Co-Managed IT: A Flexible Partnership With IT Professionals
September 3, 2021
Businesses rely on cloud platforms to run applications, store data, and scale infrastructure without large upfront costs. Many decision makers ask what are the three main cloud computing service models and how each one supports real operational needs.
Cloud computing service models define how resources get delivered and managed between providers and customers. Each cloud computing service model affects cost, security control, and technical responsibility.
This guide explains cloud computing and service models in practical terms and introduces the three main cloud computing service models used across business environments.
What is a Cloud Computing Service Model?
A cloud computing service model explains how infrastructure, platforms, and software get delivered through cloud providers. Each service model of cloud computing defines which responsibilities belong to the provider and which remain with the customer.
This structure shapes cost, scalability, security control, and operational effort. Service models of cloud computing fall into three main categories that businesses use across different workloads.
The Three Main Cloud Computing Service Models
The three main cloud computing service models define how businesses consume technology resources through cloud platforms. Each service model in cloud computing offers a different balance between control, flexibility, and operational responsibility.
The three models include:
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for virtual servers, storage, and networking
Platform as a Service (PaaS) for application development environments and deployment tools
Software as a Service (SaaS) for ready to use business applications
Each cloud computing service model fits specific business needs, technical skill levels, and compliance requirements.
Infrastructure as a Service IaaS
Infrastructure as a Service, often called IaaS, provides virtualized computing resources such as servers, storage, and networking through cloud platforms. This service model cloud computing approach gives businesses control over operating systems, applications, and security configurations while the provider manages the physical data center and hardware.
IaaS suits organizations that need flexibility for custom workloads, testing environments, disaster recovery setups, or large scale data processing. It also helps IT teams scale resources quickly without purchasing on premise equipment.
Common characteristics of IaaS include:
Virtual machines and cloud based servers
Scalable storage and networking resources
Customer control over operating systems and applications
Usage based pricing models
IaaS stands out among different service models in cloud computing for companies that require infrastructure control without hardware ownership.
Platform as a Service PaaS
Platform as a Service, known as PaaS, delivers development environments that allow teams to build, test, and deploy applications without managing underlying servers or operating systems. This cloud computing service model shifts infrastructure management to the provider while developers focus on code and application logic.
PaaS works well for software teams that want faster release cycles, simplified deployment, and built in development tools. It reduces setup time and supports consistent environments across projects.
Common characteristics of PaaS include:
Application development frameworks and runtime environments
Database management services
Deployment automation tools
Built in scalability and performance controls
Among cloud computing services and models, PaaS fits organizations that prioritize speed, reliability, and reduced infrastructure oversight.
Software as a Service SaaS
Software as a Service, or SaaS, delivers fully managed applications through web browsers or dedicated interfaces. This service model in cloud computing removes the need for businesses to install, maintain, or update software on local systems.
Providers manage infrastructure, application updates, security controls, and performance while customers focus on daily operations. SaaS works well for email systems, customer relationship tools, accounting platforms, and collaboration software.
Common characteristics of SaaS include:
Web based access to applications
Automatic updates and maintenance
Subscription based pricing
Minimal technical management for customers
Among different service models in cloud computing, SaaS offers the simplest entry point for organizations that want ready to use business software.
Comparing the Different Service Models in Cloud Computing
Each cloud computing service model offers a different level of control, management effort, and technical responsibility. Understanding these differences helps businesses select the service model of cloud computing that best supports their workloads, compliance needs, and internal capabilities.
The table below compares the three main cloud computing service models across core factors.
Factor
Primary Purpose
Customer Control Level
Provider Manages
Customer Manages
Ideal For
Setup Complexity
Pricing Model
IaaS
Infrastructure hosting
High
Data centers and hardware
OS, apps, security settings
Custom workloads and disaster recovery
Medium to high
Usage based
PaaS
Application development platforms
Moderate
Infrastructure and runtime environments
Application code and data
Development teams and testing
Medium
Usage based or tiered
SaaS
Ready to use software
Low
Full application stack
User access and data
Business productivity tools
Low
Subscription based
This highlights how cloud computing services and models differ across operational needs and technical involvement.
How to Choose the Right Cloud Computing Service Model
Selecting the right cloud computing service model depends on business goals, technical resources, compliance requirements, and workload complexity. Each service model in cloud computing supports different levels of control and operational effort.
Organizations often evaluate these factors before deciding:
Internal IT expertise and staffing capacity
Security and regulatory obligations
Budget structure and cost predictability
Application complexity and customization needs
Growth plans and scalability expectations
IaaS works well for companies that need infrastructure control and flexible environments. PaaS suits development teams that want rapid deployment with minimal platform oversight. SaaS fits organizations that prefer ready to use applications with low technical management.
Understanding these tradeoffs helps align cloud computing and service models with real operational priorities.
Key Benefits of Cloud Computing Service Models for Businesses
Cloud computing service models support cost efficiency, scalability, and operational stability across many industries. Each cloud computing service model removes barriers tied to traditional infrastructure and software deployment.
