Cloud computing is rapidly replacing traditional IT infrastructures at an accelerating rate. To keep up with business demands and security requirements, companies that offer cloud services have developed several different cloud models. Private clouds, public clouds, and hybrid clouds are three of the most common. Many companies have found that hybrid clouds offers them the scalability, flexibility, and cost benefits of public cloud computing and the security benefits of private cloud computing.
Public clouds, private clouds, hybrid clouds? What does it all mean?
At its heart, the term “cloud computing” refers to using a network of servers to store, manage, and process data. This is different from the more traditional IT services where a company has a server in the data room dedicated to one task (running an application or a specific database) or a PC on an employee’s desk to use for that individual’s computing needs.
A public cloud is one that is available to the public and any business willing to pay the service provider. This cloud offers a network of servers on which the provider offers applications and storage, all working under a standard cloud computing model. A private cloud, however, is only available to a certain company or organization instead of the public. That cloud can be hosted at an external facility or as an internal one, depending on the company’s requirements.
Some companies want to have dedicated servers in-house running specific applications, while simultaneously using a public cloud, or virtual servers, to provision the rest of their computing needs. How do companies get virtual and dedicated servers work together? They do this by creating a hybrid cloud.
Why choose the hybrid cloud model?
Hybrid clouds allow companies to leverage the benefits of both the public cloud and the private one. This includes flexibility, security, performance, and optimized costs. It is easy to see that integrating virtual and dedicate computer resources offers specific business benefits that companies don’t get with the completely public or private cloud models.
How does a company set up a hybrid cloud?
Setting up a hybrid solution begins with selecting a public cloud provider. The provider will give the business the public cloud resources that it needs. The provider can also help the company with the next step, setting up a cloud management plan.
The business will need to analyze its ongoing computing needs. Then, the business decides what computing needs can use public cloud resources and what needs to stay in-house. Security is usually the biggest concern driving those decisions. That information goes into the cloud management plan.
The cloud management plan also includes details on resource provisioning, security, user management, and disaster planning. The up-front planning makes the real transition easier.
Once the plan is complete, the next step is transitioning to the new hybrid environment. This can be done in all one shot or one system at a time. The cloud provider can help the business determine the best option for the company’s needs and processes.
After the transition, the company will need to have solutions in place to manage the hybrid cloud. This can be internal staff, outsourced expertise, or a combination of both, depending on the business’ needs.
Now, of course, that is only a brief summary of how a company plans and implements the hybrid cloud model for its own computer systems. Finding a provider with the expertise necessary to make a smooth transition is the first priority. 3essentials can help you with all your cloud computing needs.
