Public vs Private Cloud: Which is best for your business in 2020?
For many, the way in which our teams work is continually changing.
As there is an ever-increasing move towards lighter, more flexible working and cloud computing, the main question starts to focus on what that cloud solution really looks like for your business. For most, the factors to consider will be cost, accessibility, reliability, and scalability. Whether you go private, public, or a combination of the two, will be determined by your type of business, regulations, budget, and future aims for your business.Before deciding, it’s good to have a solid understanding of what each option entails…
Public Cloud
What is it? In a public cloud, you share the same hardware, storage and network devices with other organisations or cloud “tenants”. You access services and manage your account using a web browser. Public cloud deployments are frequently used to provide web-based email, online office applications, storage, and testing and development environments.What are the advantages?
Lower costs – no need to purchase hardware or software, and you only pay for the service you use.
No maintenance – your service provider provides the maintenance.
Near-unlimited scalability – on-demand resources are available to meet your business needs.
High reliability – a vast network of servers ensures against failure.
When could it be right for you?
Rapid scaling is anticipated and enhanced flexibility requirements required to accompany this
Your business has a global reach with customers in diverse locations
Private Cloud
What is it? A private cloud consists of computing resources used exclusively by your business. The services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network and the hardware and software are dedicated solely to your organisation.What are the advantages?
The ability for your business to customise its cloud environment to meet your specific business needs.
Improved security as resources are not shared with others.
High scalability – private clouds still afford scalability and efficiency.
A compliant solution for certain industry regulations (such as government agencies and financial institutions)
When could it be right for you?
Use of private cloud is mandated by your industry’s regulation e.g. government agencies
Organisations with business-critical operations seeking enhanced control over their environment
You’re looking for customised resources to meet specific IT requirements
Or if you’re looking for the best of both worlds…Hybrid Cloud What is it? Hybrid cloud combines on-premises infrastructure (or private cloud) with public cloud with some form of integration or orchestration between them. In a hybrid cloud, data and applications can move between private and public clouds for enhanced flexibility. For example, you can use the public cloud for high-volume needs such as web-based email, and the private cloud (or other on-premises infrastructure) for sensitive, business-critical operations like financial reporting.The hybrid cloud can also be used to rapidly expand storage or computing when necessary for both planned and unplanned spikes in capacity requirements.What are the advantages?
Control – your organisation can maintain a private infrastructure for sensitive assets.
Flexibility – you can take advantage of additional resources in the public cloud when you need them.
Cost-effectiveness – with the ability to scale to the public cloud, you pay for extra computing power only when needed.
Ease – transitioning to the cloud doesn’t have to be overwhelming because you can migrate gradually – phasing in workloads over time.
When could it be right for you?
If you’re seeking to ensure maximum control whilst wanting the ability to scale quickly if needed
If your business anticipates seasonal spikes in workload/capacity requirements
If you’re wanting to gradually phase a transition towards cloud working
Next Steps?For further information on your different options for cloud based solutions and what would be the best fit for you business, enquire for a free consultation with our Sweethaven Business Services experts.