Private cloud, a boon or a bane? You must be wondering if you or your organization should invest in a private cloud, and you have made a pros and cons list to weigh your options. In this article, we have made your job easier by listing the advantages and disadvantages of a private cloud for you. Let’s dive in!
Private Cloud: At a Glance
| S. No. | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 1. | Great Performance in terms of data accessibility and speed. | High Cost |
| 2. | Ensures Data Privacy and security. Only those within the organization will have access to the data. | Hardware Limitations |
| 3. | The data stored here is easily accessible from anywhere. | No redundant data centres |
| 4. | Allows easy compliance with data protection laws. | Challenging initial set-up. |
| 5. | It is your own data storage system and thus can be designed as per your requirement. | Limitations to remote connectivity. |
Advantages of Private Cloud
I. Performance
The private cloud provides an exceptional level of performance. It is located within a firewall to stay safe from any threat or vulnerability. There is always a sizable transfer rate because your data is not being shared with anybody else, and it is secure.
II. Privacy and Security
Speaking of being secure, the private cloud provides excellent security. Your data safety ultimately depends on the service provider, and a private cloud is nestled inside a protective layer so no virus attacks it. Big businesses and organizations use a private cloud for this very purpose. There is excellent privacy, and only those working in that particular organization can access it.
No other company has access to the servers where all data is stored and maintained. This considerably enhances data privacy. If the servers are on-site, an internal IT team is in charge of maintaining them. As a result, the organization should not be concerned about the infrastructure’s physical security.
III. Availability
The best part about the cloud is that you can access your data anywhere, even on the go. In the case of a private cloud, it is even better and safer. It has a unique infrastructure that ensures that the user has maximum control over their data and its availability.
IV. Compliance
All types of enterprises must follow internal and national laws and regulations. The private cloud is the best choice in this situation since it helps to adhere to any access-control and retention regulations.
Customer information is regarded as susceptible user data for any organization (by law). Businesses must ensure data privacy whilst also maintaining tight control over their data. For instance, getting access to security logs from a public cloud could be challenging in case of a data breach. There will be no issue if you have control over the private cloud.
V. Customization
The best part about this is the customization feature. With a private cloud, you can pick an infrastructure with specific networking and storage features, allowing the system to suit your unique requirements completely. Each firm has a unique combination of technical and operational requirements, which typically change depending on factors like company size, industry, business goals, etc. These changes also mean you must bring changes to your private cloud. So, the private cloud can easily be customized.
VI. Control and Efficiency
They are hosted in a third-party data centre, and they can also be hosted on-site. The best part is that they are hosted in a private environment, and the organization or the person will only have access to the infrastructure and the critical data.
Disadvantages of Private Cloud
I. Pricing
A private cloud is more expensive than a public cloud, and this is so because you require capital investments for your network, servers, infrastructure and license. The maintenance cost will also be higher than that in the public cloud.
II. Capacity
There is something known as the capacity ceiling. The hardware limitations in the service provider cause this as only a certain number of servers can be handled simultaneously. This can be a problem in a private cloud.
III. Redundancy
Public clouds are more redundant than private clouds. Private clouds do not have redundant data centres. If your system goes down, you have to fix it personally, and this is not the case in a public cloud setup.
IV. Deployment
The deployment of a private cloud is seen as particularly challenging, and it takes a lot of resources for it to keep up and run. Plus, it would be best if you had IT personnel to maintain a private cloud.
V. Remote Access
Remote access is limited in private clouds due to increased security. In the case of mobile users, they won’t be able to connect to necessary business services whenever they want in the private cloud.
FAQs
I. What is the best example of a private cloud?
Best examples of a private cloud –
- HP Data Centers.
- Microsoft Data Centres.
- Elastra-private cloud.
- VMware provides two types of private cloud solutions.
- Dell EMC provides two private cloud products.
II. When should I use the private cloud?
It will be more beneficial if you are working for a government organization that stores a large amount of data and big firms that need to process data every second. Overall, it is good for everyone but the ones who need it the most would be government organizations, law firms and big IT firms.
III. What are the advantages of using the public cloud over the private cloud?
- Low maintenance.
- Low cost.
- Scalability is unlimited.
- The utilization rate is better.
IV. What is the difference between public and private clouds?
| Public Cloud | Private Cloud |
| It is multi-tenant. The network is managed by a service provider | It is single-tenant. The network is managed by the organization where the cloud is used. |
| Scalability is higher. | Scalability is lower. |
| Security mostly depends on the service provider one chooses. | Security is better in a private cloud. |
| Moderate reliability. | High reliability. |
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the private cloud is a great investment. Investing in it will not be a bad idea. While it has its pitfalls, you will be safe from data breaches and threats. Investing in a good private cloud is crucial in today’s time. There are so many threats that can make your system vulnerable. System security should be the number one priority. Check what suits you or your organization in the long run.
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