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Table of Contents
What Is Platform as a Service?
5 min. read
Table of Contents
Platform as a service (PaaS), is a cloud computing service model that allows users to rent hardware and software tools over the internet to help quickly develop software and applications. Typically used by developers, PaaS allows users to build, compile and run programs without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. With PaaS, users do not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including network, servers, operating systems and storage, but they do have control over the deployed applications and possibly configuration settings for the application-hosting environment. AWS® Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine are popular examples of PaaS services offered by Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.
Benefits and Security Implications
The use of PaaS has several benefits for businesses, such as enabling rapid software development and simplified deployment. However, while developers regularly access web-based resources – such as GitHub®, how-to guides or workbooks – to get their jobs done more quickly and effectively, attackers use these same resources to inject malware into unsuspecting networks. Moreover, deploying PaaS environments creates a lack of visibility that further exposes organizations to risk in the cloud. Lateral movement by an attacker in a data center or cloud can go undetected indefinitely without complete visibility and precise controls to restrict it. Without visibility, you also run the risk of not detecting unauthorized users who deploy cloud resources for cryptomining or other purposes at your expense.
To provide consistent, frictionless security that will protect vital assets without impeding the productivity and agility of adopting PaaS, automation needs to be part of the development process. Developers do not need to become security experts so long as security checks can be automated across the development life cycle. Applications within PaaS environments require enterprise-level security and a multi-dimensional approach, including in-line, API-based and host-based protection components. With in-line components, it’s important to protect and segment cloud workloads to safeguard against internal and external threats. By monitoring traffic in your cloud environment, you’ll gain application-level visibility into communication between cloud workloads and can implement segmentation policies to ensure the appropriate level of interaction between these workloads.
For API-based protections, you need continuous discovery and monitoring, data security, and compliance reporting. The API-based approach is transparent to developers and allows security teams to monitor cloud resources for any suspicious activity. This prevents misconfigurations and ensures compliance with industry standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA or GDPR. Lastly, with host-based protection components, you must secure the operating system and applications within the workloads. A lightweight host agent deployed within the cloud instance should detect any zero-day exploits and ensure the integrity of the operating system and applications. Attackers may still uncover vulnerabilities within the environment, but this agent-based approach can provide protection until your organization is able to patch components.
Platform as a Service FAQs
Scalability in PaaS refers to the ability to dynamically adjust resources to meet the demands of an application. PaaS platforms automatically scale computing resources such as CPU, memory, and storage based on application load. Horizontal scaling involves adding more instances of the application, while vertical scaling increases the resources of existing instances. Scalability ensures that applications can handle varying levels of traffic without performance degradation. PaaS providers like AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine offer built-in scaling features, enabling seamless growth and optimal resource utilization.
Multitenancy in PaaS is the architecture where multiple users (tenants) share the same application instance while maintaining data isolation and privacy. Each tenant's data and configuration are logically separated, ensuring security and performance. Multi-tenancy optimizes resource usage, reducing operational costs and improving efficiency. PaaS platforms achieve this through containerization, virtualization, and robust access controls. Providers like Microsoft Azure and Salesforce ensure that multi-tenancy is secure and scalable, allowing multiple customers to benefit from shared infrastructure while maintaining individual data integrity and privacy.
Integration in PaaS involves connecting the platform with various services, applications, and data sources to create a cohesive ecosystem. PaaS platforms offer APIs, middleware, and integration tools to facilitate seamless connectivity. Integration capabilities include connecting to databases, third-party services, and enterprise applications. This enables developers to build comprehensive solutions that leverage existing systems. PaaS providers like AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google Cloud Platform offer extensive integration options, allowing seamless data flow and communication between different components, enhancing the overall functionality and efficiency of applications.
Continuous deployment in PaaS is the practice of automatically deploying code changes to production as soon as they pass predefined tests. PaaS platforms support continuous integration and deployment pipelines, enabling rapid and reliable software delivery. Developers can push changes to version control systems, triggering automated build, test, and deployment processes. This ensures that applications are always up-to-date and can quickly adapt to changing requirements. PaaS providers like Heroku and Azure DevOps offer integrated CI/CD tools, streamlining the deployment process and reducing manual intervention.
High availability in PaaS ensures that applications remain accessible and functional even in the event of hardware or software failures. PaaS platforms achieve high availability through redundancy, load balancing, and failover mechanisms. Applications are deployed across multiple data centers or availability zones, minimizing the impact of localized failures. Load balancers distribute traffic evenly, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. PaaS providers like Google App Engine and AWS Elastic Beanstalk offer built-in high availability features, guaranteeing minimal downtime and consistent user experience.
Security in PaaS encompasses measures to protect applications, data, and the underlying platform from unauthorized access and threats. PaaS providers implement robust security protocols, including encryption, access controls, and network security. Developers can leverage built-in security features such as identity and access management (IAM), secure data storage, and compliance certifications. Regular security updates and monitoring ensure that vulnerabilities are promptly addressed. PaaS platforms like Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform offer comprehensive security frameworks, enabling organizations to build and deploy secure applications with confidence.
Cost management in PaaS involves monitoring and optimizing the expenses associated with using the platform. PaaS providers offer tools and features to track resource usage, set budget limits, and receive cost alerts. Developers can use scaling policies, reserved instances, and resource tagging to optimize costs. Detailed billing reports and dashboards provide insights into spending patterns, helping organizations manage their budgets effectively. Platforms like AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine provide cost management tools, enabling users to balance performance and expenses while avoiding unexpected charges.
Customization in PaaS allows developers to tailor the platform to meet specific application requirements. PaaS providers offer configurable environments, allowing users to choose runtime languages, frameworks, and middleware. Developers can also integrate third-party services, define custom build processes, and set environment variables. Customization extends to scaling policies, security settings, and deployment strategies. Platforms like Heroku and Azure App Service provide extensive customization options, enabling developers to create optimized and unique environments that align with their application needs and business objectives.
API management in PaaS involves the creation, deployment, monitoring, and security of APIs within the platform. PaaS providers offer tools to design and publish APIs, set access controls, and monitor usage. API gateways facilitate load balancing, rate limiting, and authentication. Comprehensive analytics provide insights into API performance and usage patterns. Effective API management ensures that services are scalable, secure, and maintainable. Platforms like AWS API Gateway and Azure API Management offer robust solutions for managing APIs, enabling seamless integration and communication between different services and applications.
