Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions

Introduction

When discussing the cloud landscape, not), and to distinguish the different
most focus on the three main layers: categories within. This white paper
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform- serves three important functions. It will:
as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-
as-a-Service (IaaS). This three-layer 1. Propose a framework to categorize
framework is a useful starting point for the different approaches seen on the
describing cloud products, but it’s far market today.
from perfect.
2. Illustrate that not all cloud platforms
Nowadays, saying you work in one of are created equal and offer decision
these three businesses is almost as makers the ability to make more
broad as saying “I work for a software nuanced comparisons based on the
company.” The lines between these app projects within their organization.
categories are blurring and within
these categories there are numerous 3. Showcase why increased demand
subcategories that describe a whole for innovating and differentiating
range of different approaches. apps requires a platform that
abstracts away from technical details
It’s time to have a closer look at the across the app lifecycle, creating the
cloud landscape, to really understand greatest efficiency to custom app
what IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS are (and are development.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 2
The Complete Cloud Landscape

CLOUD-BASED SERVICES MODEL

SAAS LAYER Applications provided as cloud services

baPaaS (Business
MODEL-DRIVEN Model-Driven aPaaS Model-Driven iPaaS Analytics Platform-as-a-
PAAS LAYER Service)

aPaaS (App Platform-as- iPaaS (Integration-

PAAS LAYER dbPaaS (Database
a-Services) and Language Platform-as-a-Service) and
Platform-as-a-Service)
Runtimes ESB-as-a-Service

FOUNDATIONAL Application Containers

Routing, Messaging, and
Object Storage
PAAS LAYER Scheduling System

SDN (Software-Defined
IAAS LAYER Virtual Machines Block Storage
Networking)

COMPUTE COMMUNICATE STORE

*Note that the higher layers in this model do not necessarily need to be built
on the exact components below it.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 3
The Cloud Landscape Described

IaaS Layer: Virtual Machines IaaS Layer: SDN

Server virtualization lays the foundation Network virtualization, often referred
for all of the scalability and flexibility to as Software Defined Networking
advantages that cloud computing (SDN), decouples and isolates virtual
provides. Most PaaS and SaaS networks from the underlying network
products use some form of virtualized hardware, in the same way that server
infrastructure in order to provide flexible virtualization abstracts the underlying
services. If virtualized infrastructure physical hardware. The network
is being provided to users as an on- hardware is only used for the physical
demand commodity with additional link; virtual networks can be created
capabilities, services, and resources, programmatically.
those services are known as IaaS
offerings. These virtual networks offer the same
features and guarantees of a physical
The additional services are what network, but with the benefits of
separates IaaS from basic server virtualization like higher utilization of the
virtualization. IaaS offerings are made hardware, more flexibility, and easier
available through a provider’s virtualized management.
datacenter, which means that the
provider abstracted the logical view Examples: Nicira (acquired by VMWare)
of the servers and pooled them into and OpenStack Neutron (formerly
universal compute resources that users Quantum)
buy on-demand. This is usually cheaper
than traditional server hosting because IaaS Layer: Block Storage
the provider can manage compute Storage virtualization is the third field
resources more easily and use server of the IaaS layer. Decoupling storage
space more efficiently. volumes from storage hardware
allows vendors to manage advanced
Examples: Amazon EC2, Digital Ocean, features like high availability, caching,
Rackspace, Windows Azure, Google snapshotting and others at the software
Compute layer, independent of the hardware

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 4
The Cloud Landscape Described

brand. This opens the door to more Dependencies are supplemental

flexible optimization and better storage programs that are required in order for
performance. the application to run. All this allows
the developer to concentrate on the
Examples: Amazon Elastic Block Storage application itself rather than the ancillary
(EBS), OpenStack Cinder components required to run it.

