Public, private, hybrid or multicloud: which is the best cloud for you?

Public cloud

Opting for the public cloud means that your cloud environment is located in a shared online infrastructure. You share this with other organisations within the cloud provider’s customer base. The cloud provider manages the hardware, infrastructure, and software on which your applications and cloud services run. Data is only visible and available to you. Examples of large and popular public clouds include Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the Google Cloud Platform.

Advantages of the public cloud

• One of the strongest points of the public cloud is its enormous scalability. Need to scale up additional resources at the drop of a hat during peak periods, such as the festive season or the summer months? And scale down just as quickly when things are relatively quiet? The public cloud offers you these possibilities. 
  Furthermore, it is perfectly possible to purchase additional subscriptions and licences for public cloud services at any time. The result? Your IT landscape grows naturally alongside your organisation.
   
• Because the cloud provider takes care of maintaining and updating the infrastructure, the public cloud offers you peace of mind. This means you save time and money and do not need to invest heavily in additional specialist knowledge.
   
• Public cloud providers usually operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means you only pay for the resources and services that you actually use.
   
• You can turn everything on yourself with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Disadvantages of the public cloud

• The possibilities for customisation are limited.
   
• You are heavily dependent on the expertise and responsiveness of the cloud provider, especially in the event of disruptions or security incidents.
   
• The built-in security measures in the public cloud alone are often insufficient to comply with European privacy and data protection laws and regulations. For example, you are obliged to store certain data on Belgian soil or in an EU country. Not every public cloud provider has data centres in Belgium or the European Union. Furthermore, with American cloud providers, you may be subject to the Patriot Act. If, for example, the FBI suspects that individuals or organisations are planning a terrorist attack on the internet, it can approach an American cloud provider and demand access to data. In addition, additional security measures such as penetration tests, audits and vulnerability assessments are sometimes necessary to create and maintain the required level of security. 
   
• Relying solely on the public internet is not always secure, especially when dealing with privacy-sensitive or business-critical information. Additional connectivity solutions, such as VPN, a private connection that bypasses the public internet, or extra encryption, are sometimes necessary.

Private cloud

The private cloud is an infrastructure that is specially designed for your organisation. This means you do not share the infrastructure with the cloud provider’s other customers. The private infrastructure is located on-premises in your company building, at the supplier’s premises or in an external data centre. You can also outsource maintenance to the cloud provider or data centre.

This type of construction is referred to as ‘single-tenant’. There is also a second variant of the private cloud model. In multi-tenant environments, multiple customers of a provider share resources in a private cloud. However, they do not have access to your data, as all your information is isolated and invisible to other organisations in an individual space assigned to your company. Each section of the cloud network is secured with complex permissions. This way, you can always be sure that only accredited and verified users have access to it.

Advantages of the private cloud

• The private cloud offers additional privacy and control. You do not share infrastructure with other parties.
   
• Compared with a public cloud, a private cloud offers more options for providing privacy-sensitive and business-critical data with the highest possible level of security. In addition, you decide for yourself how and where you store this data.
   
• You have more control than with a public cloud, so you can tailor your cloud environment entirely to the needs of your organisation.

Disadvantages of the private cloud

• A private cloud is somewhat less flexible than a public or hybrid cloud.
   
• The initial investment for setting up and adopting a private cloud is higher.

Advantages of the multicloud

• Want to minimise risks? A multicloud solution is an excellent way to do this, as it allows you to spread risks and workloads across multiple cloud environments. This reduces the risk of downtime or bandwidth shortages.
   
• A multicloud provides you with tools for creating a robust, supplier-independent solution for disaster recovery. Data and resources are always stored in at least two locations.
   
• Because you are using services and solutions from multiple cloud providers, you are not faced with (excessive) dependence on a single supplier (vendor lock-in).
   
• For each department, process or task, you choose the cloud platform that best suits your wishes and needs or a specific type of workload. Cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS offer many similar functionalities, but also include certain specialisations that you can utilise in a multicloud environment wherever and whenever you want

Disadvantages of the multicloud

• Setting up and managing a multicloud is a complex business that requires a lot of know-how. This means you need specialised staff, people who are difficult to find (and therefore expensive) in a tight labour market.

Hybrid cloud

A hybrid cloud combines one or more public and private cloud solutions, possibly supplemented with an on-premises component. This gives you the ability to combine the best elements of multiple cloud types and on-premises solutions into a single solution. The various infrastructures operate largely independently, but are able to exchange data with each other. Applications in the different cloud environments in a hybrid cloud also have the ability to communicate and collaborate with each other.

Advantages of the hybrid cloud

• Would you like to migrate to the cloud entirely at your own pace and in phases? But at the same time, are you striving for seamless integration between the cloud and your existing infrastructure? A hybrid cloud structure makes this possible.
   
• Due to the rise and professionalisation of cybercrime, attention to security is an absolute must for every organisation. The hybrid cloud offers a wide range of options and tools for setting up a robust and finely tuned security policy. You can process and store sensitive data (customer information, patient data, financial information, national insurance numbers) behind a firewall in a private cloud or manage it on-premises, while placing less sensitive information in the public cloud. Based on the desired level of security and the regulatory requirements, you can easily distribute data across different solutions and environments.
   
• The risk of vendor lock-in is low if you opt for the hybrid cloud. You can utilise multiple public and private cloud solutions based on your own preferences and requirements. 
   
• A hybrid cloud provides you with access to a varied and interesting spectrum of modern technologies. These include AI, machine learning, DevOps and edge computing.
   
• A well-designed hybrid cloud environment enables you to utilise the cloud cost-effectively. You only pay for the public part of the infrastructure when you need it. At times of peak load, you can effortlessly expand private resources to the public cloud.

Disdvantages of the hybrid cloud

• A hybrid cloud comes with its share of complexity, particularly in terms of management and access. You therefore often need a good cloud architect to ensure optimal management of a hybrid cloud environment.
   
• A hybrid cloud environment consists of several sub-environments. Without a comprehensive overview, the risk of safety issues and incidents increases.
   
• Compared with a fully public cloud solution, the start-up costs are quite high, mainly because you have to invest in specific hardware and software.

Public, private, hybrid or multi: which is the best choice?

Each cloud model has its own specific characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. The best option for you depends very much on the type of organisation and your business. Companies that value scalability, have little need for complexity, and only sporadically store and process sensitive information often find that a public cloud is sufficient. 

On the other hand, do you regularly work with sensitive information? And are you looking for optimal flexibility, freedom of choice, and the best possible functionality? Then a hybrid cloud solution or multicloud is usually more appropriate.
 

About Eurofiber 

Eurofiber is a leading provider of IT infrastructure: we offer connectivity and cloud solutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France. At Eurofiber, we understand what is involved in setting up and managing various cloud environments, and we would love to help you take the next step in your digital transformation process.