Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides businesses with the capabilities to develop, test, and deploy their own applications without the upfront capital expenses to expand infrastructure and acquire development tools. PaaS is delivered over the internet and includes infrastructure, similar to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offerings, but also includes tools such as middleware and database management. PaaS solutions may also provide collaboration tools so remote teams can work together on application development.

Why It Matters to Your Customers

When a business needs the ability to develop its own applications, establishing and maintaining the necessary infrastructure, including a data center and failover site, can slow down the process and add a great deal of expense. PaaS allows development teams to be more agile when the business has new requirements, and it reduces the costs of development.

Why Platform as a Service (PaaS) is an Opportunity

Cloud providers have developed a variety of IaaS products that can be used within their cloud environments. Managed services providers have the opportunity to partner with these vendors to provide PaaS solutions, and, like with SaaS and IaaS offerings, you will have opportunities to bundle PaaS with other services. For example, a reliable, secure network and endpoint support are essential for the business to maximize the value it gets from the PaaS solution, so you may have the opportunity to provide remote management, network, or security solutions.

You can also work with clients on application development, testing and deployment, facilitated by the Platform as a Service offering from the cloud provider. Added value such as this can help you stand apart from your competition and create stronger bonds with your clients that can lead to long-term business relationships.