As enterprises increasingly choose cloud solutions and become more familiar with public, private, and hybrid options, there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about the possibilities and limitations of private cloud. Before you choose a particular path for your infrastructure or specific software applications, take a look at four of the common myths that surround private cloud:
Your organization must begin by choosing between public and private cloud.Many enterprises make the mistake of thinking that public versus private cloud is an either/or decision. Your cloud services provider should be able to introduce a third option: a hybrid solution. Many organizations find a cloud sweet spot, where a mix of public and private cloud solutions and even legacy systems are combined for optimal cost savings, agility, and performance. In some cases, a solution like this can be united under a single dashboard, allowing for monitoring of the systems to determine when it’s time to adjust the mix of cloud applications.
Private cloud = no shared infrastructure. When referring to private cloud, the distinction lies in how much control the organization has over underlying infrastructure and software overlaid on the infrastructure. Your ability to control the configurations of the infrastructure as well as the security of the entire system is much higher than when using a public cloud option. With private cloud, you can choose to monitor and manage the infrastructure yourself or it can be outsourced to a service provider.
Choosing private cloud means losing investments in training and software.Many enterprises are reluctant to embrace the benefits of private cloud because they have existing investments in skills, training, and technology. It’s important to note that private cloud solutions are extremely customizable and can be configured to make the most of existing investments. One of the benefits of private over public cloud is the ability to tailor it to the organization’s exact needs.
Private cloud means the sacrifice of flexibility. This is one of the common myths, but it is probably the most egregious. Private cloud offers a high level of flexibility, with options for data protection, support for regulatory requirements, and management of existing technology investments. The right cloud solution for your enterprise will allow you to set up your infrastructure in a way that is customized for your business process needs.
If using technology to achieve a competitive advantage is among your goals for 2018, contact Clarksys. We work exclusively with organizations that are looking for the optimal technology environment that allows them to focus on growing their business.