There are many different aspects to consider when you’re deciding whether to build your own data center or move to a public cloud, but at the end of the day, it’s all about what will work best for your business. This post will discuss what private and public clouds are and the pros and cons of each.
What Is A Private Cloud?
A private cloud is a virtualized computing environment hosted on-premises and controlled by an organization. It provides the same benefits as a public cloud, but it is not shared with other organizations. It offers more control over data and resources than a public or hybrid cloud. The company has complete control over the applications and data processed in the private network. The benefits of private clouds are that they provide flexibility and control over the infrastructure, security, and data. They also have lower costs than public clouds because they can be provisioned on-demand and don’t need to pay for unused capacity. The main disadvantage of a private cloud is that they are far more costly to set up and maintain than a public cloud.
Pros
Improved Resource Utilization
Private cloud users can take advantage of virtualization and improved resource utilization by deploying workloads across various physical servers in response to changing demands. Alternatively, you can adjust the resources allocated to a specific server to meet the needs of any given application making far more granular use of your resources as and when you need them.
More Specific Security
In theory, you can link a private cloud up via a company intranet and never have it accessible to the wider web providing a massive security boost. However, even if you need to connect it to the web, there are still some instances that make it more secure than public clouds. The physical security of a private cloud is more straightforward to ensure than that of a public cloud since they are hosted on physical machines. Private cloud environments are also more secure because they are connected via private and secure networks rather than public networks.
It Can Be Set Up According To Your Business Needs
When you use a public cloud, you are somewhat at the mercy of the cloud operator. While most larger cloud providers attempt to provide you with the services you need, they will never be able to match a private cloud system as they have other customers to consider.
High Performance
As per the previous point, a private cloud can be set up to precisely match your business requirements. Furthermore, as there is no need for other users to share resources, you are only limited by the number of your staff accessing it at once.
Cons
Costlier Than Public Clouds
Setting up the relevant infrastructure for a private cloud can be enormously costly for a business. Moreover, you will need to add in the costs of a dedicated IT department to keep your operations running smoothly. Moreover, keeping them up to date can be an expensive endeavor.
Compliance with Data Regulations Is Required
Data regulation is undoubtedly an excellent thing for the end-user but adds a significant layer of complexity to business operations. When using any form of private cloud, you must ensure that you follow all relevant customer data regulations.
Challenging To Scale Up
Aside from the initial setup cost, you will also be footing the bill whenever you need more storage or higher data transfer needs. Keeping your cloud prepared for your needs will become increasingly challenging as your business grows.
What Is A Public Cloud?
A public cloud is a type of cloud service that companies offer to customers over the internet. It is usually cheaper than the private cloud and has negatives that some companies might find unpalatable. Small to medium-sized companies or startups often use public clouds, but they are also used by large corporations for specific tasks.
Pros
Highly Scalable
Public clouds are scalable, meaning they can grow or shrink depending on customer needs. The scalability of public clouds means that they can adjust their capacity according to demand, which makes them more efficient than a private cloud.
Easier To Comply With Data Laws
It is generally the job of the cloud providers to remain au fait with all relevant laws and regulations regarding data.
Lower And More Manageable Costs
Because you don’t need to set up or maintain an entire system, you will save a considerable amount of money. In addition, as you pay a monthly or annual bill, accounting is much simpler.
Reliability
Cloud services are more reliable, meaning fewer chances of your service being interrupted by failures. While they fail occasionally, this usually isn’t an issue because providers spread the workload across several data centers.
Better Data Recovery Options
In the event that you have a private cloud that is corrupting your data, you may find yourself with a serious issue. However, this isn’t typically an issue with a public cloud as they distribute your data across several servers, making recovery much more manageable.
Collaboration And Remote Working Improvements
It can be challenging to share data with other team members or clients when using a private cloud. However, public clouds are expressly set up to make collaboration more straightforward.
Cons
It Is Out Of Your Control
This can be a good or bad thing, depending on your priorities. Nevertheless, because the service provider takes care of all maintenance and management, you could find a system upgrade severely impacting your operations or application compatibility.
Security Risks
While many of the larger public cloud providers (Google Cloud Platform, Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure) all provide a high level of security, they can become compromised because they are connected to the web and are accessed by millions of people.
Possible Compatibility Issues
If you have a private cloud, you likely already have a sophisticated IT department that can make your applications compatible with one another. However, if you use a public cloud and have no such department, you might find yourself struggling to connect some legacy systems to a modern cloud network.
The cloud has become a staple of modern business, and you will need to decide whether a public or private cloud suits your needs best. They both have pros and cons, and you will have to see if the cons are insurmountable or not if you are to make the right choice.