Foundational PaaS Layer: Application Examples: Docker containers, Heroku

Containers Dynos, WSO2 Cartridges, Cloud Foundry
In the foundational PaaS layer, the Warden Containers.
focus in the compute column moves
to application components that are Foundational PaaS Layer: Routing,
infrastructure-agnostic. Once again, Messaging and Scheduling System
this provides additional flexibility The communicate column of this layer
benefits similar to the IaaS layer, where focuses on routing messages among
compute resources become hardware- app containers, storage systems
agnostic. To run an application on any and external systems. This includes
computing infrastructure you need to routing, queuing, and scheduling
have: compiled programming code (Java, system instructions for app lifecycle
C#, PHP, etc.), a runtime (a Java Virtual management, as well as the smart
Machine, or the Common Language routing and load-balancing of incoming
Runtime for example) and sometimes requests to application instances.
additional middleware (Tomcat, Spring,
Ruby on Rails, etc.). Examples: the messaging / NATS
component of CloudFoundry, Heroku
A package with these pieces can be routing layer, CloudFoundry router
deployed in an application container
and used as a template for application Foundational PaaS Layer: Object
development and deployment. Storage
The container also automates the Unlike block storage, object storage
handling of application dependencies. contains data components that are

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 5
The Cloud Landscape Described

ready to be retrieved and manipulated language-specific runtime that allows

in an application. An object storage customers to run their applications.
service automatically handles mounting,
partitioning, and formatting virtual disks. Examples: Heroku Buildpacks, Cloud
With cloud-based object storage, the Foundry Buildpacks
costs are usually low because you only
pay to store the objects you actually use. PaaS Layer: iPaaS
In most cases, you can retrieve objects In the communicate column, we see
via an HTTP application programming what is called iPaaS (integration Platform-
interface (API). as-a-Service). An iPaaS provides the
communication among applications,
Examples: Amazon S3, Ceph Storage, whether in the cloud or on-premise.
Rackspace Cloud Files This communication is defined using
integration flows. An iPaaS could be
PaaS Layer: aPaaS and Language seen as an ESB (Enterprise Service Bus)
Runtimes in the cloud and contains features like
While the foundational PaaS layer routing, transformations, queuing, and
dealt with binary code, the PaaS layer in most cases, a range of pre-defined
above it deals with the application code adapters.
in its human-readable form, before
compilation. Developers can just upload Examples: TIBCO Cloud Bus, WS02
their code to an aPaaS without having to StratosLive, Windows Azure BizTalk
worry about compilation or middleware. Services

aPaaS, which is essentially an application PaaS Layer: dbPaaS

server-as-a-service, is the core Database Platform-as-a-Service
component of the general PaaS category (dbPaaS) delivers the entire database
that is so often talked about in the IT management system (DBMS) as a
industry. It consists of the programming cloud service to the customer. dbPaaS

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 6
The Cloud Landscape Described

solutions can be provided as component also harness standard languages when

services of larger PaaS offerings or as they are needed. This layer can also be
individual services unaffiliated with any considered a subset of aPaaS.
larger PaaS offering.
Examples: Salesforce Force.com, Mendix
Examples: Amazon RDS and RedShift, App Platform
Lunacloud Cloud Mongo, Heroku
Postgres SaaS Layer
We call the applications on this layer
Model-driven PaaS Layer Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). SaaS is
The Model-Driven PaaS layer builds as-a-Service from the user perspective.
on language runtimes and provides From the developer/provider
additional support for domain specific perspective, SaaS can be built on top
languages (DSLs) that make certain of the previously mentioned layers, but
kinds of application development faster if an application for example isn’t built
and less error prone. These DSLs are using a PaaS and runs on dedicated
often easy enough for business-level hardware, it can still be SaaS.
users with less software development
expertise to understand and use This basically holds for each layer in
effectively. the framework: it can be, but is not
necessarily built on top of the layers
These DSLs won’t be able to do some of below. It’s a matter of choice what part
the deep customizations that standard of their stack they get from another
programming languages can provide, provider as a service and what part of
but most model-driven platforms can the stack they build themselves.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 7
Making the Right Cloud Platform Decisions

