What's the Difference: Private Cloud Vs Public Cloud

Cloud computing is something most business owners have heard about in some way, as today’s customers expect things faster and more secure than ever. Utilizing the cloud allows a business to store, manage, and access data and applications over the internet. Not all clouds are the same, however, and understanding the difference between a public and private cloud is vital to ensure the needs of your particular business can be met.

What is the Cloud?

"The Cloud” can be a bit daunting to those unfamiliar with it, but it is basically a huge network of servers and computing resources that can be accessed over the internet. These servers are hosted in data centers that are maintained and operated by cloud service providers (CSPs), such as Amazon with AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Google with GCP (Google Cloud Platform). These providers allow companies and users to avoid or reduce costly physical on-site infrastructure for their computing needs and instead use their servers to store and retrieve files, run software applications, host websites, and process large datasets, all with the convenience of remote access from any internet-enabled device.

Related Content: Reasons to Use Small Business Cloud Solutions

Exploring the Public Cloud

When looking at cloud computing, the Public Cloud model is the most common and what typical businesses would be using. This model has multiple organizations sharing resources and often operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. CSPs will have servers located around the world, allowing customers to scale resources up or down on-demand while providing access to their data from any internet connection. One of the potential concerns with the Public Cloud would be around security and data privacy, as a shared infrastructure has some inherent risks and higher potential for data breaches and so regular risk assessments and enforcing additional security measures such as encryption and multi-factor authentication are recommended.

Understanding the Private Cloud

The Private Cloud, on the other hand, provides a significant boost to security, as well as data compliance and ownership. In this model, a business would own and manage the servers, storage, and networking components, either on their own or through a trusted third-party service provider. The advantages of cloud computing are maintained, such as access to data, applications and services, but this model is going to be more expensive as you are no longer “sharing” the expenses of running the servers the way your business would with the public cloud model.

Choosing the Right Cloud Model

When it comes to selecting a model for your business, you will need to consider the following:

• Type of Data - What kinds of data are you handling? Is it information that you have additional legal requirements to protect? Will the additional security measures you bring in be sufficient to use the public cloud?

• Budget - There are distinct differences in the pricing between these two models, if you are a smaller business, you may not have the capital to purchase and maintain a Private Cloud. It is important to note when examining costs - the public cloud model CAN be cheaper, but is it not a guarantee and you should monitor usage to prevent unnecessary spending.

• Scalability - What is your projected growth path? Will you need the dynamic flexibility of the public cloud or the consistent, dedicated resources of a private cloud?

• Existing IT Infrastructure - What are your current investments? Do you already have on-premise infrastructure that only requires the addition of a Private Cloud setup? Does your team have the bandwidth to manage this or is using a Public Cloud a better fit for your team?

Speaking to Experts

Choosing the right model can be a complex process, and the advice and support of an expert IT team can take the burden off your shoulders. A dedicated IT team can assist in selecting the optimal cloud model for your unique situation, setting up the infrastructure, and providing ongoing support to ensure a smooth transition and efficient cloud operations.

Talk to Our Team of Experts Today

Premier IT is a dedicated IT support team that manages all your technology needs. We pay attention to the details so you can focus on what you do best. We provide technical consulting, hosted infrastructure, computer & network support, security, Microsoft support, repairs, network monitoring and more. If your small business needs reliable technical support, contact our team of experienced technicians and engineers.