Public or Private Cloud: What About Hybrid?

CloudCow Contributed Article.  Author: Eric Silver, senior contributor for Online Backup Magazine.

Public or private? Cloud industry experts have been going back and forth on this issue since the establishment of cloud computing. This has left individuals and businesses alike stranded and frequently questioning their choice, even after a decision is made. Even after a decade of data, you will find analysts who support both sides of the spectrum. Let’s put this debate to rest once and for all.

Security at a Risk

Public cloud companies quite literally shove the ‘128-bit SSL’ or ‘256-bit SSL’ encryption notion down potential customers’ throats. Fortunately for them, the overwhelming majority of clients do not understand encryption protocols. While your data is secure once it reaches the public cloud company’s data center(s), it is extremely vulnerable during the actual transfer process and at the pre-transfer process as well. On the other hand, private clouds can be set up and implemented within a corporation’s firewall allowing for optimal security. Additionally, you operate a personal data center within a private cloud setting thus eliminating the potential threat of another client accessing your information…


Data Control

People across the globe, and specifically larger enterprises, require total control over their data. Regrettably, if they opt for a public cloud service provider, the data control is limited. Retrieving your data from the cloud is not only a time consuming process but access can be somewhat restricted as well. For example, Zoolz is a relatively new cloud company that offers a service called ‘Cold Storage.’ The word ‘cold’ refers to the state in which your files/folders sit in the data center; they are put to sleep so to speak. It could take hours to retrieve your data when it’s sitting in cold storage. While it is a fraction of the cost of a regular cloud plan, it is unrealistic to expect a company, or even a single person, to accept these terms and level of control.

Data Loss

Natural disasters occur and more frequently than you think. This may seem insignificant but many people do in fact lose data on a regular basis to these unfortunate events. A private cloud, while secure and simple to control, is exposed to far greater risk than sending away your data to third party public cloud providers.

ROI Factor

Security, control, possible data loss – all of these can vie for first determining factor when choosing a cloud provider. However, the first thing corporations look for is a workable return on investment (ROI). A public cloud provides a unique and positive financial opportunity for businesses of all sizes. Outsourcing is generally cheaper than in house employment. Operating and maintaining a private cloud is a substantial drain on in house IT resources.

A Third Option?

Both public and private cloud tout their pros and cons, but we live in a world where the pursuit of perfection occurs on a daily basis. A rapidly growing option, primarily for mid to large sizes businesses, is the hybrid cloud. Private cloud allows for the collaboration and seamless integration between both a private and public cloud. Furthermore, the flexibility provided by this type of environment minimizes vulnerabilities, and makes it easily scalable while remaining cost effective.

Customization Options

The beauty of dealing with a hybrid cloud service is that there is no ‘default’ status. Everything is customizable to suit your business’ needs. Want more use out of the public cloud to keep costs minimal? No problem. Want more use from the private side because of potential compliance issues? Also not an issue.

The hybrid option has become a fierce competitor to traditional public and private cloud services. It is no surprise that most companies today employ some sort of hybrid cloud platform. As is predicted in the authoritative cloud computing guide, we will   continue to see the rise and prominence of this type of service for years to come.

## Author Bio:
Eric Silver is a senior contributor for Cloud Wedge. He has performed countless hours of research and analysis in the online backup sector. In his spare time, Eric enjoys reading PC Magazine and exploring all things cloud.