Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) means renting computing infrastructure, such as virtual servers, storage and networking, from a provider instead of buying and running your own hardware. You get a machine you fully control, and you also take on the work of looking after it. This guide explains what IaaS is, how it differs from PaaS and SaaS, what it costs you in time as well as money, and when it is the right choice.
IaaS gives you virtual machines, disks and networks on demand; you install and manage the operating system and everything on it. A VPS is the most common form of IaaS for small businesses and developers. Choose IaaS when you need root access, custom software or several services on one server. If you only want to run a website or deploy code, managed hosting or a platform (PaaS) is less work.
1. What IaaS is
With IaaS, the provider owns and runs the physical servers, the data centre, power, cooling and network. It divides that hardware into virtual machines with a hypervisor and rents them to you. You choose an operating system image, get administrator (root) access, and from there the machine is yours to set up.
A simple way to picture it: IaaS is renting an empty flat. The building, water and electricity are the landlord's job; furniture, locks on your cupboards and cleaning are yours.
2. IaaS, PaaS and SaaS compared
| Model | The provider manages | You manage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | Hardware, network, virtualisation | Operating system, security updates, web server, database, your app | A VPS or cloud virtual machine |
| PaaS | Everything up to the runtime | Your code, its settings and data | An app platform that deploys from Git |
| SaaS | The whole application | Your account, users and data | Webmail, accounting software, a website builder |
Managed shared hosting sits between PaaS and SaaS: the provider runs the server and control panel, and you manage your website files, databases and email accounts. For the wider picture, read Cloud computing: transforming the digital landscape.
3. The building blocks
4. Benefits and trade-offs
- Full control: root access, any software, your own configuration
- No hardware to buy; start small and resize as you grow
- Your own IP address and your own firewall rules
- Run several apps, containers or services on one machine
- You are the system administrator: updates, security and monitoring are your job
- A misconfigured firewall or an unpatched package is your risk, not the provider's
- Backups are your responsibility unless your plan says otherwise
- Costs can creep up with extra disks, IPs and forgotten test servers
With IaaS the provider secures the hardware and the virtualisation layer. Everything inside your virtual machine, from SSH settings to the WordPress plugins you install, is yours to secure and update. Plan for that time before you choose a server over managed hosting.
5. Best practices for running IaaS
- Choose a supported OS.Pick a current long-term-support release of Ubuntu, Debian or AlmaLinux, and avoid releases that have reached end of life, such as CentOS 7 or Ubuntu 20.04.
- Lock down SSH on day one.Use key login, disable password login and root password login, and keep your system updated.
- Run a firewall.Open only the ports you need. Use firewalld or ufw (nftables underneath), plus fail2ban against brute-force logins.
- Keep your own backups.Copy important data off the server on a schedule, to a different provider, and test that you can restore it.
- Monitor and right-size.Watch CPU, memory and disk, and resize when the numbers say so, not before.
Our VPS security checklist goes through these in detail.
6. When IaaS is the right choice
Choose IaaS when you need:
- root access to install software a shared host doesn't offer;
- long-running processes such as queue workers, WebSocket servers or background services;
- Docker, several databases, or several apps side by side;
- your own IP address and firewall rules.
Choose something more managed when you only need a website and email (shared hosting), a site built for you (a website builder), or a place to deploy your code without looking after a server (PaaS).
7. IaaS at Domain India: the VPS
A Domain India VPS is a KVM virtual machine with full root access and NVMe storage. It is self-managed: you install, secure and update the software yourself. At checkout you can choose no control panel, or CyberPanel, Webuzo or DirectAdmin; cPanel is not offered on VPS.
- 1 vCPU
- 2 GB DDR4 RAM
- 64 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 2 TB Monthly Bandwidth
- 2 vCPU
- 4 GB DDR4 RAM
- 128 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 3 TB Monthly Bandwidth
Prices on the cards are live and exclude 18% GST. VPS plans are non-refundable once provisioned. To restart the server, run reboot over SSH; never poweroff, which leaves the VPS switched off until support starts it again. For a reinstall, a resize or a server that won't come back, open a support ticket.
If you would rather not run a server, the App Platform deploys your code for you (PaaS), and cPanel hosting runs websites and email with the server managed for you.
What is Infrastructure as a Service in simple words?
IaaS means renting virtual servers, storage and networking from a provider over the internet instead of buying your own hardware. The provider runs the physical equipment; you install and manage the operating system and everything on it.
Is a VPS an example of IaaS?
Yes. A VPS is a virtual machine on a provider's hardware with its own operating system and root access, which you manage yourself. That is IaaS.
What is the difference between IaaS and PaaS?
With IaaS you manage the operating system, updates, web server and database yourself. With PaaS the platform runs all of that, and you only deploy your code and manage its settings and data.
Is IaaS cheaper than shared hosting?
Usually not for a single website. A VPS costs more than a basic shared hosting plan and also costs you the time to manage it. IaaS pays off when you need root access, custom software or several services on one server.
Who is responsible for security on IaaS?
Both sides. The provider secures the hardware and virtualisation layer; you secure everything inside your virtual machine, including SSH, the firewall, software updates and backups.
Does Domain India offer IaaS?
Yes, as self-managed VPS plans: KVM virtual machines with full root access and NVMe storage. At checkout you can choose no control panel, CyberPanel, Webuzo or DirectAdmin.
Ready to choose? Compare VPS plans for a server you control, the App Platform to deploy code without managing a server, or open a support ticket if you are unsure which model fits.
KVM virtual machines with full root access and NVMe storage. Self-managed, with the control panel of your choice or none at all.
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