Looking at the complete framework and business objectives. Consider the

above, we see that the five layers following:
provide a nice continuum between
infrastructure and applications. Moving 1. Where can your IT organization
up, each layer abstracts further away offer the most strategic value?
from technical details until we end up
with the applications themselves. 2. Where should you focus your IT
investments?
This framework provides a much more
accurate classification of the current 3. What is the cloud solution that best
cloud landscape than the overused and aligns with your strategic plan?
oversimplified SaaS-PaaS-IaaS (SPI)
framework. By answering these questions in
this order, you will quickly arrive at
And with a more nuanced framework, the service type (and ideal vendor
IT teams can align their cloud platform functionality) that fits your strategic
selections with their strategic plans plans.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 8
Understanding Your Strategic Value

Every IT team faces a challenge when these new systems of innovation and
it comes to new application and feature differentiation. Across the board, the
delivery. But you need to take a step business is looking for:
back to prioritize your backlogs in the
context of the bigger picture. • Multi-channel, multi-device apps

Digital transformation is driving demand • Faster turnaround of new apps and

for custom apps that innovate business new app features
practices and differentiate your business
within the market. SaaS solutions • Greater involvement in the app
don’t exist in these areas because the development process
needs are specific to each company’s
unique processes and business models. • More frequent updates to iterate
Moreover, the demand for this type of and improve each app
application is greater than ever before.
Not only does the business need more Unfortunately, you won’t get the results
of them, but they need them faster. you need by streamlining deployment
alone, as most PaaS solutions do.
Currently, 71% of IT teams are behind, You need to enhance the complete
unable to meet business demand for application lifecycle by combining
app development. With greater pressure streamlined deployment with a new way
on all businesses to innovate, there is of building of apps.
greater need for IT to become a more
strategic partner – delivering on the But you also need a sustainable way
systems of innovation and differentiation forward, with existing maintenance
that will drive overall success. completed alongside new business-
oriented innovation projects. Put another
Before delving into your backlog, way, you need a “fast lane” to support
recognize the unique features of strategic business initiatives.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 9
Focusing Your Investment Dollars
on a Transformative Solution

By creating a bimodal strategy within greater speed and simplicity, companies

your IT department, you can continue to are looking to domain experts to take
leverage your development group for an active role in the app development
large-scale system maintenance efforts. process.
At the same time, you can enable less-
technical users to participate in rapid Model-driven aPaaS makes it easy
development cycles through the use of enough for business-level users to
the right cloud services. build apps themselves, as well as
easily understand/review functionality
However, the nuances of the cloud developed by others. In the process,
landscape truly become apparent professional developers are freed up
in this scenario. While the general to focus on more technical details of
PaaS category offers a number of applications, such as integration or
enhancements to deployment – it is not performance.
enough. We need further abstraction
in order to meet the speed and agility
requirements associated with these app
projects.

The layer best suited to meet these

needs is model-driven aPaaS. You need
a platform that supports visual modeling,
and more agile and collaborative
development.

A visual model
Previously, the complexity of IT meant
that only highly-skilled specialists This domain model
could work in complex programming showcases the relational
languages. But faced with the need for data structure of an app.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 10
Focusing Your Investment Dollars
on a Transformative Solution

A more agile/collaborative In addition, model-driven aPaaS ensures

process short feedback cycles as changes to a
The inherent value of model-driven model can quickly and directly be tested
aPaaS is that it brings IT and the in the actual application. It also provides
business together, enabling more rapid, an excellent communication mechanism
iterative and collaborative development. to align business and IT stakeholders,
Because visual models are used to thereby ensuring greater quality and
define application logic, process flow more successful outcomes.
and layouts, these platforms empower
both developers and business users to
rapidly build applications, without the
need for low-level coding.

