Private, public, or hybrid cloud – what are the differences?

Recent studies have shown that the level of cloud maturity in organizations and companies continues to grow and grow. In fact, a global survey carried out by IT Infosys revealed that 94% of decision-makers confirmed their group had already set out a cloud computing strategy for the whole company. But should you as a business opt for the private, public, or hybrid cloud? It all depends on how you plan on using it.

Read on to find out what the main differences are between the three types of solution, and what benefits these can offer for companies according to their priorities.

Private, public, or hybrid cloud?

For years, companies backed up their most sensitive data using physical media (servers, magnetic tapes, etc.) kept on their own premises. But in today’s digital world, some businesses are still doing this.

In one sense, it’s understandable – keeping your data physically within arm’s reach does give the illusion of security. And making the decision to entrust your data to a third party isn’t easy, with a large number of companies unable to get past their security concerns.

But did you know that you really can migrate to the cloud in complete security ? All you need to do is choose the right solution suited to your needs, and you can start reaping the rewards. So, which is it – private, public, or hybrid cloud?

A booming market

According to a study by CenturyLink and Statista, the cloud market will be worth $411 billion by 2020. And companies capitalizing on the benefits of cloud services are growing 19.6% faster than those that aren’t. Another study, conducted by IT Infosys, showed that migration to the cloud is primarily driven by the need to integrate emerging technologies and remain competitive. Companies making the move are first and foremost looking to improve the customer or user experience, but are also seeking to harmonize the changing technological environment that their employees are using.

The cloud is here to stay

Software as a Service (SaaS) has seen huge developments across the world, and not just in terms of innovative technology. It is also bringing a range of additional services to the market. SaaS applications have become a permanent feature in businesses large and small, as the key drivers of development – indispensable for outsourcing, simplification, and accelerating business operations and processes.

As the cloud gains more and more traction within organizations, you need to choose the right type that meets your needs. Whether the private, public, or hybrid cloud, each solution has its own advantages.

Widespread uptake of private, public, and hybrid cloud solutions

Businesses that have moved their entire IT system to the cloud remain in the minority. If we are to believe the latest studies, the cloud will nevertheless become essential over the years to come.

One survey carried out by Gartner predicts that aversion to the cloud will be more or less overcome by 2020, especially with the expansion of SaaS. According to the American firm, the cloud is expected to become the default choice for software deployment. This trend has not gone unnoticed by software developers, with many of them now offering online solutions that help to gradually replace on-premises deployment.

Companies that ignore this trend risk being left trailing behind in the very near future. Today, many businesses are opting for a gradual migration, prioritizing their least critical platforms.

Public cloud: flexibility for companies

The public cloud is a very popular option. The website lebigdata.fr defines the public cloud as cloud services provided in a virtual environment, built using shared hardware resources, and accessible through a public network. Servers and applications are owned and operated by a third-party provider, and are shared with other users.

This solution is generally more cost-effective, as there are no infrastructure costs to pay, so no need to worry about maintenance – it’s all taken care of by the service provider. This type of service offers businesses a level of processing power that they don’t have in-house.

Overcoming surges in demand with the public cloud

The public cloud offers flexibility for companies, helping to cover peaks in demand for your services. Companies have the opportunity to increase the resources available to them as their needs evolve. The study conducted by IT Infosys shows C-level executives are embracing this solution because of its scalability and availability.

Private cloud: the secure choice

While companies do get some benefits from the public cloud, they could instead opt for the private cloud, which provides greater security and regulatory compliance. The private cloud offers resources and services devoted entirely to the individual user. Security forms a core part of this solution. Companies enjoy dedicated servers and HSM devices, which no other user can access, and a substantial level of assurance of data confidentiality. Plus, the use of dedicated hardware adds a physical barrier, in addition to compartmentalization.

The latest forecasts from Gartner show that the public cloud market will grow by more than 17% in 2019. Yet, some companies – including Operators of Vital Importance (OVIs) – still need a level of data security that exceeds what the public cloud can offer. That’s why they are turning to private cloud solutions.

SecNumCloud and private cloud: the winning combination

In early 2019, Oodrive became the first ever cloud service provider to obtain the Security Visa from the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), under the SecNumCloud label, for all of its private cloud services.

These solutions are hosted on secure private cloud infrastructure, certified by ANSSI and meeting the state of the art. They incorporate authentication by OTP (one-time password) and can detect security incidents instantly thanks to SIEM (Security Information and Event Management).

Hybrid cloud: private meets public cloud

Although some businesses may be apprehensive toward public cloud services, they have more readily adopted private cloud computing – a solution more closely aligned with their internal processes. But private cloud services tend to incur higher costs due to the dedicated infrastructure involved.

To avoid having to choose between the two solutions, hybrid cloud services are proving to be a good compromise for a growing number of businesses. However, studies have revealed that only a quarter of companies currently have the resources required to manage a hybrid IT environment.

With a hybrid solution, businesses get the best of both worlds. They enjoy greater flexibility and infrastructure adapted to their needs. That means they retain control over their highly-sensitive data and applications. And on top of that, companies can benefit from everything public cloud computing has to offer in terms of flexibility and availability.

So, private, public, or hybrid cloud – which one is best for you?

To learn more about Oodrive’s range of cloud solutions, please get in touch!