And most importantly what is the difference? And how do organisations know which one is right for them?
CLOUD IS HERE TO STAY
An increasing number of organisations are now well aware of their way to the Cloud. Why? This can be expressed in one word: convenience. After all, IT infrastructure has necessarily become commonplace, but nobody wants to have to deal with it themselves. So, how easy is it to get this from a Cloud provider like Fundaments? In addition, the Cloud has a flexible way of consuming: OPEX costs (recurring costs) suit most business operations much better than CAPEX models (one-off investments), where hardware has to be invested upfront. This simple way of consuming, huge scalability and pay by use make the Cloud the way to go for many organisations. This, of course, does not only apply to large organisations. For example, think about how your own way of consuming has changed. Most people these days no longer rent a DVD from the local video store, but ‘Netflix’ on the go. Even travelling by bus is actually becoming a bit old-fashioned now that we can grab the well-known green GO Sharing scooter on every street corner.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLOUD
There are many types of Cloud, so which is the best one to choose? To answer this question, let's first look at the different types of Cloud. We'll explain them all.
Public Cloud
Public Cloud is the Cloud type most people think of when talking about ‘working in the Cloud’. A Public Cloud is one service offered to many customers at the same time. It is therefore a shared infrastructure. Public Clouds are especially useful for generic services. Think of the well-known Dropbox, where you can easily back up large files. Google Drive, Evernote and Microsoft Azure are also examples of services delivered from a Public Cloud.
The Public Cloud provider determines the conditions of the service. As a user, you have no say in this. An advantage of this is that you do not have to maintain the system yourself. Updates and changes are made automatically. A disadvantage is that the software or data is entirely on the servers of the external service provider. This means that it is not always known where your data is exactly.
Private Cloud
The name says it all: a Private Cloud is a form of Cloud used by one organisation. And because this Cloud is intended for a single user, it can be set up entirely on your own terms. In other words, it is a customised Cloud. The user has full control of not only the functionalities, but also data storage, security and service quality. This makes it the most secure kind of Cloud. Setting up and maintaining this infrastructure is often outsourced to third parties, such as Fundaments, because of the specialist knowledge and time intensity it requires.
Multi Cloud
In the case of Multi Cloud, multiple Clouds are used that are not managed in one generic way. These can be Public and or Private Clouds. Combining the right services and strengths of each Cloud creates the best foundation for each application and work environment. However, the downside here is that you use different management silos with different teams providing management.
Hybrid Cloud
Stepping up is Hybrid Cloud. This is a combination between a Private Cloud and a Public Cloud. For example, a Private Cloud is used for business-critical applications, and a Public Cloud is used for functions where security plays a less important role. A Hybrid Cloud therefore makes use of the best of both worlds.
With Hybrid Cloud, the different Clouds are managed in one generic way. This is a great advantage as only one management tool is required and application mobility is easy.
The term Hybrid Cloud can also refer to organisations that have data both inside and outside the organisation. For example, an organisation that has just invested in hardware but is also keen to move to the Cloud. In a case like this, it is financially more convenient to write off the hardware first and only after that move fully to one of the Cloud types. Until then, in-house hardware can be connected to the Cloud from an infrastructure manager like Fundaments. This can be done by keeping the hardware within the organisation's walls, or by putting it in the infrastructure manager's data centre. This allows the organisation to benefit from all the advantages of the Cloud (scalability, freedom, security, cost savings) and still keep the financial advantage of depreciation.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE?
All different types of Cloud handle different issues and challenges. So, unfortunately, there is no one size fits all.
Cloud is hence not a location. It is a way of automatically distributing IT resources to users and to Cloud-native applications.
It always starts with looking at the critical business processes and their requirements from the business. After that, you look at which systems support these processes and in what ways they depend on them. Only thereafter can you start thinking about which landing zones (Clouds) are available that meet these requirements. When making this choice, you should always consider a number of questions, namely:
- Can I put my application there?
- May I put my application there?
- Do I want to put my application there?
- What are my options when circumstances change?
Because not every application fits on every Cloud and it is critical for an application to be placed in the right Cloud, we could conclude that Multi Cloud is a reality these days. In addition, keeping the platform manageable on every Cloud is best done by implementing a hybrid solution: one way of managing a Cloud platform, but with the benefits that Private and Public Cloud offer. So, the question these days is not whether to use Private Cloud or Public Cloud, it should be a combination of both. But, how much of each is right for your organisation?
Fundaments can help you with this. As we know all Cloud platforms inside out, we can ensure that all applications and workloads land in the right place and are then set up.
Want to know more about the different Cloud routes? Then take a look at the Cloud Expert Class 'The different Cloud routes'.
