Cloud computing? Why don’t we start out with the basic question: “What is the ‘cloud’ and where is it?” We hear this term all of the time, but do we really know what it means? The ‘cloud’ is a buzzword that simply suggests that you can access your files anytime and from anywhere. No, this cloud we are referring to is not the white, puffy mist that you see in the sky–rather, it is an actual physical, third-party infrastructure. This infrastructure contains massive amounts of computers in huge warehouses all around the world. Crazy, right?
Now that we got that out of the way, lets briefly discuss the different options for cloud computing and situations, in which each option would be the obvious choice.
Public Clouds
A public cloud is one that offers the greatest amount of efficiency in shared resources. With a public cloud, the services and the infrastructure is provided off-site over the internet. However, because the public cloud is over the internet, it is much more vulnerable than private clouds. Choosing a public cloud is the obvious choice when:
- You have SaaS (Software as a Service) applications
- You need incremental capacity
- Your standardized workload for applications is used by many people in the business, such as email
- Your business does collaboration projects
Private Clouds
A private cloud is the opposite of a public cloud, in regards to the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network. Private clouds offer a higher level of control and security. However, the company is required to purchase and maintain all of the infrastructure and software. Choosing a private cloud is the obvious choice when:
- Control and security are imperative
- Your business is part of an industry is required to have strict security and data privacy
- Your company is large enough to run a next generation cloud data center efficiently on its own
Hybrid Clouds
A hybrid cloud is a combination of private and public clouds, with several providers. Choosing a hybrid cloud is the obvious choice when:
- Your company is concerned about security, but wants to run a SaaS application
- If this is the case, your SaaS vendor has the ability to create a private cloud just for your business inside their firewall. They also can provide you with a VPN for additional security
- Your business offers service/products that are unique to different vertical markets
- A public cloud can be used to interact with your clients, while a private cloud will help keep their data secured
“To-Do’s and Don’ts When Choosing The Right Cloud Computing Option
Questions to ask yourself (Do’s):
- What is my current and future data storage needs?
- What level of security does my business need?
- What are some desirable cloud service features?
- What cloud computing pricing plan fits my budget?
Don’ts:
- Choose a cloud computing option without undergoing proper risk assessment
- Choose a cloud service that is based on your short-term, rather than long-term needs.
- Choosing a cloud service in which the cloud security policy does not align with your organization’s security policy.
- Choosing a cloud service that does not have flexible pricing plans
The great thing about cloud computing is that you eliminate the headache of managing hardware, as well as software. By putting your business in the cloud, you only pay for what you need, scaling up or down is easy, and the upgrades are automatic–who wouldn’t like that?
Have questions about cloud computing? Visit our website, or call us at 1.866.9. TELTEK. We look forward to serving you!
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Teltek is a Certified Avaya Business Partner, NEC Dealer, Zultys, and Microsoft Partner with two locations in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. We specialize in providing one call technology support for small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and Pennsylvania.