IaaS

Term from Cloud Computing industry explained for recruiters

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is like renting computer equipment through the internet instead of buying it. Think of it as a virtual data center where companies can get servers, storage, and networking without having physical hardware in their office. Popular examples include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Companies use IaaS because it's more cost-effective than buying their own equipment, can grow or shrink based on needs, and doesn't require maintaining physical hardware. Sometimes it's also called "cloud infrastructure" or "cloud hosting."

Examples in Resumes

Managed IaaS solutions on AWS for multiple enterprise clients

Reduced company costs by 40% through migration to IaaS platforms

Designed and implemented Infrastructure as a Service architecture for startup environments

Typical job title: "Cloud Infrastructure Engineers"

Also try searching for:

Cloud Engineer Infrastructure Engineer Cloud Architect DevOps Engineer Systems Engineer Cloud Infrastructure Specialist IaaS Engineer

Where to Find Cloud Infrastructure Engineers

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle a large-scale migration from on-premise infrastructure to IaaS?

Expected Answer: Should discuss planning stages, cost analysis, risk assessment, selecting appropriate cloud services, ensuring minimal downtime, and creating a phased migration approach.

Q: How do you approach cost optimization in IaaS environments?

Expected Answer: Should explain monitoring usage, right-sizing resources, using reserved instances, implementing auto-scaling, and establishing cost governance policies.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What security measures would you implement in an IaaS environment?

Expected Answer: Should discuss access control, encryption, network security groups, monitoring tools, and regular security audits in cloud environments.

Q: How do you ensure high availability in IaaS deployments?

Expected Answer: Should explain using multiple regions/zones, load balancing, automated failover, and backup strategies.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic components of IaaS?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain virtual machines, storage, networking, and basic cloud concepts in simple terms.

Q: What's the difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS?

Expected Answer: Should explain IaaS as renting infrastructure, PaaS as a development platform, and SaaS as ready-to-use software.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic cloud platform knowledge
  • Virtual machine management
  • Simple cloud storage setup
  • Basic networking concepts

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Cloud architecture design
  • Security implementation
  • Cost optimization
  • Automation and scaling

Senior (5+ years)

  • Enterprise architecture
  • Multi-cloud strategy
  • Disaster recovery planning
  • Team leadership

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No hands-on experience with major cloud providers
  • Lack of security awareness
  • No understanding of cost management
  • Unable to explain basic cloud concepts