Public, private or hybrid cloud
You can decide to have your TMS installed in a variety of ways.
Online service providers offer solutions to their clients on:
- private cloud
- public cloud
- hybrid cloud
What's the difference between them and how does it affect your decision on which TMS to buy?
There’s no one type of cloud that’s right for every organization. As a result, a choice of a deployment method depends on your business needs.
A private cloud is cloud computing with resources used exclusively by one business. It can be physically located at your organization’s on-site data center, or it can be hosted by a third-party service provider. But in this case, the services and infrastructure are always maintained on a private network and the hardware and software are dedicated solely to one organization.
A public cloud is cloud computing with resources (hardware, software, storage, network devices, etc.) owned and operated by a third-party cloud service provider and delivered over the internet. Clients share the same infrastructure with other organizations (known as “tenants”) accessing services and managing their accounts with a web browser.
A hybrid cloud is cloud computing that uses both public and private clouds, or combine online and on-premises resources. Infrastructure components can share the resources between public and private cloud deployment depending on the business needs. It is often used by organizations that require assistance in the form of public cloud services e.g. to meet increased traffic demand - and private clouds to handle sensitive data. It is the most complex solution requiring a good IT setup.
In the table below you will find a comparison of the most important cloud aspects:
| Aspect | Public cloud | Private cloud | Hybrid cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | medium there is always a risk of data disclosure due to resource sharing |
high dedicated to one organization, more secure if on-site than online |
high possibility of customized security measures |
| Control | low both over costs and infrastructure availability |
high especially when stored on-site |
medium lack of direct control over public infrastructure |
| Customization | low features are the same for all clients using it |
high flexibility to meet specific business needs |
high possibility to choose which resources are stored on which cloud |
| Costs | low you pay only for the service used and do not have to buy any infrastructure |
high you incur initial costs of installation, then pay for each upgrade |
medium flexible plans to meet specific demands |
| Installation and maintenance | none service provider is responsible for it |
required only if it is stored on-site |
required only if it is stored on-site |
| Reliability | high ensured by a variety of third-party servers and back-ups |
high SLA performance and efficiency |
high due to workload diversity |
| Scalability | unlimited resources are always available to meet any demand |
medium depending on the subscription plan (may not meet unpredictable demands) |
high achieved without exposing sensitive IT workloads to the inherent security risks |
Which solution to choose then? The answer is: the one that meets the needs of your organization and is within your budget. You are also limited to the offer that is available on the market. However, it is always good to know about all the benefits and drawbacks.
For example, if you wish to purchase a private cloud to use XTM, you should read its specification.