Cloud Deployment Models

An overview of the different cloud deployment models, including public, private, hybrid, community, and multi-cloud.

Next, let’s delve into the different cloud deployment models:

  • Public Cloud

    In the realm of public cloud, computing resources are provided by a third-party cloud service provider and are made accessible to the general public over the internet. Most prominent examples are the top three providers - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure, who offer a comprehensive public cloud platform offering a myriad of services such as virtual machines, databases, and AI capabilities. Other notable players are Alibaba Cloud, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), and DigitalOcean who offer similar features.

  • Private Cloud

    Contrasting the openness of the public cloud, private clouds are exclusive environments utilized solely by a single organization. These can be hosted either on-premises or by a third-party provider. There are many tools, like OpenStack, Hyper-V, XenServer, KVM, or VMware’s vSphere, who empower organizations to establish a private cloud within their own data centers, ensuring meticulous control and customization of resources.

  • Hybrid Cloud

    Hybrid clouds amalgamate features of both public and private clouds, enabling the sharing of data and applications between them. This approach provides greater flexibility and diverse deployment options. Azure Hybrid Cloud, VMware Cloud Foundation, and CloudHesive are prime examples, seamlessly integrating on-premises servers with public cloud services, delivering a unified management experience.

  • Community Cloud

    Community clouds are shared among multiple organizations with shared concerns, such as regulatory compliance. These organizations collaborate within the cloud to fulfill their collective objectives. For instance, government agencies within a region might opt for a community cloud adhering to specific regulations governing data storage and security.

  • Multi-Cloud

    A multi-cloud strategy involves leveraging services from multiple cloud providers to avoid vendor lock-in, enhance redundancy, and optimize costs. For example, organizations might use AWS for machine learning, Azure for integration services, and Google Cloud for data analytics, creating a diversified cloud ecosystem.

These deployment models offer diverse options for organizations based on their specific needs, with considerations ranging from scalability and control to compliance and redundancy.