Can you explain what is meant by Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model where the provider offers virtualized computing resources over the internet. Users gain access to servers, storage, network resources, and can independently manage operating systems, applications, and configurations.

Key features of IaaS:

• Users rent infrastructure without the need to purchase and maintain physical hardware.
• High scalability — resources can be quickly increased or decreased.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing.

Examples: Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines, Google Compute Engine.

Thus, IaaS allows companies to focus on developing and operating applications without worrying about physical infrastructure.