More and more businesses are switching to cloud-based services. If you’re a company owner or you’ve been charged with the task of making IT services more effective and efficient, you may be considering the value of the cloud and weighing up the pros and cons of utilising specific types of cloud computing. If you’re unsure whether to opt for public, private or hybrid cloud services, hopefully, you’ll find this informative guide useful.
The different types of Cloud Services: Public vs Private vs Hybrid
The landscape in which modern companies operate is constantly changing and evolving, and this requires IT managers and company bosses to evaluate what works best for them on an ongoing basis. Today, it’s not enough to make a decision about the systems you use and then rest on your laurels. Before you know it, there are new ways of working in place, and if you can’t keep up, your business could lose out. Switching to the cloud offers both pros and cons, but there are ways of tailoring your service to ensure that it ticks most of the boxes. One hosting platform may be much better suited to one company than others, and this is why understanding the difference between public, private and hybrid cloud services is imperative.
Public Cloud Services
Public cloud services, such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, are an increasingly popular option for businesses, as they offer value for money and scope to reduce IT costs over a period of time. The resources you access via the public cloud are owned and operated by a third party cloud provider, and essentially, you act as a tenant. In a public system, you have access to the same software and storage systems as other companies or individuals, and you manage your account via a browser. Public cloud services are deployed for application tiers such as long-term data storage, testing environments for new apps and web-based email communications.
Public cloud services offer lower running costs and maintenance is conducted by the cloud provider. There’s virtually no limit when it comes to scalability, and the most popular systems offer high rates of reliability.
Private Cloud
Private cloud services are used exclusively by a single company or organisation. A private cloud service can be based in an office, or it may be provided by a third party. When the system is private, programmes are tailored to the business, and both the hardware and software are accessible only to those with permission. Private clouds are often employed by organisations, such as government departments. You may benefit from using private cloud services if you’re currently using shared storage and you have reservations about compliance, you use apps with predictable patterns, or you employ legacy apps that don’t function effectively in the public cloud.
Private cloud services offer unrivalled capabilities when it comes to creating a bespoke service, and they also offer enhanced security, which is beneficial for institutions and organisations, which deal with sensitive information. With private cloud services like those offered by Umbee Limited, you can establish a system that is suited to your business, giving you flexibility, control and access to the sophisticated security specifications you desire.
Hybrid Cloud Services
Research suggests that up to 90 percent of businesses plan to take advantage of a hybrid cloud system in years to come. In the most basic terms, hybrid cloud services offer the best of both worlds. The cloud computing landscape can be complex, especially if your business is multi-faceted, and there is no clear answer to the question about which type of cloud service suits you best. Hybrid cloud services are often recommended for large companies and organisations, which are keen to explore the scalability provided by a public cloud and the bespoke nature of the private cloud. It’s not always a certainty that apps will work as effectively in a public sphere, and some companies may choose to test-run these apps in a public cloud while maintaining core elements in the private cloud. A hybrid solution enables you to be flexible, but you can also benefit from enhanced security via the private cloud. Many people are hesitant about the security of the public cloud, and this approach enables you to shield the information you wish to keep close to you while benefiting from the advantageous aspects of the public cloud.
Which solution is best for me?
There is no universal answer to this question, as every business is different. The public cloud is a cheaper option, which is also reliable and scalable. The private cloud affords you the option to design a bespoke service, to which only you have access. The hybrid cloud gives you the option to maintain control of your cloud services, while also benefiting from resources provided by the public cloud. Weigh up the pros and cons for your company and consider seeking expert advice if you’re not sure which avenue to pursue.
