Executive Summary
In today’s business world, simply taking a company’s computing needs “to the cloud” with a single cloud services provider may not be enough. A recent survey of U.S. IT professionals found that in 2017, 85 percent of enterprises are now embracing a multiple cloud computing strategy, and of those who do not, a majority are planning to adopt some form of a multiple cloud solution in the near future.
As business computing becomes more complex, so does the world of cloud computing, with new services and applications aimed at providing comprehensive solutions for the needs of businesses large and small. Hybrid cloud and multi-cloud models provide a broad range of flexible solutions for business computing needs, but these models can be more complex and resource-intensive than single-cloud services.
One Cloud or Many: Expanding Options in Cloud Computing
The cloud is many clouds; each of these services offer data storage and cloud-based apps using remote servers that can offer users a set of options that promise to simplify their IT needs and make their company’s computing operations more affordable and accessible.
Public cloud services offer both business and personal users economical data storage and unlimited access to a suite of applications designed to help with a particular set of tasks.
From the dedicated data storage of Dropbox to office communications management with Slack, public cloud services offer a cost-effective alternative to IT-intensive local systems that require ongoing support and an investment of hardware, software, and staff. But in the public cloud, users share server space with others, which raises concerns about the security and safety of a company’s data and other functions. Storing sensitive, confidential company files in the public cloud can be risky, and these concerns are often cited by those who are hesitant about adopting cloud computing.
Private clouds are, just as the name states, dedicated to just one user rather than being open to the public. Private clouds might be run by a cloud provider on a dedicated server or set up locally within a company as a resource for its own employees. Although a private cloud can promise greater data security and safety than public cloud services can, this kind of solution can be expensive, and may still have limitations. Recent statistics reveal that use of private cloud services dropped by five percent over 2017, largely in favor of a more flexible and diverse hybrid cloud model.
Stay Tuned for the continued series of our blog on the hybrid and multi-cloud solutions for business computing!