From the looks of it, cloud computing is here to stay. Several studies predict that cloud-use will increase dramatically over the next few years. For SMB owners, the cloud realm can be overwhelming. There are a lot of things to consider when moving your company to a cloud system. In a previous post, we briefly introduced you to the various types of clouds available to you: public, private and hybrid. In today’s post, we will give you an in-depth look at public and private clouds, including some pros and cons of each, in order to give you a better understanding of why IronOrbit’s cloud system is a good solution for your business.
Public clouds
Public clouds, like Facebook and Google, are owned by the provider and made available to the general public through a server. According to the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), a public cloud “may be owned, managed, and operated by a business, academic, or government organization, or some combination of them.” Multiple tenants can access this type of cloud since you are sharing infrastructure with other people. The following is a list of the major pros and cons of public clouds (although this should not be taken as an exhaustive list of either):
Pros
- Cost: There are several cost benefits that come with using a public cloud. Public clouds are generally free or available as pay-as-you-go services; you pay hourly for the resources you use.
- Accessibility: Since the infrastructure of public clouds is shared, information is easily accessible. This is particularly advantageous to organizations that wish to get their information out to the public quickly and easily. Readily-available tools make it easier to develop, launch, and promote new services.
- Increased utility: Since they are easily accessible, public clouds have a wide range of uses and can be utilized for numerous activities.
Cons
- Security: One of the main drawbacks of a public cloud is a lack of security. Because systems are shared, it is easy for people outside of your organization to access your information. Some sites are vulnerable to attacks, thereby making your company vulnerable by extension. Backups and other security measures are not consistent across the board, so the user is responsible for ensuring their data is not completely lost if the cloud is attacked.
- Limited customization: The purpose of public clouds is utility; they are meant to be used by a broad range of people doing a broad range of things. Some companies have specific needs and wants; public clouds are not customized to your company’s individual needs since they are meant to be utilized by the general public.
Private clouds
Private clouds are managed by a third-party organization and tailored for a specific client, based on their needs. According to the NIST, private clouds “may be owned, managed, and operated by the organization, a third party, or some combination of them, and it may exist on or off premises.” Access to individual clouds is limited to the organization it is designed for and to anyone else they choose to whom they choose to grant access. One report showed that 41% of executives would prefer a private cloud. Like the public cloud, there are pros and cons to this type of cloud computing.
Pros
- Security: There is an increased level of security since private clouds can only be accessed by designated people. This is of great importance if your business handles or deals with sensitive information (e.g. healthcare or government agencies).
- Control and flexibility: You have the ability to control what your cloud looks like and how it is used. Customers using this type of cloud have control and ownership of the cloud even if it is implemented by a third-party.
- Ease: You don’t have to worry about maintaining a system; it is taken care of by the company you hired.
Cons
- Cost: Since private clouds are created and designed for a specific corporation, there is an associated cost with designing and maintaining them.
- Time: Private clouds take more time to implement (but once they are created, there is little to no difference in speed of processing).
IronOrbit offers the best of both worlds:
- Low cost: IronOrbit knows that as an SMB, every dollar counts. That’s why we are proud to offer services that start at just $1/day. For a flat monthly fee you get access to your private cloud from any device, anywhere in the world. Disaster backup and recovery are also included in this low cost, and we guarantee that there will be no unpredictable fees tacked onto your account.
- Security: We pride ourselves in our multi-level security system, designed to deliver the highest levels of protection to our customers. In order to further protect your system, we have developed our Orbital Security System, which includes:
- Physical & environmental security
- Operational security
- Backup & disaster recovery
- Logical & system security
- Customization: Our services are customizable, based on your business needs. Our team of experts takes your business into account when designing your private cloud and develops it to your specifications.
- Access: Since you probably don’t live at your office, IronOrbit allows its users to access their information from anywhere in the world, instantly and securely.
- Speed: Through Kaviza’s “VDI in a box, IronOrbit can set up your entire network of Virtual Desktops, with multiple servers, in less than two hours.