What is the difference between Public Cloud and Private Cloud?

Nicola Moss
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It is important to be aware that there are several fundamental differences between public and private cloud solutions that may have implications on cost and security, amongst other things.

Cloud Security professional inspecting digital displays in a dimly-lit office environment

One of the main differences between public and private cloud services is that in a public cloud you share the same hardware, storage and network devices, there is nothing hiding from other organisations. Individuals will also be able to access your services online, via a browser. Whereas, with a private cloud solution, nobody else will be able to access your storage or network devices. The public cloud can be explained as a solution delivered via the internet and shared across organisations, whereas the private cloud is solely dedicated to one organisation.

Cloud storage

You might have also heard of hybrid cloud- this is a combination of public and private cloud solutions. In terms of storage, a hybrid option is ideal for financial institutions as an example, they have a mixture of details that need to be accessed. Think about banks, there will be clients' private card details, as well as some less secretive information that could be stored in the public cloud for employees to access. It all depends on the data and information you will be storing in the cloud.

Cost should be an important factor in your decision-making journey but it should by no means be a deal-breaker

Storage is one of the main reasons many invest in cloud solutions, so be sure you know exactly who you will be sharing your documents with, your own company? Or others outside of your company too? Once you know the answer to this, you will feel more confident to make your decision.

Differences between public and private cloud computing

The difference between public and private cloud computing is that public is shared across the internet and businesses, as well as organisations, whereas private is dedicated to one specific organisation. This is the main difference between public and private cloud services you will come across and it will be the same for any business offering you cloud based solutions.

Public cloud vs private cloud cost

Cost could be an important factor in your decision-making journey, but it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, both solutions are reasonably priced but as you can imagine, a private cloud solution is more expensive. There isn’t any way around this cost, if you do need private storage and protection for your documents and data, it’s an investment that is essential if you have a business in this type of industry. For companies that are working on more of a budget and can use public cloud solutions, the lack of maintenance costs associated with public cloud solutions will be a bonus for you.

There are some differences when it comes down to public vs private cloud solutions and it will come down to the nature of your company. It’s worth weighing up the differences between the public, private and hybrid cloud solutions to make sure you’re investing in the right one for the future. Good luck with your search for information about public cloud vs private cloud.

If you would like to learn more about why you need Managed IT Services that are scaled to suit your business requirements, get in touch with us. Our packages are flexible and affordable so you can improve your business as soon as possible.