Understanding Cloud Computing Layers: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS and the Rise of Container Cloud

The article introduces the rapid development of container technology as an indispensable part of the cloud industry, noting how Docker and Kubernetes have driven the evolution and popularization of the PaaS layer.

It first reviews the current state of cloud computing, citing three recent Chinese articles that summarize the industry’s status and future trends, and provides links to those sources.

It then explains the three main service models of cloud computing:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – provides virtualized compute, network, and storage resources via APIs, abstracting hardware details such as server location, networking, and backup. Typical virtualization technologies include Xen, KVM, VMware, Hyper‑V, Ceph, and SDN.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) – builds on a stable IaaS foundation and offers a platform for developers to create, run, and manage applications without worrying about underlying infrastructure.

Software as a Service (SaaS) – delivers complete software applications over the Internet, where users only interact with the service through a web browser, while the provider handles storage, maintenance, and security.

Illustrative diagrams (shown in the original article) compare the responsibilities of IT staff versus the cloud layers, demonstrating how responsibilities shift from the data‑center to the cloud provider as one moves from IaaS to PaaS and SaaS.

The article then shifts focus to “container cloud”, emphasizing that containers have become the typical open‑source representation of the PaaS layer (e.g., Kubernetes). It discusses why containers gained popularity: the convergence of development and operations (DevOps), the need for faster, more flexible deployment, and the support from major cloud vendors.

Gartner’s analysis is cited, highlighting two major trends for PaaS after 2019: a booming market that is expected to double in size by 2022, and the concept of a “cloud platform continuum” where IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS interoperate to enable continuous innovation.

The article concludes that container‑based cloud solutions are already mainstream, with many enterprises adopting Kubernetes‑based PaaS offerings, and that developers increasingly prefer containers for their agility.

Additional resources and related articles are listed at the end, including links to other posts about Docker, LSTM‑based sentiment analysis, and Tencent Cloud facial‑fusion technology.