Private vs. Public vs. Hybrid cloud to use for businesses

When choosing to move to Cloud Computing, you should first decide which type of Cloud you want to utilize. Cloud Computing services are distributed in three main forms: public, private, and hybrid. These three types differ in the level of security available and the administration required for a service. Depending on the Cloud Computing service you are looking to host, you will want to choose the appropriate model for your business requirement.

Public Cloud

The Public Cloud refers to the hosting of a customer’s computing infrastructure at a Cloud vendor’s premises. This means that the services and infrastructure are provisioned and provided from a remote, geographically-distanced location over the public Internet. The customer has no visibility and control over where the Cloud services are being hosted. The core computing infrastructure is shared between many organizations; however, each organization’s data, applications, and infrastructure is logically segregated so only authorized users are allowed access.

An example of a Public Cloud service is NIRIX’s oneBackup, an online, off-site backup program which uses the Internet to backup data off customer’s servers to the NIRIX datacenter for storage.

Private Cloud

The Private Cloud service means that the computing infrastructure is hosted on a “Private Cloud” private hosting platform, dedicated to a particular organization, and not shared with other organizations. There are two types of Private Clouds: on-premise Private Clouds and externally-hosted Private Clouds (externally-hosted Private Clouds are also exclusively used by one organization, but are hosted by a third-party that specializes in Cloud infrastructure).

An example of the Private Cloud is NIRIX’s oneServer with dedicated servers. With this type of service, the customer is provisioned a private server to host applications/web applications, websites, other software, etc. Only the customer has access to the server.

Hybrid Cloud

As a median to the Public and Private Cloud, the Hybrid Cloud has become more popular for businesses wanting to adopt Cloud Computing for efficiency and cost savings, but wanting privacy and control for core business data and systems. The usage of both Private and Public Clouds together is called a Hybrid Cloud. This often entails the customer company’s use of its own personal (in-house) computing infrastructure for regular operations, combined with the hosting of certain specific applications or systems on the Cloud.

An example of the Hybrid Cloud would be a business maintaining in-house backup, but using a services like oneExchange, a Cloud-based email application provided by NIRIX.

When is Each Type of Cloud Appropriate?

Public Cloud For the Masses

Public Clouds are popular with businesses looking to cut IT costs. These businesses are concerned with security, but scalability, efficiency, and affordability are the most important features. These businesses often lack in-house IT administration and expertise.

Public Clouds offer the best level of efficiency and affordability, as well as the ability to scale on-demand, as customers share the larger Cloud. However, Public Clouds can be more vulnerable than Private Clouds as they are public hosting platforms, and may have limited flexibility – configuration, security, and service level – as they are hosted a shared Cloud infrastructure.

Private Cloud when Security, Flexibility, and Control is Critical

Businesses often choose the Private Cloud because they require control of their business-critical data and applications and also require the highest level of security, often due to regulatory compliance, and want private hosting. Private Clouds are popular with highly-regulated industries as they are often more comfortable having their data hosted privately and physically separated from other businesses.

Private Clouds offer the greatest level of security and control. However, Private Clouds are more expensive than Public Clouds as the company needs to invest in and maintain hardware or Private Cloud infrastructure and software (dedicated hosting) and are more limited in scalability. Private Clouds often require in-house IT administration and expertise.

The Best of Both Worlds

Businesses often chose the Hybrid Cloud, a combination of shared hosting and dedicated hosting, to enjoy the best of both worlds. The Hybrid Cloud offers businesses an option to host some applications on the Public Cloud to cut costs, and increase scalability and efficiency while keeping critical data in-house or on a Private Cloud infrastructure for the utmost security and control. This type of Cloud can become complicated as it requires the tracking of multiple providers and security platforms to ensure all systems work cohesively.

When transitioning to the Cloud, it is important to do your homework. You should carefully consider which type of Cloud services best meet your business requirements, and then research Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) that offer your chosen services. Not all Cloud Service Providers support all types of Cloud, and there are no “one solution fits all” situations in the Cloud. Also keep in mind that transitioning from one form of Cloud to another may not be seamless, so initial assessment and evaluation is important. Ensure that you understand the services you require, the level of security you need, any legal obligations to certification and compliancy your industry may require, and your chosen Cloud Service Provider’s stance on Cloud types.