Cloud Computing & Cloud Environments
May 13th, 2011 Chuck Vermillion
"Cloud computing" is one concept that has moved to the forefront of the market in recent years. As companies deal with increasing demands for IT services and decreasing budgets, cloud computing solutions have gained traction.
But, cloud computing comes in many shapes and sizes. Trying to grasp just what the cloud represents can be mind-boggling. How it's defined depends on how wide or narrow people see it. In the broadest sense, cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information, are provided to end user computers and other devices on-demand.
Cloud computing enables businesses to move from working within their own IT bubble and use the cloud to access technologies they need, when they need them, at the scale they need them. Cloud computing offers companies of all sizes creative ways to address how they utilize IT, which in turn frees them to focus on what matters most - their core business.
The key is to bring clarity to the complexity created by this new opportunity and understand how cloud computing fits into your overall IT strategy. You must be able to identify areas for IT efficiency and tie investments directly to a business case with a return on investment proposition. So, before you get too caught up in the cloud frenzy and leap right in, you need to consider some things before transitioning your infrastructure to the cloud.
Every company must weigh the benefits and costs involved in cloud computing. Although the technology is new and the options are somewhat overwhelming, companies basically are deciding whether to "build or buy." The same assessment an IT manager would make when deciding to build or buy applications applies to the cloud or on-premise decision.
Cloud Selection
To begin the transition, companies need to identify which of their technologies should be:
- Owned and managed internally
- Owned internally but managed by a third party
- Purchased, managed, and accessed through the cloud.
Most organizations will find that picking one type of cloud over another simply may not meet their needs. Often, organizations will pick different clouds for different IT needs. The different types of cloud environments include Public, Private, Dedicated and Hybrid offerings:
Public Cloud Environments - Public cloud environments are built by providers that want to leverage the scale of large server farms and the Internet to bring "on-demand" computing to the masses. User organizations relocate resources such as data, applications and services to computing facilities outside their corporate firewall to these providers. End users then access these services via the Internet, which is shared with other companies; hence the name "public cloud." Google and Amazon are familiar examples of public cloud providers.
Private Cloud Environments - Like a public cloud environment, a private cloud environment is built by providers who want to use the scale of server farms to bring "on-demand" computing to their customers. However, private clouds are different than public clouds in that, there is a formal agreement (contract) established between the parties which formally defines the services and commitments between them. The customer is often required to define the length of the agreement, along with a minimum quantity of assets required. Private cloud environments often provide better security options and generally can meet common regulatory compliances.
Dedicated Cloud Environments - A new style of cloud environment is now emerging in the market. A dedicated cloud belongs to a single customer, but is being hosted and managed by a provider. This provider has created a private virtual server farm using servers dedicated to only that one customer; no other customers run virtual servers within that farm. While the server farm is not shared with other customers, the service provider may provide storage and backups utilizing storage area networks and backup devices shared by many customers. Dedicated clouds are the most customizable for organizations since the physical assets that make up the cloud environment are literally dedicated to one organization.
Hybrid Cloud Environments - These types of cloud environments combine the features of public, private and dedicated clouds to deliver a single hybrid cloud solution. Using a hybrid cloud platform enables organizations to delegate tasks with specific security or other concerns to a private or dedicated cloud while letting all public operations go to the public cloud segment.About the Author:
Chuck Vermillion is CEO and founder of OneNeck IT Services, a leading Enterprise Resource Planning outsource provider helping mid-market companies improve system performance. For more information about cloud computing and how it can benefit your business, visit our site.
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