Can Your Business Benefit From a Private Cloud?

Businesses of all industries and sizes utilize the cloud to various extents, generally to satisfy a specific need. One example of how much variance there is in cloud solutions is in how much control organizations need over theirs. A public cloud is great for some organizations that need limited control over their solutions, but a private cloud offers more dynamic control and options.

We’ll guide you through all the options you’ll need to discuss when considering whether to implement a public or private cloud.

Public vs Private

Public clouds are generally used by organizations that don’t have an infrastructure dedicated to hosting applications or services. Public clouds are hosted by the provider, meaning that the consumer isn’t responsible for maintaining or managing the solution. These systems are accessed through a web browser in the form of a web application, so anyone with an account should be able to access them as long as they have the correct permissions. These systems give small businesses the ability to take advantage of the cloud in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Businesses that can leverage the private cloud have the upper hand in terms of customization and options, but they also need to have professionals on-hand to maintain and manage the solution. Private clouds are hosted on-premise, and organizations that can afford the upkeep reap the benefits (and issues) of having them on a dedicated server.

What to Consider for Your Private Cloud

When choosing your organization’s private cloud infrastructure, be sure to keep the following in mind:

• Security: Keep in mind that any solution you host on-site is going to be protected by the same measures you place on your network.
• Access: Your cloud should have dynamic access control on a user level. Furthermore, any devices accessing a cloud solution need to have adequate access control measures in place, such as two-factor authentication.
• Management: Managing your organization’s cloud solution can be challenging if you don’t have the workforce to do so. Understanding the gravity of this responsibility will help you better prepare for it.
• Maintenance: Similarly, maintaining your cloud solution can be challenging, including applying updates, monitoring it, and managing access control.

All of the above can be considered reasons why organizations don’t invest in a private cloud, but what they don’t know is that a managed service provider can host your cloud services in a dedicated server space... so you don’t have to. Horne & Benik can help your business achieve this goal. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 499-4400.