Every business has unique needs and meeting them all can be a tricky task. But the right cloud model can transform the way you do business
But one thing is clear.
You need the perfect cloud deployment model to help you gain a competitive edge in the market. Through this, you will have access to IT resources and services that can make your business flexible and agile, both in terms of volume and scale.
Realizing this trend, the number of companies that have shifted to the cloud is really enormous.
According to a recent study by International Data Corporation, by 2019, the yearly expenditure on public cloud services is expected to grow by 19.4% and compound annual growth rate to reach $141 billion.
And Gartner predicts that cloud adoption is going to increase exponentially over the next 3 years while deployment of software will become a default activity in the future.
Here are different ways and methods by which you can select the perfect cloud deployment model:
A. Types of Cloud Services
Cloud services are mainly categorized on the basis of access, size and proprietorship. Here are the main cloud deployment models that could transform your business:
1. Public Cloud
The service provider opens up the cloud infrastructure to open use. The infrastructure will be in the premises of the service provider, but it will be operated by whoever is making use of it, be it government organization, business centers or academic institutions. The user, however, does not have any control over the location of the infrastructure.
The main features of the public cloud are:
· Reasonable levels of security
· Easy to implement
· Cost-effective
· Low operational cost
However, you need not go for this option if security is of utmost importance.
2. Private Cloud
Private cloud, as the name suggests, is solely owned by a particular institution, organization or enterprise.
Hosted internally or externally, private cloud services offer better security, especially for companies that need excellent data management services and uptime requirements. It is also the best choice for organizations that need to manage their host applications and other applications used by their customers.
The main features of the private cloud are:
· Maximum levels of reliability and scalability
· Designed for enterprises and businesses
· Greater control over cloud infrastructure
· Users get both network access and computational resources
Interestingly, there isn’t much of a difference in the design structure between public cloud and private, save perhaps, for the level of security.
3. Hybrid Cloud
As the name suggests, hybrid contains the best of private, public and community (another type of cloud service). Hybrid solutions ensure safety, scalability and performance, but you really need a reputed hybrid cloud vendor to ensure reliability, especially because diverse environments are involved.
But it can definitely leverage the cost benefits to a great extent and even manage the vulnerabilities found in mission critical data applications.
And many businesses have already adopted hybrid solution because it allows for the BYOD or Bring Your Own Device policy, while employees can access business critical applications and information to improve collaboration. A hybrid system definitely promotes a more personalized approach.
4. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
A fairly new technology in the cloud computing scenario when compared to IaaS, Platform as a Service (PaaS) runs atop IaaS. It is mainly targeted towards the developer as it allows them to build applications and services over the internet.
PaaS is hosted over the cloud, and their users can access it through a web browser. The highlight of PaaS is that it can support the entire web app development cycle, right from building and testing to final deploying, managing and updating. Businesses can requisition resources for scaling as their demand grows, so they don’t have to invest in hardware anymore.
5. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service or Cloud Infrastructure is a self-service codes that aims to manage and monitor remote datacenter infrastructure for the following functions: compute, storage and networking.
The cloud service provider delivers the infrastructure while the clients get to decide on the operating system of their choice. They scale and spin virtual machines of their choice.
The entire responsibility of scalability, initial provisioning of system and connectivity falls on the hands of the vendor. You need a team of system administrators to monitor and manage the system, its maintenance and firewall aspects.
Companies using IaaS services have to manage their applications, data loss, runtime, middleware. Apart from the virtualization layer, cloud vendors in IaaS also provide messaging queues and databases as well. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure are all perfect examples of IaaS.
6. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS) is perhaps the most commonly used cloud deployment model. This is because the web delivery model eliminates the need to install and run applications on your computer, apart from making it easier for businesses to streamline their maintenance and support.
The vendors themselves manage the service, including applications, data, middleware, runtime, server, storage, virtualization, networking and even the Operating systems. Google Apps, Citrix GoToMeeting and Cisco WebEx are all perfect examples of SaaS.
B. Select as Per the Business Benefits
After going through the various cloud models, it would be worth going deeper into other factors that determine the cloud model. These are some important factors to consider:
7. Flexibility
Here, we are talking about flexibility in terms of cost. Cloud implementations give you the opportunity to use the resources and pay for them as you go along. If you choose to go for the ‘variable costing’ method, it would be helpful in future upgrades.
8. Scalability
As changes in business often cause budget challenges, it is so important to upgrade your cloud model. Such a vendor would understand and predict the future requirements of its clients, and provide critical services. IaaS provides you with the highest level of scalability.
9. Security
Security of data is a critical factor to consider. It is important to understand the backup plans of the cloud vendor in the event of an outage or crash. After all, your data shouldn’t reach wrong hands.It advisable to keep highly sensitive data behind a firewall, and outside of the public cloud realm.
Conclusion
The incredible potential of cloud deployment models ensure safety, protection and quick realization of business goals. It is also true that each business or organization has to go through its own unique requirements to decide on cloud deployment model.
You can choose one model or a combination of models to leverage different kinds of benefits. And when you have the right key in hand, it is easy to channel your efforts to other aspects of business.
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