Private Cloud vs. Public Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud: Differences Explained

For companies looking to undergo a cloud migration, it can be quite confusing to navigate the different types of cloud models. 

The three different types of cloud models — Private, Public, and Hybrid — all see use in different places in the modern business world. However, you may be wondering which solution is best for your business.

In this article, we’re going to go over the different types of cloud infrastructure deployment models. We’re also going to look at which is the right model for your organisation’s needs and requirements.

Public Cloud

What is a Public Cloud Model?

A public cloud-based deployment is the most common cloud computing deployment model. With this model, the resources and hardware are owned and operated by a third-party service provider and used over the internet. All of the cloud services are owned and managed by a provider, such as Microsoft Azure.

With this model, you are essentially sharing the same resources and hardware with other organisations. You’re doing this through a provider or operator who will manage the system on behalf of the organisations operating from it.

This model is useful for organisations that just need the cloud to operate their business on a functional level and to enable their infrastructure.

What are the benefits of a Public Cloud Model?

  • Cost Reduction: Due to the public nature of the public cloud deployment model, you don’t need to pay for hardware or software. You instead just use the hardware allocated to you as part of the deployment.
  • High Scalability: A public cloud model is incredibly scalable, as cloud providers are infinitely able to provide you with the hardware requirements that your organisation needs and let you upscale and downscale your system with just a few clicks.
  • No Maintenance Required: Server maintenance is carried out by the provider, so you don’t need to worry about carrying out maintenance on your system to ensure it remains updated and well-maintained.
  • Reliable: The sheer size of a provider’s network means that there’s an incredibly low chance that the system will ever fail or become inaccessible except for in the direst catastrophic situations.

Private Cloud

Private cloud deployment is the complete opposite of a public cloud deployment. Instead of being based on a public server, a private cloud system is based upon hardware that is used exclusively by one organisation. This system can either be on-premise or hosted by a third-party service.

The major difference here is that the hardware used for private cloud infrastructure is yours, and is suited to your needs specifically. This is similar to an on-prem infrastructure but comes with the added scalability and benefits of a cloud-based system.

This system is mainly used by organisations that handle sensitive and secure data, such as government institutions and banks. These systems need to remain secure and allow the administrators to have full control over the storage of their data but aren’t really required for most businesses. 

What are the benefits of a Private Cloud Model?

  • Flexibility: A private cloud system is yours, so can be tailored to your organisation’s specific needs and requirements.
  • Control: The system is on a private piece of hardware that isn’t shared with other organisations or systems, meaning that you can implement far higher levels of security and privacy and have more control over your system as a whole.

Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud platform is a mix of both public and private cloud deployments. This infrastructure combines the best elements of the public cloud with private/on-prem infrastructure. This system allows businesses to use public, cloud-based hardware to scale their private cloud/on-prem system with ease, without having to publicly share the whole system.

This saves companies lots of money as it allows them to remove the capital expenditure required to account for short-term spikes in demand and volume. With a hybrid system, there’s no need to acquire more hardware as the cloud solution will ensure that you can scale with ease.

What are the benefits of a Hybrid Model?

The hybrid model has the benefits of both public and private cloud implementations. You still have the control benefits of the on-prem solution, whilst also gaining the scalability of the public solution.

The other benefit of a hybrid solution is that you don’t need to store any data on a public system that may be sensitive, meaning that you ultimately have more control over the sanctity of your data.

What is right for your business?

For most organisations, the public cloud is perfect. It saves costs and also allows you to work with an established provider to ensure that your system remains stable and reliable, with great scalability.

However, a private or hybrid solution may be a better option for larger institutions or government organisations that handle sensitive data. These solutions are more expensive than public solutions, but ultimately give more power over your organisation’s critical data.

How can we help?

These different cloud deployments are all popular in the modern business world, as more companies take a step into the cloud. If you’re looking for a cost-effective cloud-based solution to help your organisation get rid of the on-prem shackles, then a public-based system is great for you! Otherwise, you might want to consider a private or hybrid system to fulfil your needs.

In any case, you’re not alone. We are here to help you figure out what your company needs to truly thrive and prosper. Instead of having to try to work out the ins and outs of the post-cloud landscape yourself, our expert team is here to assist you in figuring out what your business needs to truly unlock its full potential. So, why not get in contact with us today and see how we can help out?

Get in touch with us today and see what we can do for you!