Everyone agrees that there are many benefits to cloud computing, but whether to manage resources in a private or public cloud solution is the question.
Public Cloud Computing
Public clouds such as Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure have a number of benefits:
- Utility Model – With a Public Cloud, users pay by the hour for computer resources.
- No Contracts – Pay for what you use with no contracts requiring minimums.
- Shared Hardware – By definition, a Public Cloud is a multi-tenant environment. The server you use shares the same hardware, storage and network devices as the other tenants in the cloud.
- Self Managed – This is a pay-as-you-go utility model, not fully managed.
Generally speaking, most public cloud computing situations work best for web servers when security and compliance requirements are less of an issue for the organization and it’s customers.
Essentially, a public cloud is open to anyone interested in visiting the site. Visitors use its resources to perform permitted tasks or actions. Probably the most notable public clouds are Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Office 365, actually a Software as a Service (SaaS), compared to AWS which is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Private Cloud Computing
Private cloud hosting by definition refers a single-user environment. A single client or company has dedicated hardware, storage and a network. Virtual private cloud hosting is another type of private cloud computing solution. This environment allows multiple companies to use the same hardware. But it has the ability to create separate environments while keeping costs down. Companies buy portions of the hardware that they share with other tenants. In order to achieve privacy, they just create private subnets.
Private cloud computing has a number of benefits:
- Security – Because private clouds are dedicated to a single organization, the hardware, data storage and network can be designed to assure high levels of security that cannot be accessed by other clients in the same data center.
- Compliance – Sarbanes Oxley, PCI and HIPAA compliance can be delivered through a virtual private cloud or fully private cloud deployment, because the necessary hardware, data storage and network configurations are dedicated to a single client.
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Customizable –
Hardware performance, network performance and storage performance can be specified and customized in the private cloud.
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Hybrid –
A private cloud environment is combined with the use of public cloud services. Often there is at least one overlap between the environments. The goal is to combine the services and data from a variety of cloud models to create a unified, automated, and well-managed computing environment. A hybrid cloud environment combines private and public services to create value.
Although private and public clouds share many of the same characteristics, resources require more security measures to gain access. Private Clouds can serve multiple business units, or through a Hosting Provider, allocate portions of the Private Cloud to individual clients. Generally, pricing is much more predictable than a public cloud.
Today, organizations want to consolidate vendors. Public and Private clouds are options that provide different value.
So – which Cloud is right for you? Hey! You! We can help you get “on your Cloud”.