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 11
Questionnaire: Making The Right Platform Decision

To innovate and differentiate within the market, you need a host of multi-channel, multi-
device applications that integrate with, and extend, your systems and processes. The
question isn’t whether you need help fulfilling the demand for these apps – it’s what you
should use to design, develop, deploy, and manage these apps.

Model-driven aPaaS is a rising category within the cloud landscape, but not all vendors
provide the same features and functionality. Use the questionnaire below to ensure that
you select the right vendor for your app delivery needs.

1. How easy is it to build applications? 2. Can the platform be used to integrate

Incremental improvements to code- with, or extend, any existing systems?
based methods simply won’t suffice. While certain platforms are geared
You’ll want to pay careful attention to towards extending specific systems (i.e.
how easy it is for non-developers to CRM), they may fall short in addressing
actively participate in the process. your full range of app delivery and
integration needs.
Does it leverage a proprietary
programming language that requires Can you easily build new apps and
highly-specialized developers? Or is extend existing enterprise systems
it built around a visual paradigm that (e.g. SAP, Oracle) with modern, multi-
allows both developers and business channel apps?
users to build and review apps?
Can you seamlessly integrate new
Does the platform execute visual apps with any existing process and
models in the runtime, which means system?
the model is the application? Or does
it generate code from the model in Are there capabilities like workflow
order to run the app, a technique integration, open APIs and
that’s inflexible and results in prepackaged connectors?
maintainability challenges?

Is there an app store full of pre-built

widgets and components that can be
easily used in new apps, saving time
and effort? Beyond The Basics of The Cloud
and Making Smart Platform Decisions 12
Questionnaire: Making The Right Platform Decision

3. Are there capabilities to facilitate IT/ 4. What scalability and performance

business collaboration? features are available?
Many aPaaS solutions overlook crucial Certain aPaaS solutions may only be
capabilities for keeping all stakeholders suited for lightweight departmental apps,
aligned and engaged throughout the not core enterprise systems. Depending
project lifecycle. on your specific needs, you may want to
ask:
Are there native social collaboration
features, including Facebook-like Does the platform offer the required
activity streams and built-in chat? scalability, performance, security?

Are there agile project management What are some performance

tools for creating user stories, benchmarks for the platform?
managing sprints and releases, and
tracking progress with scrum boards Are there clients who have
and burn-down charts? successfully delivered core systems?

Can developers quickly share

prototypes that are working
applications with the team or groups
of end users for feedback?

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 13
Questionnaire: Making The Right Platform Decision

5. Can you deliver truly multi-device 6. How fast and flexible is the
applications? deployment process?
While enterprise mobile apps are hot, Deployment issues should not slow
it’s important to remember that mobile is a project down or even concern your
not- and show never be – an island. development team. When evaluating
aPaaS, it’s essential that deployment
Can you build an application once is as fast and easy as plugging an
and make it accessible to users via appliance into a power outlet.
all devices without developing for
multiple platforms and form factors? Can you deploy an app to the cloud
with one click?
Are there capabilities for easily
building responsive mobile and Can you move seamlessly from
tablet-specific interfaces? test to acceptance to production
environments?
Does the platform support native,
hybrid, or web app development, Are there flexible deployment
and how will this impact the user options: public cloud, private cloud,
experience? hybrid or on premise?

Can you easily manage all of the Can you deploy to multiple public
back-end requirements of enterprise cloud providers?
mobile apps?

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 14
Make The Right Choice for Your Business

Technology continues to develop and we’ve moved passed the time where a three layer
cloud environment make sense. In our five-layer framework, we aim to help all users
understand the nuances associated with application delivery.

Model-driven aPaaS is the hottest category within the new cloud landscape, and
especially critical for organizations in need of fast and iterative app development. Don’t
forget our questionnaire when evaluating potential providers. Contact Mendix for more
information on how you can make the right choice for your business.

Contact Mendix to Learn More.

Learn More Now

Beyond The Basics of The Cloud

and Making Smart Platform Decisions 15
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