impact your workload's performance and efficiency.
• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) models typically offer the most control and customization but require you to handle more tasks. With IaaS, you have complete control over the underlying infrastructure, such as virtual machines, networking, and storage. This gives you a high level of control and customization but also requires you to handle tasks such as patching, updating, and monitoring VMs.
• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models offer less control but require less management. PaaS provides a managed hosting environment where you can deploy your application without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. The platform handles scaling, monitoring, and security tasks, allowing you to focus on building and deploying your application. This model is suited for applications that don't require much customization or developers who want to focus on building and deploying their applications rather than managing infrastructure.

Budget:

• When choosing a hosting model, you must consider the budget for your workload. Different hosting models have other cost structures, and selecting the suitable model can significantly impact your overall costs.
• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) models typically have a higher upfront cost, as you pay for the underlying infrastructure, such as virtual machines, networking, and storage. However, IaaS can be more cost-effective in the long run if you need a lot of computing resources, as you only pay for what you use. IaaS is also a good choice if you need a high level of control and customization, as it allows you to customize and configure the infrastructure according to your needs.
• On the other hand, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models may have a lower upfront cost, as the platform handles the underlying infrastructure and provides various tools and services. PaaS is a good choice if you only need a little customization or if you want to focus on building and deploying your application rather than managing infrastructure. However, PaaS can be more expensive in the long run if you need a lot of resources, as you are paying for the controlled hosting environment.

Security:

• When choosing a hosting model, it's essential to consider the security measures in place and how well they meet your security requirements. Different hosting models offer different levels of security, and choosing the suitable model can ensure that your workload is protected from threats and vulnerabilities.
• When evaluating the security of a hosting model, consider factors such as the level of control you have over security settings, the availability of security tools and services, and the level of protection against threats such as malware, hacking, and data breaches.
• For example, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) models typically offer a high level of control over security settings, as you have complete control over the underlying infrastructure. This can be especially useful if you have specific security requirements or must comply with industry regulations. However, IaaS also requires you to handle tasks such as patching and updating the VMs, which can be time-consuming and complex.
• On the other hand, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models offer a more managed security environment, with the platform handling tasks such as patching and updating the infrastructure. This can be a good choice if you want to avoid worrying about security tasks or need more resources to manage security yourself. However, PaaS models may offer less control over security settings as the platform handles these tasks for you.
  

Scalability:

• When choosing a hosting model, it's crucial to consider the scalability options available and how well they meet your scalability needs. Different hosting models offer different levels of scalability, and choosing the proper model can ensure that your workload can grow and adapt as your needs change.
• When evaluating the scalability of a hosting model, consider factors such as the ease of scaling up or down, the availability of tools and services for managing scale, and the cost of scaling.
• For example, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) models typically offer high scalability, as you have complete control over the underlying infrastructure and can provide additional resources as needed. This can be especially useful if you have unpredictable or rapidly changing workloads or need to scale up or down quickly. However, IaaS models may require more management, as you are responsible for provisioning and configuring the additional resources.
• On the other hand, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models offer a more managed scalability environment, with the platform handling tasks such as scaling up or down as needed. This can be a good choice if you don't want to worry about scalability tasks or don't have the resources to manage to scale yourself. However, PaaS models may offer less control over scalability as the platform handles these tasks for you.
  

Considering these factors, you can choose a hosting model that meets your specific needs and requirements. Afterward, we need to understand possible hosting models cloud services fall into four categories:

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (Iaas)

IaaS is a cloud computing service that provides access to computing resources, such as virtual machines, storage, and networking, over the internet. With IaaS, you can provision and customize these resources according to your needs and deploy your applications and workloads onto them. In an IaaS model, the cloud provider (in this case, Microsoft) manages the underlying infrastructure, including the hardware, networking, and storage. You contain the virtual machines, software, and applications you deploy. This gives you a high level of control and customization but also requires you to handle tasks such as patching, updating, and monitoring the VMs. Azure offers several IaaS options, including Virtual Machines or Batch instances. To choose the exemplary IaaS service for your needs, you'll need to consider factors such as the workload you're running, the level of control and customization you need, and your budget.