Organizations adopt different service models in cloud computing for benefits such as:
Reduced upfront hardware expenses
Faster deployment of applications
Flexible resource scaling
Built in resilience and backup options
Access to enterprise grade security tools
Cloud computing services and models also help teams respond faster to market changes and evolving customer demands while maintaining predictable IT operations.
Common Use Cases for Each Cloud Service Model
Different service models in cloud computing support specific business scenarios based on control needs, budget structure, and technical skill sets. Matching workloads to the right cloud computing service model improves performance and long term reliability.
IaaS use cases include:
Disaster recovery and backup environments
Testing and development systems
Data analytics platforms
Custom enterprise applications
PaaS use cases include:
Web application development
API services
Mobile app platforms
Database driven systems
SaaS use cases include:
Email and collaboration tools
Customer relationship platforms
Accounting systems
Human resources software
These examples show how cloud computing and service models support a wide range of business operations.
Choosing the Right Cloud Computing Service Model
Understanding cloud computing service models helps organizations match workloads to the right mix of control, flexibility, and operational effort. Each service model in cloud computing plays a specific role across infrastructure, development platforms, and business applications.
Evaluating internal capabilities, security needs, and growth plans allows businesses to select cloud computing services and models that support performance, reliability, and long term technology goals.
It’s hard to see how investing in your company’s IT services would be as incentivizing as other investments that might deliver a more tangible ROI.
However, ensuring that your IT department has a competent team that’s up-to-date on the latest cyber security knowledge and has access to the latest software to allow them to do their jobs well is a sounder investment than you might think.
Investing in your IT services is a little like buckling your seat belt before you drive to work in the morning.
You’re certainly not planning on getting in a crash that day, but you know that if you do, the seat belt will keep you safe, or at least mitigate the bodily damage the crash could cause.
We live in a world where it pays for companies to be on the forefront of cyber security. Even in just the past few years, ransomware and other cyber-attacks have become increasingly common, and they target antiquated IT systems that have yet to get with the times.
If hackers can infiltrate your company’s servers and hold that data hostage, it could financially cripple your company to try to get it back – or shut it down entirely. It could also destroy your company’s reputation and hurt your clients and customers.
You need an IT team that you can depend on to keep your company safe, but that still leaves the problem of cost.
We get it: keeping your IT up-to-date is expensive, whether because you can’t afford to hire the right number of IT professionals or because you can’t afford the software necessary for keeping your company from getting hacked.
That’s why we believe co-managed IT is the best option for companies looking to protect their employees and their customers’ sensitive data.
Co-managed IT
Co-managed IT is a means by which growing companies can have access to all the tools and knowledge necessary to protect their data without paying the full cost.
It won’t replace your current IT team, and it’s more than just a one-off project-based relationship with an outside IT service – it’s a flexible partnership between your business and IT services that you can trust.
Say your existing IT team does a stellar job of putting out the little fires that inevitably happen throughout the workday, but they struggle to find time for building and updating company security systems and protocols that will keep your data safe in the event of a cyber-attack.
Another scenario could be that your company is going through a period of rapid expansion, and you can’t hire enough people for your IT department quickly enough to secure your ever-growing databases. Or perhaps your IT team does a stellar job of finding balance between the daily tasks and preventive maintenance, but they lack the software tools to do so efficiently.
Have you ever heard about co-managed IT solutions? and if you have, have you wondered if it's the right solution for your company or business?
In all these scenarios, co-managed IT can ensure that those gaps your IT team just can’t fill on their own get filled through a collaborative effort.
Co-managed IT can be a great solution for a burnt-out, potentially disgruntled IT team.
If you don’t know whether your IT team is getting burnt out or not, you can look for a few different signs:
They’re constantly working late or on weekends
They’re not getting projects done on time or correctly
They aren’t creating any new security measures
They’re showing signs of aggression or frustration at their job
Ideally, a burnt-out IT team would welcome help with their responsibilities and see the benefits of the collaborative effort between them and another group of experienced IT professionals (like us).
Even though you might think that keeping things the way they are won’t cost you a dime, with how common cyber-attacks are becoming, it could only be a matter of time before hackers hold your data for ransom and cost you everything.
We will assess your technology and give you a diagnosis and a detailed plan on how to fill all the gaps. We’ll also help you understand what’s the best solution for your company whether is a full managed IT plan or a co-managed IT plan.
Together, we can protect your company from hackers, data disasters and burnouts, if you’re willing to invest in your IT health.
If you want to know more about our approach to managed IT and co-managed IT click here.
Providing professional IT services to businesses, including managed IT, cloud computing, unified communications, IT consulting, backup & disaster recovery, and internet marketing services - to help our customers operate without walls.
Providing professional IT services to businesses, including managed IT, cloud computing, unified communications, IT consulting, backup & disaster recovery, and internet marketing services - to help our customers operate without walls.
