SHOULD BUSINESSES CHOOSE PRIVATE CLOUD OR PUBLIC CLOUD?

Cloud computing:

Nowadays, cloud computing has become popular not only in the information technology industry but also in the business community. More than ever, from businesses to governments, everyone knows that cloud computing will be inevitable in the future and needs to use it in their operations as soon as possible.

Therefore, choosing the right cloud computing model for each business to bring the highest efficiency is a matter of great concern.

To choose the right cloud computing model for your business, we first need to understand the concept of cloud computing, cloud computing models and the differences between these models.

So what is cloud computing?  Simply put, cloud computing is a collection of servers that store databases and software that can be accessed via the internet. These servers are located in data centers around the world. Businesses can eliminate costs such as maintenance costs, operating costs and server administration costs… when using cloud computing services.

Cloud computing models:

The most important factor to distinguish cloud computing models is the control that the enterprise has over each model. There are three cloud computing models: Private cloud, Public cloud, and Hybrid cloud (a combination of Private cloud and Public cloud).

1.  What is Private Cloud – Private Cloud Storage Model?

This is an internal model, owned by the enterprise itself. The entire IT infrastructure is invested and deployed by the enterprise itself. With this model, the infrastructure will be located within the enterprise itself or at the data centers of internet service providers.

Enterprises have full control, operation and maintenance of infrastructure systems such as network, hardware, storage according to their own requirements.

This model requires a team of staff who are very knowledgeable about IT infrastructure.

This model is suitable for businesses with  sensitive data and high security requirements  along with  system adaptability  and scalability  , such as government organizations, financial institutions, hospitals, educational institutions, etc.

Advantages of Private cloud model:

The most important advantage of the private cloud storage model is  its high security and compliance capabilities . In addition, this model also has the following advantages:

Businesses  have full control over their  data  and customize the core architecture as they wish. This makes monitoring easy and efficient.

Customization and reliability:  The private cloud model gives businesses the ability to customize components of their IT infrastructure for maximum performance. It also offers a high level of reliability.

The private cloud model also offers users  more features  like monitoring and automation tools than the public cloud model.

High Performance:  The private cloud model is suitable for businesses with strong cloud computing needs because it creates space to upgrade the infrastructure for the business alone.

Disadvantages of Private cloud model:

Besides the above advantages, the Private Cloud Storage model also has the following disadvantages:

High cost:  Compared to the public cloud storage model, this model has a much higher cost because businesses have to spend money to invest in everything from software copyright to hardware infrastructure, network infrastructure, human resources, etc.

Difficulty in maintenance and deployment:  Businesses need to have a team of highly skilled personnel to deploy and maintain their IT infrastructure systems. However, businesses can hire cloud management service providers to do the difficult work.

Limited remote access:  Due to the security-first approach of the model, remote access will be limited, which in certain cases will reduce the efficiency of the business.

2. Public Cloud – What is the Public Cloud Storage Model?

Instead of investing in an IT infrastructure system, managing, operating and using it for themselves, businesses will rent cloud storage services from service providers through the Internet environment. This is the Public Cloud Storage model.

In this model, the cloud service provider will invest in IT infrastructure and share resources for users to rent. There will be many unrelated users, using the same resources provided through the internet environment.

This model gives businesses access to powerful cloud computing at an extremely affordable cost.

Advantages of Public cloud model:

There are many advantages to the Public cloud model, but the most prominent advantage of this model is related to  cost :

No investment costs, no maintenance or operating costs ; payment based on usage needs makes this model very popular with small and medium enterprises and startups.

Most cloud storage providers offer  disaster recovery services , which is a service that is difficult to perform with traditional storage methods (Private cloud).

Scalability and reliability:  The Public cloud model allows you to scale and upgrade resources whenever you want.

User-friendly and easy to use:  Service providers always bring the most convenience to users when deploying and managing services.

Disadvantages of Public cloud model:

Some disadvantages you will encounter when using this model:

Issues related to compliance and data security:  this is the issue that businesses are most concerned about when using this model. Businesses will need to have long-term and specific security strategies when using this model.

Can be costly if not managed properly:  Most service providers charge on a pay as you go basis, which may sound convenient but be wary of the additional service charges.

Limited Customization and Technical Support:  Providing services to a wide range of users results in limited customization of some components. Some service providers do not provide technical support or provide limited support which also affects the effectiveness of this model.

Let’s summarize the main differences between these two models in the following table:

 

Which model should I choose?

For professional cloud enthusiasts, the pay-as-you-go model, coupled with the ability to use resources and scale instantly and flexibly, completely overwhelms the traditional model (Private cloud). Additionally, professional cloud users and the cloud community believe that the security, near-physical data level control, and enhanced management visibility make the Public cloud model the best choice for businesses.

However, instead of comparing which model is more perfect, we should consider which model is best for our business. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. Factors you need to consider are cost, scalability, business needs, performance and flexibility.

There is no specific process or diagram to guide businesses in choosing the right model. However, if businesses need powerful, high-performance cloud computing, they should use the Private cloud model, such as hospitals, government organizations, and educational institutions.

The nature of a business’s operations and the size of the business will be the main factors for a business to choose the appropriate model.

For small and medium-sized enterprises and startups with limited budgets, the Public cloud model will be the most suitable choice.

Combining both models (Hybrid cloud) is also a smart choice for businesses because it takes advantage of the advantages of both Private Cloud and Public Cloud models.

If you are having difficulty or are confused about choosing the right model for your business, please contact us at Cloudbase so we can help you make the best decision.