What is the primary function of IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)?

The primary function of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is to offer virtualized computing resources over the internet, which includes physical or virtual servers, storage, and networking capabilities. IaaS enables businesses to scale their infrastructure needs dynamically without the need to purchase and manage physical hardware. This flexibility is advantageous as it allows organizations to easily adjust resources based on demand, optimize costs, and manage workloads efficiently.

IaaS providers typically handle the physical data center facilities while customers manage their own operating systems, applications, and data. This model supports various use cases such as hosting websites, running applications, and managing complex workload deployments that demand processing power and storage without the overhead of maintaining physical infrastructure.

In contrast, other options focus on different areas of cloud services. Providing internet-based software applications refers more accurately to Software as a Service (SaaS), while ensuring secure internet communications aligns with security measures rather than infrastructure management. Allowing remote access to desktops relates more to Desktop as a Service (DaaS) or remote access protocols, which do not encompass the core functions of IaaS.