How SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, thin clients, and virtual desktop infrastructure divide responsibility for applications and computing resources.
Cloud service models describe which layers a provider operates and which remain the customer’s responsibility. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) centrally hosts full desktop environments and presents them remotely to endpoint devices.
| Model | Provider typically manages | Customer typically manages |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS | Application and underlying platform | Users, data, configuration, and access |
| PaaS | Runtime platform and infrastructure | Application code and data |
| IaaS | Physical infrastructure and virtualization layer | Operating systems, applications, data, and most configuration |
A thin client is an endpoint designed to rely heavily on centrally provided compute resources. VDI is the delivery architecture that hosts a user’s desktop centrally. A thin client can access VDI, but the terms are not interchangeable.
A hosted application delivers a specific application remotely. A hosted desktop provides a whole desktop session, including its environment and applications. Choose between them based on whether a user needs a single capability or a managed desktop workspace.