How to build a public cloud

Building a Public Cloud is an exciting challenge but also a complex task. For starters, public clouds are built around software-as-a-service (SaaS), which makes it easier to scale and update applications quickly. But you'll need robust security measures and redundancy when you're looking to host thousands of servers. 

While, building a private cloud solution is different than building a public cloud solution. There are some key differences between the two architectures. Let’s explore these differences before we dive head first into the details of building a private cloud. 

For starters, let’s talk about the difference between a private cloud and a public cloud. A private cloud is hosted onsite and managed by IT professionals within your organization. 

This type of infrastructure requires significant investment in hardware, software licensing, network bandwidth, and support staff. On the flip side, a public cloud is hosted externally and accessed via the internet. 

Public clouds provide much cheaper access to computing power, storage space, networking resources, and application development tools like Microsoft Azure App Service. And since public clouds are accessible to anyone, they require minimal upfront capital costs. 

Private Cloud vs. Public Cloud 

But here’s the catch. Private clouds are typically architected based on traditional enterprise architecture standards. For instance, a private cloud may be built using virtual machines (VMs), hypervisors, and virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs). 

However, public clouds are usually architected around webscale principles. Webscale infrastructure allows users to scale compute capacity dynamically, thereby providing greater flexibility and agility when dealing with fluctuating demand. 

With all of this said, I believe that there are still advantages to both private and public clouds. Here are my thoughts: 

Cost savings Control & Security Scalability Flexibility Reliability Speed Lower Capabilities Better Performance

Disadvantages of Private Clouds 

Increased Costs

You must invest heavily in hardware, software licenses, and maintenance contracts. Additionally, the cost of managing a private cloud is higher than managing a public cloud. 

Lack of Agility/Flexibility

You can’t easily scale compute capacity and you can’t add new features, so you will run out of memory or disk space more quickly. 

Reduced Capabilities

Your system runs slower because it has less RAM and CPU, which means you won't have enough processing power for certain types of workloads. 

Higher Maintenance Costs

Typically, you’ll need to hire additional people and purchase expensive equipment if something goes wrong. 

Limited Skillset

Many organizations lack the skills necessary to manage their own private cloud environment. This means you must either pay someone else to do it or pay outside consultants to help you get set up. 

Larger Attack Surface

A private cloud exposes its services directly over the Internet, so hackers can gain access to sensitive data through exploits. 

Complexity

A private cloud involves many moving parts. You might need to hire an expert to design and implement your solution. 

Loss of Data

If your private cloud fails, you lose everything! It's important to back up important data, but backing up a private cloud is difficult and time-consuming. 

Less Visibility

In order to monitor and maintain your private cloud, you must use external monitoring solutions and spend money on extra IT personnel. 

Network Restrictions

If your company isn't connected to the internet, then you're not able to take advantage of some public cloud offerings. 

No Backup Services

Unless you buy them separately, you don't have the option to create backup images of your VMs. With a private cloud, you'll have to manually take backups and restore from those backups later. 

No Application Development Tools

A lot of applications aren’t compatible with a private cloud environment. If you want to develop new apps locally, you'll have to keep paying for pricey developer licenses. 

More Expensive Licenses

Some applications only work well with specific server operating systems. As such, you won't be able to use these applications unless they've been specifically made for your private cloud platform. 

Additional Hardware Requirements

Some servers require advanced cooling techniques, specialized server management tools, or proprietary protocols. These requirements increase the costs associated with building your private cloud. 

Security Concerns

The security measures that are required to protect private clouds are different than what you would find in a traditional enterprise network. For example, you'll need to secure every service endpoint and ensure that all traffic between services is encrypted. 

Lost Investment

If your private cloud doesn't perform as expected, you may incur significant expenses trying to recover from the problem. 

Ace Public Cloud is one of the trusted public cloud solution provider. It offers developers a familiar interface with tools like Visual Studio, SQL Server Management Studio, Windows PowerShell, and others. And it gives them access to a wide range of resources including virtual machines, storage, databases, and networking services. Cloud-based applications are often easier to deploy than those running on premises, so they're more attractive to small businesses that want to save time and effort. 

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