Statistics show that up to 95 percent of information technology (IT) workers use cloud computing services, according to a State of the Cloud report. Not all cloud services are the same, however. There are three primary deployment models for cloud computing, which we’re going to explore here.
#1) Public Clouds
The most common way in which is cloud computing services are deployed is via public clouds. As explained by Mashable, public clouds are flexible, easy to use and sold under a pay-as-you-go model. Because they are available to anyone, however, public clouds are less secure than other cloud deployment models, increasing the risk of data breaches and cyber threats.
#2) Private Clouds
Private clouds live up to their namesake by offering dedicated resources. With public clouds, resources are shared among many customers. It’s not uncommon for dozens or even hundreds of customers to use the same private cloud. This typically results in slower performance and weaker security. Private clouds, on the other hand, provide dedicated resources to a single customer or organization.
Private clouds can be hosted locally at a company’s office or workplace, or they can be hosted remotely over the internet. Regardless, the fundamental characteristic of a private cloud is dedicated resources to a single customer. When a cloud service provider (CSP) offers dedicated cloud resources, it’s considered a private cloud deployment model.
#3) Hybrid Clouds
There are also hybrid clouds that feature elements of both public and private clouds. Basically, hybrid clouds move data through both cloud types. So, what benefits does this offer? Companies often use hybrid clouds for flexibility, convenience and security. For instance, a company can host its sensitive data on a private cloud system to protect against cyber threats, and it can host its non-sensitive data on a public cloud so it’s easy to access.
These are the three main cloud computing deployment models. Currently, it appears that public clouds account for the largest share of the cloud service market. Given the increasing numbers of cyber threats as of late, however, we may see a shift towards private clouds.
