What is a Private Cloud?
Private Cloud
A private cloud is a particular model of cloud
computing that involves a distinct and secure cloud based environment in which
only the specified client can operate. As with other cloud models, private
clouds will provide computing power as a service within a virtualised environment
using an underlying pool of physical computing resource. However, under the
private cloud model, the cloud (the pool of resource) is only accessible by a
single organisation providing that organisation with greater control and
privacy.
The technical mechanisms used to provide the
different services which can be classed as being private cloud services can
vary considerably and so it is hard to define what constitutes a private cloud
from a technical aspect. Instead such services are usually categorised by the
features that they offer to their client. Traits that characterise private
clouds include the ring fencing of a cloud for the sole use of one organisation
and higher levels of network security. They can be defined in contrast to a
public cloud which has multiple clients accessing virtualised services which
all draw their resource from the same pool of servers across public networks.
Private cloud services draw their resource from a dsitinct pool of physical
computers but these may be hosted internally or externally and may be accessed
across private leased lines or secure encrypted connections via public
networks.
The additional security offered by the ring
fenced cloud model is ideal for any organisation, including enterprise, that
needs to store and process private data or carry out sensitive tasks. For
example, a private cloud service could be utilised by a financial company that
is required by regulation to store sensitive data internally and who will still
want to benefit from some of the advantages of cloud computing within their
business infrastructure, such as on demand resource allocation.
The private cloud model is closer to the more
traditional model of individual local access networks (LANs) used in the past
by enterprise but with the added advantages of virtualisation. The features and
benefits of private clouds therefore are:
·
Higher security and privacy; public clouds services
can implement a certain level of security but private clouds - using techniques
such as distinct pools of resources with access restricted to connections made
from behind one organisation’s firewall, dedicated leased lines and/or on-site
internal hosting - can ensure that operations are kept out of the reach of
prying eyes
·
More control; as a private cloud is only accessible by a
single organisation, that organisation will have the ability to configure and
manage it inline with their needs to achieve a tailored network solution.
However, this level of control removes somes the economies of scale generated
in public clouds by having centralised management of the hardware
·
Cost and energy efficiency; implementing a private
cloud model can improve the allocation of resources within an organisation by
ensuring that the availability of resources to individual departments/business
functions can directly and flexibly respond to their demand. Therefore,
although they are not as cost effective as a public cloud services due to
smaller economies of scale and increased management costs, they do make more
efficient use of the computing resource than traditional LANs as they minimise
the investment into unused capacity. Not only does this provide a cost saving
but it can reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint too
·
Improved reliability; even where resources
(servers, networks etc.) are hosted internally, the creation of virtualised
operating environments means that the network is more resilient to individual
failures across the physical infrastructure. Virtual partitions can, for example,
pull their resource from the remaining unaffected servers. In addition, where
the cloud is hosted with a third party, the organisation can still benefit from
the physical security afforded to infrastructure hosted within data centres
·
Cloud bursting; some providers may offer the opportunity to
employ cloud bursting, within a private cloud offering, in the event of spikes
in demand. This service allows the provider to switch certain non-sensitive
functions to a public cloud to free up more space in the private cloud for the
sensitive functions that require it. Private clouds can even be integrated with
public cloud services to form hybrid clouds where non-sensitive functions are
always allocated to the public cloud to maximise the efficiencies on offer.
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