What Cloud Are You On? – Tech Tip for April 30, 2019
Continuing on April’s theme of All About Servers” we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the different types of cloud services that can be used to replace or augment your on-premise servers. You have probably heard about cloud computing a lot by now, it has become a buzz word in every single industry. If you don’t fully understand it, don’t be concerned because the truth is that it is very complex. In this edition of Tech Tips we would like to tell you about different categories of cloud and concepts that lay groundwork for cloud technologies.
At its essence, cloud technology is based on the concept of virtualization. The data that users work with on their machines can be located on a physical server or virtual server. Data centers can reside on company premises or can be maintained by a third party provider with servers located across various geos. User machines in both instances can be compared to a portal through which users access needed application/information.
Let’s look at 3 types of cloud available today: Private, Public and Hybrid.
Private Cloud is the space designated for your company data and is located on your company’s servers or inside your company’s firewall. This type of infrastructure is generally supported by your IT department. The physical servers (data center) would typically be located on the company premises in a temperature controlled, secure environment. Your company retains full control of the hardware and information in this scenario. Private cloud can be used by company employees, partners and customers.
Businesses will incur high expenses initially when setting up the cloud but overtime, this option may be less expensive compared to public cloud. It is most often used in industries that are highly regulated or the ones working with sensitive information. An organization that is physically in full control of its data center can assure a higher degree of security. Benefits of private cloud are cost savings, control, security and full resource utilization. It is important to note that when choosing this option, businesses should have a good understanding of its workloads and customization requirements.
Public Clouds are hosted in data centers belonging to third party cloud service provider organizations. Cloud resources are delivered over the internet and accessed via web browsers. Your company data may reside on the same hardware as that belonging to other company. The advantage of this type of cloud is that there are no costs associated with the initial investment into hardware or software, power generators, temperature stability, technical service and maintenance. Cloud providers take these responsibilities upon themselves and charge customers based on a pay-as-you go model. Public Cloud is most commonly used for corporate email, CRM systems, Accounting and HR applications.
Hybrid Cloud is the “Best of Both Worlds” combining features of both Private and Public Cloud. Hybrid Cloud allows you to retain full control over your data while taking advantage of additional resources and flexibility of the Public Cloud. This option is cost effective because you only pay when you need extra computing power, otherwise, your company will rely on Private Cloud. In some cases, it can be an intermediary step before transitioning to Public Cloud completely, however, many companies will opt in for a hybrid solution.