Why should businesses in Australia utilize public cloud services? If for no other reason, because it gives you a different way to scale cloud computing services inexpensively. It also gives you an extra option in cloud computing, which could offset your data storage and allocation requirements. It makes good sense for business organizations to utilize a public cloud platform simply on the cost factor alone, though there are many reasons to make the public cloud migration.
Private vs. Public Cloud
Differentiated from private cloud services, a public cloud is based on the standard cloud computing model, where a service provider makes applications and storage resources available to the general public over the Internet. They can be free or use the pay-per-usage type of model, but the main benefits of public cloud computing include:
- Easy and inexpensive set-up; hardware, application and bandwidth costs are covered by the provider.
- Scalability to meet varying needs.
- No wasted resources because you pay for what you use.
The private cloud is a proprietary data centre or network that utilizes cloud computing technologies such as virtualization as part of its platform. Some prime examples of public clouds include:
- Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)
- IBM’s Blue Cloud
- Sun Cloud
- Google AppEngine
- Windows Azure Services Platform
It should also be mentioned that Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud is twice as big as Microsoft, Google, and IBM’s public clouds combined, according to ZDNet.com, and which takes 45 percent of global revenues for public cloud services, according to Synergy Research Group.
The Hybrid Cloud Compromise
The argument for public cloud over private is well-articulated by Kris Bliesner, writing in Tech Republic. Bliesner argues that, “Private cloud is inefficient. It is built on a model that encourages bad overprovisioning. In fact, in order to get maximum benefit from private cloud – true elasticity – you have to overprovision. The public cloud, on the other hand, is the most widely applicable and delivers the most value to a majority of businesses.”
Other points Bliesner makes in a Tech Republic article on the subject include:
- Start-up companies need public cloud deployment, such as AWS, with its high level of scalability.
- Public cloud platforms are actually more secure than private cloud infrastructures, due to use of large-scale data centres by public cloud providers.
- The government and financial industries have largely moved to public cloud platforms.
- Public cloud platforms meet regulatory compliance guidelines better than private clouds.
Cloud Consulting Made Easy
If you’re in the market for public cloud computing, and need advice on what public cloud computing platform is right for you, Sydney Technology Solutions has cost-effective, scalable cloud consulting solutions designed to suit any size and type of business in Australia. Contact us today at (02) 8212 4722 or by email at [email protected], and we will be in touch with you shortly concerning the public cloud solution that best suits your business operations.
