In 2012, Forbes published an article entitled, “Most Americans Don’t Understand Cloud Computing: Does It Really Matter?” The article delved into the results of a survey that found only 16% of respondents understood the cloud to be “a mechanism to store, access and share data among Internet-connected devices” (an essentially correct answer). Surprisingly, 95% of respondents were already using the cloud for various activities, from online banking to social networking, yet they didn’t even know it.
Fast forward to now, and the situation has changed dramatically. An estimated 83% of enterprise workloads will be in the cloud by the end of 2020. Of that number, 41% of workloads will be run on public cloud platforms, 20% will be private-cloud-based, and 22% will use a hybrid cloud configuration.
However, while even small businesses (84% per the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council) have embraced the cloud, many small to midsized businesses (SMBs) have not yet leveraged its full potential. If your firm is in that number, you may be wondering, “Why would I want to adopt cloud computing, at all?”
Here’s our take. All models of cloud computing offer clear advantages for business owners compared to on-premise networks and hardware. Even public clouds, considered the least secure option, are hosted by data farms that are far more secure and disaster proof than any office setting. With all three options, you can custom match your cloud’s configuration to your needs.
Unfortunately, not all SMBs are tapping into the full value of the cloud. To date, they have been relying more heavily on public, packaged cloud services, such as Amazon AWS (64% adoption rate) and Microsoft Azure (60%) than they do on customized cloud environments.
We’re not disputing that these platforms have some value, but they are built to offer broad appeal without consideration for the deploying firm’s particular situation, including industry-specific security and compliance concerns.
AWS, in particular, is a disconcerting choice because it has been implicated in cyber security breaches. These monolithic solutions also don’t incorporate proactive services, such as support services, that give business leaders peace of mind.
If any of these drawbacks give you pause, or you are unsure which cloud deployment model is best for your company (and whether it will provide the technology services you need), our cloud pros would be happy to answer your questions. (Ready to learn more, right now? This page will introduce you to all the options.) For a quick primer on the differences between these models, we invite you to read on.
There are three main models (e.g. types of environment) for cloud computing: public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Identifying the merits of these technology services and making a choice boils down to what enables the business to achieve its goals. The matrix below lays it out for ease of review.
| Similarities Between Public, Private and Hybrid Clouds | ||
|---|---|---|
| All three cloud models either replace or augment on-premise hardware, expanding flexibility, security and scalability. | All three types of clouds require Internet access for the full package of services. | Most firms outsource management and maintenance of the cloud environment to the provider. |
| Differences Between Public, Private and Hybrid Clouds Each of the three models serves a specific, different purpose |
||
| Public | Private | Hybrid |
| Organizations purchase public cloud services from a third-party provider who determines, configures and manages the resources and feature set. | A private cloud environment is established specifically for a particular entity, whether it’s a company or a discrete group of users. | Organizations gain access to both a public and a private cloud, which are securely connected to one another to function as a unified resource. |
| Access to the cloud environment is directly over the user-firm’s Internet connection. | Cloud access is via a private internal network with a hypersecure connection to the Internet. | Cloud access follows the model and privacy level of the relevant resource. |
| Public clouds are scalable on demand, a feature known as elasticity. However, their security is determined by the provider and may not meet all firm’s expectations or needs. | Private clouds may be scalable on demand, but their most essential feature is the higher level of security and privacy achieved through internal hosting and use of company firewalls. | Hybrid clouds offer “the best of both worlds” — a scalable, lower-cost cloud environment for apps and non-proprietary data, and a private cloud for sensitive data. They enable cross-cloud communication between the two for workload moving/sharing. |
Many cloud providers, including IT Solutions, offer flexible service agreements and companion technology services to match, all for a reasonable monthly fee. You can bundle your cloud infrastructure with cloud-related services such as VoIP phone systems (e.g. cloud telephony), backup and disaster recovery services, and more. Your cloud experts can also monitor and manage your cloud environment, so your teams are freed from these time-consuming tasks — as well as the network management burdens they previously handled.
Beyond these “nuts and bolts” benefits, 87% of companies experience business acceleration from their use of cloud services, per the 2019 McAfee Cloud Security Report. What CEO doesn’t love to hear that?
For example, IT Solutions’ public cloud plan includes full backup services, compliance-grade security protections, collaboration tools such as Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint, support for Office 365, and much more, including the services of a Strategic Advisor to help with IT planning.
Our private cloud, NearCloud, offers an expansive value-add feature set, as well, that even includes Office 365.
We also offer an option, Custom Set-up, where we identify the precise combination of cloud services — paired with on-premise services and solutions if appropriate — that will best meet your firm’s goals.
In essence, working with a strategic solutions provider, cloud computing can be bundled with virtually any IT service or solution you require. The end result is your teams operate efficiently, and you gain the peace of mind that comes from having others manage systems for you while maximizing your long-term investment in information technology and related technology services.
We can provide a lot more information to persuade you, but a complimentary consultation will give you a chance to ask all your questions, at absolutely no obligation.
To get started, dial 800.PICK-ITS or visit us online here.
We’ve got answers — fast, clear, and tailored to your needs. Let’s talk tech.
