Which cloud deployment model is right for your business?

Public cloud is a deployment model where cloud resources, such as applications and infrastructure (server, operating system, network connectivity, storage, etc.), are delivered to an organisation or a group of organisations over the internet by a third-party service provider. The cloud provider solely manages its hardware, software, and all supporting infrastructure. This ownership by an outside provider also means that all the infrastructure is located outside the client’s premises and control.

Examples of public cloud include Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure.

The biggest benefit of selecting a public cloud model is paying only for the computing resources you use. So, it’s typically cheaper than other deployment models.

Other pros include high speed of deployment and highly flexible scaling options based on your business demand. If your business needs change, you can easily add or remove capacity by requesting changes from the cloud service provider who reserves additional resources to adapt to changing demands.

Given its low cost, scalability, and flexibility, a public cloud solution is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with dynamic business growth and a limited budget. On the other hand, the main drawbacks include higher security risks for your data, privacy vulnerabilities, and lack of customisation or individuality.

As the name suggests, in a private cloud deployment the cloud computing resources and supporting infrastructure are dedicated solely to a specific organisation or enterprise. 

The private cloud can be hosted internally at your organisation’s onsite data centre, or it can be hosted externally by a third-party service provider. But the services and infrastructure are always maintained on a private network, which is guarded by advanced firewalls under the surveillance of the IT department that belongs to a particular organisation.

Private cloud providers typically allow the environment to be customised based on your requirements. You also have greater control and management over your organisation’s data. Outside interference is minimal to none, while security, privacy, and reliability can be based exclusively on your needs.

As a result, this type of deployment is typically favoured by large-scale organisations that want to deploy mission-critical applications or handle high volumes of confidential data and comply with strict data regulations, such as those in the healthcare, banking, or legal domain. It is ideal for businesses that require a completely customised solution in place.

However, the biggest downside to private cloud is the cost. It can be cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses with a limited budget to set up and maintain a private cloud environment. 

A hybrid cloud model can combine two or more distinct cloud solutions, such as one public and one private, to deliver the benefits of multiple deployment models. For instance, you may want to host your mission-critical applications in a private cloud environment, while storing generic data and power-intensive applications in a public cloud.

This approach is ideal for organisations that require certain business services and/or sensitive information to reside on-premise, but want to leverage the power of public cloud solutions to reduce the burden on existing IT infrastructure. 

It can be more challenging to set up and maintain a hybrid cloud environment, but it enables organisations to better utilise existing resources, provides a more customised degree of fault tolerance and security, along with increased levels of scalability and flexibility.