Quick Answer
The phrase "4 types of cloud computing" is ambiguous because it refers to two different taxonomies. The first lists the four deployment models : Public, Private, Hybrid, and Multi-cloud. The second lists the four service models : IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and FaaS ( Serverless ). Indian architects should be fluent in both because procurement, RFPs, and cloud strategy documents use the terms interchangeably. Two valid frameworks Cloud computing has historically been described through the NIST taxonomy of three service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and four deployment models (Public, Private, Hybrid, Community). The market has since added FaaS/Serverless as the fourth service model and replaced Community with Multi-cloud in most modern frameworks, which is why the "four types" question generates so much confusion. The 4 deployment models Model Definition Typical Indian use case Public cloud Shared infrastructure operated by AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.
The phrase "4 types of cloud computing" is ambiguous because it refers to two different taxonomies. The first lists the four deployment models: Public, Private, Hybrid, and Multi-cloud. The second lists the four service models: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and FaaS (Serverless). Indian architects should be fluent in both because procurement, RFPs, and cloud strategy documents use the terms interchangeably.
Two valid frameworks
Cloud computing has historically been described through the NIST taxonomy of three service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and four deployment models (Public, Private, Hybrid, Community). The market has since added FaaS/Serverless as the fourth service model and replaced Community with Multi-cloud in most modern frameworks, which is why the "four types" question generates so much confusion.
The 4 deployment models
| Model | Definition | Typical Indian use case |
|---|---|---|
| Public cloud | Shared infrastructure operated by AWS, Azure, GCP, etc. | SaaS startups, GCCs, web and mobile apps |
| Private cloud | Dedicated infrastructure in customer or vendor datacentre | Banking, defence, sensitive government workloads |
| Hybrid cloud | Coordinated mix of public and private | BFSI, manufacturing ERP, regulated industries |
| Multi-cloud | Workloads spread across two or more public clouds | Risk hedging, vendor leverage, best-of-breed services |
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The 4 service models
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Virtual machines, storage, networking. Examples: AWS EC2, Azure Virtual Machines.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service): Managed runtimes and databases. Examples: AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service, AWS RDS.
- SaaS (Software as a Service): Fully managed business applications. Examples: Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Zoho.
- FaaS / Serverless: Event-driven function execution with no server management. Examples: AWS Lambda, Azure Functions.
How the two frameworks interact
Service and deployment models are orthogonal. You can run IaaS on Public cloud (EC2 in AWS), PaaS on Private cloud (Red Hat OpenShift on-prem), SaaS in a Hybrid model (Microsoft 365 Government Cloud), or FaaS across a Multi-cloud setup. The right combination depends on data residency, latency, compliance, cost profile, and the maturity of your platform team.
Practical guidance for Indian teams
For most Indian SaaS startups and digital-native businesses, default to Public cloud + a PaaS/Serverless service-model mix to minimise operational overhead. For BFSI, healthcare, and regulated industries, Hybrid plus IaaS/PaaS gives you regulatory control without losing cloud elasticity. Multi-cloud is rarely the right starting position because it doubles operational complexity. For deeper context, read the benefits of cloud computing and how to choose the right cloud provider.
How Opsio helps
Opsio designs cloud architectures across all four deployment models and all four service models, with deep specialisation in AWS and Azure. Our Managed Cloud Services team helps Indian enterprises pick the right combination based on regulatory profile, workload patterns, and total cost of ownership, then operates the platform end to end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FaaS the same as Serverless?
FaaS (Functions as a Service) is the most common form of Serverless, but Serverless is a broader concept that includes managed databases (Aurora Serverless, Azure SQL Serverless), event buses, and API gateways. All FaaS is Serverless, but not all Serverless is FaaS.
Is Hybrid cloud the same as Multi-cloud?
No. Hybrid combines private (on-prem or hosted) with public cloud. Multi-cloud uses two or more public cloud providers, often without private infrastructure. They solve different problems: Hybrid addresses data residency and legacy integration, Multi-cloud addresses vendor risk and best-of-breed services.
Which cloud model is best for Indian BFSI?
BFSI workloads typically use Hybrid cloud with Indian Region public cloud for elastic workloads and on-prem or sovereign cloud for systems of record. RBI guidelines on outsourcing and data localisation, and SEBI cybersecurity directives, shape the specific topology.
Is SaaS cheaper than building on IaaS?
For commodity functions (email, CRM, HR), SaaS almost always wins on total cost of ownership. For differentiated business logic, building on IaaS or PaaS lets you control roadmap and data, which often matters more than headline price.
How do I migrate to cloud computing?
Migration follows a discover, assess, plan, migrate, optimise lifecycle. See our step-by-step guide on how to migrate to cloud computing and our cost optimisation playbook in how to reduce AWS costs.
Written By
Country Manager, Sweden
Johan leads Opsio's Sweden operations, driving AI adoption, DevOps transformation, security strategy, and cloud solutioning for Nordic enterprises. With 12+ years in enterprise cloud infrastructure, he has delivered 200+ projects across AWS, Azure, and GCP — specialising in Well-Architected reviews, landing zone design, and multi-cloud strategy.
Editorial standards: This article was written by cloud practitioners and peer-reviewed by our engineering team. Content is reviewed quarterly for technical accuracy and relevance to Indian compliance requirements including DPDPA, CERT-In directives, and RBI guidelines. Opsio maintains editorial independence.