Digitization and data storage are two of the most important aspects of the business world today. Companies need assurance that their data is secure and accessible to authorized users without worrying about outside threats or breaches.
A private cloud is a form of cloud computing in which all of the software and hardware sources are dedicated to one particular customer or organization. Not to be confused with a dedicated server, which is located in a single data center and relies on actual hardware, a private cloud is operated in a virtual environment. They are different vehicles with similar functions.
Who Uses A Private Cloud?
A private cloud model is perfect for businesses that want a direct level of control over all aspects of their data. Where a public cloud often allocates its resources to a number of different customers in a shared space, a private cloud is perfect for organizations that want a vice grip on their data, such as healthcare or financial organizations. Below is a list of businesses or organizations that are known to use private cloud computing:
- Healthcare companies
- Financial firms
- Government agencies
- Highly regulated industries
- And more
Generally, these companies have extensive IT consulting departments or outsourced teams that know the ins and outs of the infrastructure and can do routine maintenance and scale their data requirements accordingly.
What Are The Benefits of A Private Cloud?
Below is a breakdown of popular benefits that come with using a private cloud computing method:
- Cost – While implementing a private cloud may cost money upfront, and require an in-house team to handle all your cloud computing needs, you don’t have to pay for a public cloud’s resources or outsource these services to another company.
- Control – The in-house professionals in an organization using a private cloud have all the control over the data, including who has access to it and can scale it accordingly.
- Customization – Compared to having to choose a plan from an outsourced firm or public cloud provider, using your own private cloud allows you to tailor your data needs to what fits best for you or your organization.
- Security – Having all the control means you can tighten security over your data with certain authorized individuals being the only ones who can access it. A strong IT team brings strong security to your private cloud.
- Availability – As long as you have the software and hardware at your disposal, you can access your private cloud from anywhere. This isn’t always the case with the public cloud.
Are There Any Disadvantages?
You will spend time performing maintenance on your private cloud, and money paying an IT team to handle all the processes in-house. A public cloud is still quite secure, and also allows you to outsource your data storage and cloud computing needs so you can focus on more pressing matters of your business.
It can get costly if you need to constantly fix or maintain your private cloud. Also, you can get overwhelmed by the number of private cloud options available. It’s important to have a firm grasp of the private cloud and how to utilize it before jumping in.
Conclusion
Opting for a private cloud computing service allows for a stronger level of security for your data storage, but it’s also considerably more upkeep compared to allocating to the public cloud. It’s important to have a team of IT professionals at your disposal who can handle any issues or maintenance demands that arise from your public cloud service.