Container-as-a-Service (CaaS)

CaaS is a cloud computing service that allows you to deploy and manage containerized applications in the cloud. With CaaS, you don't have to worry about the underlying infrastructure and can focus on building and deploying your containerized applications. CaaS platforms typically provide a range of tools and services for building, deploying, and managing containerized applications, including support for popular container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes. Azure offers several CaaS options, including Azure Container Instances, Azure Container Apps, and Azure Kubernetes Service. To choose the exemplary CaaS service for your needs, you'll need to consider factors such as the workload you're running, the level of control and customization you need, and your budget.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS is a cloud computing service that provides a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud. With PaaS, you can develop and deploy your applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure, such as virtual machines, networking, and storage. In a PaaS model, the cloud provider (in this case, Microsoft) manages the infrastructure, including the hardware, networking, and storage. You are responsible for developing and deploying your application onto the platform, and the platform handles scaling, monitoring, and security tasks. This lets you focus on building and deploying your application rather than worrying about the underlying infrastructure. Azure offers several PaaS options, including App Service, Container Apps, Spring Apps, and Service Fabric. To choose the exemplary PaaS service for your needs, you'll need to consider factors such as the type of application you're building, the level of control and customization you need, and your budget.

Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS)

FaaS is a cloud computing service that allows you to execute code on-demand without explicitly allocating or managing the underlying resources. With FaaS, you can write and deploy your code to the cloud, and the service automatically runs it whenever a specified trigger or event occurs. In a FaaS model, you only pay for the number of executions of your code, and the service automatically scales to meet demand. This makes FaaS a cost-effective option for running small, short-lived tasks or event-driven workloads. Azure Functions is a FaaS service offered by Microsoft. With Azure Functions, you can write code in various languages and run it on a serverless platform without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. To choose the exemplary FaaS service for your needs, you'll need to consider factors such as the workload you're running, the level of control and customization you need, and your budget.

Possible compute options

There are several Azure compute services, each with specific use cases and capabilities. Some standard options include:

• Virtual Machines (IaaS): Allows you to create and manage VMs in the cloud and customize the operating system, network, and other configurations. With this service, you have complete control over the VMs, but Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure.
• App Service (PaaS): A managed service for hosting web apps, mobile app backends, RESTful APIs, or automated business processes. With this service, you don't have to worry about managing the infrastructure and can focus on building and deploying your application.
• Functions (FaaS): A serverless compute service that lets you run code on-demand without explicitly allocating resources. With this service, you only pay for the number of executions of your code, and the service automatically scales to meet demand.
• Kubernetes Service (AKS) (CaaS): A fully managed Kubernetes service that makes it easy to deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications. With this service, you have complete control over the Kubernetes cluster, but Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure.
• Container Apps (PaaS): A managed service built on Kubernetes, simplifying containerized applications' deployment in a serverless environment. With this service, you don't have to worry about managing the infrastructure, and you can focus on building and deploying your containerized application.
• Container Instances (CaaS): A fast and straightforward way to run a container in Azure without having to provision any virtual machines or adopt a higher-level service. This service gives you complete control over the container, but Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure.
• Red Hat OpenShift (CaaS): A fully managed OpenShift cluster running production containers with Kubernetes. With this service, you have complete control over the OpenShift cluster, but Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure.
• Spring Apps (PaaS): A managed service designed and optimized for hosting Spring Boot apps. With this service, you don't have to worry about managing the infrastructure, and you can focus on building and deploying your Spring Boot application.
• Service Fabric (PaaS): A distributed systems platform that can run in many environments, including Azure or on-premises. With this service, you don't have to worry about managing the infrastructure and can focus on building and deploying your distributed application.
• Batch (IaaS): A managed service for running large-scale parallel and high-performance computing (HPC) applications. With this service, you have complete control over the computing resources, but Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure.

Summary

Whether running a simple application or a complex distributed system, Azure has a compute service that can meet your needs. In this article, we've explored the various hosting models available on Azure and the factors you should consider when choosing a compute service for your workload. We've covered workload requirements, development and deployment needs, level of control and customization, budget, security, and scalability. We've also looked at the different hosting models available on Azure, including Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Container-as-a-Service (CaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS). By understanding the architectural drivers that could steer or affect your choices, and the strengths and weaknesses of each hosting model, you'll be able to choose the right compute service for your workload on Azure.