Many business owners have heard about cloud solutions for business: the private cloud, the public cloud and the hybrid cloud. But deciding which option is right for their company can be difficult. The scalability and cost savings of the public cloud are appealing, but so is the added security of the private cloud.
A hybrid cloud is essentially the best of both worlds — and for businesses that need the flexibility of both, it is fast becoming the cloud model of choice.
WHAT IS A HYBRID CLOUD?
A hybrid cloud is a combination of both public and private. Think of the cloud as a server. A server may be running on a private cloud or a public cloud. For example, you could have an application running on the public cloud that uses data stored in the private cloud. Both clouds are completely separate, but they are able to connect and talk to each other.
COMMON USES FOR A HYBRID CLOUD
When does a hybrid cloud make sense for your business? Let’s take a look at how other businesses are using it today:
1. For Bursting
Let’s say you need to set up a few servers for a month or two so you can handle an anticipated increase in e-commerce traffic, but the virtual servers on your private cloud are already close to saturation. When you have a hybrid cloud, you can power up additional servers on the public cloud, and take them down whenever you want.
2. For Testing
Developers will often use a public cloud for testing and development because it’s easy to set up servers and take them down — on demand. A hybrid cloud also makes it possible to add real data stored in a private cloud to the testing environment, making the testing process more realistic.
3. For Email & Other Applications
A hybrid cloud gives companies more options when it comes to deciding which business functions will reside where. For example, Office 365 has an optional hybrid mode that enables customers to work with applications on a public cloud, while using data from their private cloud or private network.
4. For Security and Compliance
Regulated industries have rules that govern what they put on a private cloud vs. a public cloud vs. their own internal network. A hybrid cloud still gives these industries added flexibility, giving them access to certain resources on the public cloud, while helping them stay compliant.
READY TO MAKE YOUR MOVE TO THE CLOUD?
Whether you’re looking at public, private or hybrid options, UDT is well versed in the various cloud solutions for business. Contact us — our experts would be happy to answer any questions you have, or help you create a unique cloud strategy for your business.