When it comes to IT infrastructure there are many options to choose from. Businesses of all sizes and scopes can benefit greatly from a private cloud dedicated to their specific needs and IT requirements.
In this article, we are examining the business benefits of private cloud computing. Read on to find out if going private is the way to go for your business.
Cloud Computing 101
Cloud computing provides a business with computing power as a service. This is done through a virtualized system that can be accessed remotely via a process known as virtualization. So, users gain access to the cloud from any computer within a company, regardless of in-house servers and hardware infrastructure.
Cloud computing generally falls into three categories: public, private and hybrid.
In public cloud solutions, a third party provider owns all compute resources. Corporate customers access the cloud servers over the internet.
In
private cloud solutions, businesses obtain their own proprietary cloud architecture, which is designed to deliver the same services as public cloud computing, but tailor-made to fit the needs of that specific business. Private clouds are deployed when the needs of a business cannot be met by public cloud packages.
Hybrid cloud solutions combine some of the distinct features of private cloud with the third party support of a large provider, such as Microsoft's Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Public vs. Private vs. Hybrid
So, what are the practical differences?
Private cloud is basically an internal enterprise cloud, which resides on a dedicated hosted data center. This protects all your business data behind a firewall. It is your company's responsibility to maintain and update the private cloud infrastructure.
Public cloud gets all the worry off your shoulders in exchange for security and customization. Your data is stored remotely and the third party provider is solely responsible for security and maintenance. This means that your data will be jointly hosted with the data of other companies, which might compromise overall security.
Hybrid clouds basically connect a private cloud with a public cloud infrastructure. It can be more flexible and cost-effective, but there are often compatibility issues across cloud infrastructures.
Private Cloud Features and Advantages
There are several
business benefits to private cloud computing, especially against their public cloud equivalents.
When a business implements a private cloud properly, they gain access to all the benefits of public cloud, including scalability and self-service, with a range of added benefits stemming from the customization and bespoke configuration of virtual machines.
We examine the most prominent private cloud benefits ones below:
Security and Privacy While public cloud was a huge step forward in terms of security, private clouds are the securest option for your company. With a dedicated firewall, physical security and anti-virus programs your data is virtually invulnerable to external threats.
Keep in mind that private clouds are still susceptible to internal attacks. However, when it comes to external access, you have complete control over who sees your data. There are no third party employees that can potentially access your data, as it's possible through public cloud services.
Reliability and Resilience Thanks to virtualized private server environments, your data is more secure than ever. Not only are backups easier and more reliable, but the network itself is more resilient to failure.
Private cloud gives you the option to perform backups in real time. Also, when failures do happen, your team can easily shift resources from crashed servers to unaffected servers, mitigating the effects of the crash.
Improved Flexibility While all cloud solutions are scalable, private cloud gives you the power to be more flexible. You can have your team relocate resources, launch new side servers and create new protocols on the fly. With private cloud computing, you don't have to worry about finding physical servers that will accommodate your needs; you just build them yourself!
Complete Control Your private cloud is only accessible by your own employees. You have full control over how to configure and manage it in order to develop a network that truly serves your business.
Utilization Efficiency Related to the above, with a private cloud model, you can optimize the allocation of resources. Your IT team can adjust the availability of resources across different business functions and respond to shifting demands on the go. This reduces not only manpower requirements, but also actual energy consumption, which leads to reduced operational costs.
Moreover, privately tailored virtualization dramatically increases the value of your physical hardware. By virtualizing your machines in a single server, you can pool resources and optimize performance. This reduces power usage while increasing functionality.
With private solutions, you can also copy your servers, turn off unused servers, and generally make the most out of every dollar spend on IT.
Scalable Cost-Effectiveness Simply put, the larger your company, the more you will benefit from private cloud virtualization. Your servers can be combined and virtualized, saving time and money.
This is especially true if your company runs more than two servers, as the benefits of virtualization scale up exponentially the more servers you operate!
Potential Private Cloud Disadvantages
Obviously, private cloud also has some disadvantages, albeit minor. For example, private cloud infrastructure will increase the complexity of your IT operations. You cannot expect a private solution to work without a dedicated internal IT team.
Moreover, the entire support, maintenance and update of your cloud falls solely to you and your IT experts. With no third party provider to assist you, you will either have to rely on your own team, or a full-service technology partner to help you out when things go wrong.
A Full-Service Technology Partner You can Trust
If you are seeking to explore your cloud options, or need to implement a new solution, you should consider teaming up with a reputable and reliable technology partner.
Advanced Network Professionals offers a tailored approach to technology consulting, seamless managed IT Services and scalable cloud based solutions that are needed to thrive in today's digital world.
Whether you have questions, or want to implement a cutting edge technology solution, contact Advanced Network Professionals today to get started with an audit of your existing infrastructure.