Cloud is an indispensable concept for businesses and many individuals these days. The meaning of working in the cloud is that we work and store over the internet, with the aim of increasing data accessibility and security. Working in the cloud can be done with a private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud. In this article, we zoom in on the differences between these options. That way, you will know which form of cloud service suits your business.
Why work in the cloud?
Whereas we used to store data on computers or other devices, today we prefer to store it online. This is often safer, offers greater accessibility, flexibility and saves costs. It is therefore smart to think about which type of cloud best suits your organisation. You can also seek tailored advice from a specialist.
What is private cloud?
A private cloud or private cloud is a cloud computing environment exclusive to one organisation. So it is a fully customised cloud environment over which you have maximum control. A private cloud can be hosted either by the organisation itself or by the provider, as can maintenance and ownership.
Private cloud definition: a cloud solution specifically tailored to one organisation. Hardware and software will not be shared with other organisations.
Benefits of private cloud
- Flexible: a private cloud is fully customised, allowing a specialist to tailor the infrastructure to the needs.
- High degree of control and security: it is only for your organisation and you decide entirely how to set up security and data storage. After all, you do not share the infrastructure with others, it is private.
- Scalable: a private cloud is relatively easy to scale up.
Drawbacks of private cloud
- Challenging: it takes a lot of time and thinking to set up (or have set up) the private cloud. Not an easy job, and you need to think carefully about your needs.
- Costly: Besides setting up, maintaining a private cloud also costs a relatively large amount of money. This is partly because the hardware itself has to be purchased. Moreover, you do not use standard solutions.
What is public cloud?
A public cloud or public cloud is a type of cloud computing where IT infrastructure and services are provided over the internet by external cloud service providers. In a public cloud, different companies or individuals can use the same shared IT infrastructure, applications and services. The related hardware, software and infrastructure remain the property of the supplier.
Examples of such public cloud services are Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services. You pay a fixed amount per user for the services you use and can easily add or remove users.
Public cloud definition: a cloud solution where apps and data reside on a shared and online infrastructure. Hardware and software are the property of the supplier.
Benefits of public cloud
- Cost-effective: you do not need to invest in hardware and software yourself. The wheel has already been invented by public cloud services and you only pay for what you use.
- Scalable: like private cloud, public cloud is also scalable, with the added advantage that scaling up here is much more cost-effective. Scaling down is also easy.
- Always up-to-date: little maintenance is required because the cloud provider takes care of maintaining the services.
- Reliable: the services are designed to have a lot of capacity and a large network of servers, making them less likely to fail.
Drawbacks public cloud
- Open infrastructure: being a public service and open infrastructure, a public cloud versus private cloud is labelled as less secure (of course, that does not mean it is not secure, there are plenty of measures that can be taken).
- Less custom options: you are limited to the capabilities of the cloud service in question, which is not enough for every (large) company.
What is hybrid cloud?
A hybrid cloud is a mix of a private cloud and a public cloud. The two types of infrastructure continue to function separately, but can be connected. This allows them to exchange data and applications with each other. So they work well together if set up properly.
With a hybrid cloud, companies can optimally distribute their data and workloads between the private and public cloud. This allows them to simultaneously benefit from the security and control of a private cloud and the cost savings and scalability of a public cloud.
A good example of using a hybrid cloud is storing files in the private cloud (such as OneDrive and Google Drive), and storing sensitive customer data and business applications in the private cloud.
Hybrid cloud definition: a cloud solution that combines the greatest advantages of private cloud (security) and public cloud (scalability and cost efficiency).
Benefits hybrid cloud
- Flexibility: it lets you decide which sensitive data to store in the private cloud, and what you prefer to store more cost-effectively in the public cloud. You are free to do this and can also change it more easily at a later date.
- Excellent balance between safety and cost: with hybrid cloud, it is easier to comply with privacy legislation because you store sensitive information privately, but at the same time enjoy the scalability and cost-efficiency of the public cloud. This provides an excellent balance.
- Easier shifting: if you already use a private or public cloud, you can make a phased transition with the hybrid cloud.
Drawbacks hybrid cloud
- Time-consuming (and therefore costly) to establish infrastructure: it is a one-off big job to set everything up properly and determine what should be in which cloud. This may involve some complexity.
- Pricier than public cloud alone: Because a private cloud must also be created, you end up more expensive than with just a public cloud.
Public, private or hybrid cloud for my organisation?
If you read the advantages and disadvantages of both public and private clouds, a hybrid cloud may seem like the best solution. After all, you combine the best of both worlds. And so that is what more and more companies are opting for.
Still, it is important to consider this choice carefully. After all, it is a waste to invest in a hybrid cloud if one of the two options also serves just fine. Again, this depends on the size of your organisation, and to what extent you work with sensitive information and systems. At Cloud360, request a free migration scan to get a better idea of what would be a good fit for your organisation.
Cloud360 for customised cloud solutions!
At Cloud360, we specialise in data migration and work with you to see which cloud solution best suits your needs, finances and organisation. We work independently, which has the advantage that we have no interest in pushing you in a certain direction. No, we opt for customisation and are happy to advise you on making the best choice of private, public or hybrid cloud.