Not just a "cloud for everyone"? Now experts are paying attention to the return of "private cloud"
Hello! I'm Jon, a blog writer who explains AI technology in an easy-to-understand way.
When you hear the word "cloud," what do you think of? Many people may imagine services like Google Drive or iCloud that anyone can use via the Internet.Public Cloud" and it has been used by many companies because it is quick and convenient.
However, recently, we have seen a slight change in this trend. Companies that once migrated to the public cloud are once againPrivate Cloud" is starting to attract attention. In this article, we will explain in an easy-to-understand manner for beginners why there is now a "return" to private clouds!
What does "return to the cloud" mean?
Until a few years ago, the conventional wisdom was that "cloud" meant "public cloud," but a recent major survey shows that IT industry leaders are changing their thinking.
We are increasingly hearing the words "cloud reversion" and "repatriation" (originally meaning "repatriation"), which refers to the movement of systems and data that were once placed in the public cloud back to a "private cloud" environment that is managed by the company itself.
A private cloud is a service that is used only by a specific company.Your own cloud" Why would anyone bother to do that? There are three main reasons.
- Cost Issues:Public clouds offer the convenience of paying only for what you use, but it has become clear that for systems that are constantly running, they can actually end up costing more.
- Security concerns:More and more businesses are feeling uneasy about putting sensitive customer data and trade secrets into an environment where they are shared with many other users.
- The advent of the AI era:For certain tasks that require huge amounts of computing power, such as developing AI, a private cloud optimized for your company may perform better.
In other words, the era of "public cloud for everything" is over, and we are now in an era where we can choose the best place for each "job" (technically called a "workload").
Hybrid cloud is the future
So will all businesses abandon the public cloud? The answer is no.
In fact, more than 9% of the companies that participated in the survey are aiming for a "combination of public and private clouds."The best of both worlds" "Hybrid Cloud" It is in the form:
If we were to give a familiar example of hybrid cloud, it would be something like this:
- Private Cloud:A personal car that you use every day. You can use it any time and customize it to your liking, giving you peace of mind.
- Public Cloud:Renting a truck when moving is not necessary on a regular basis, but renting one only when you need to transport large items is very convenient and economical.
In this way, people are increasingly using the highly secure private cloud for important systems that they run on a regular basis, while using the flexible public cloud for websites that need to be able to handle sudden increases in traffic or for temporary data analysis.
In the past, private clouds had weaknesses such as "complex settings" and "difficulty to expand," but today's private clouds have evolved to be just as easy to use and perform as public clouds, which is a major reason why hybrid clouds are becoming a realistic option.
Private cloud considerations
Of course, private clouds are not a panacea. There are a few things to keep in mind when considering their introduction.
Expertise required:Since we build and manage our systems in-house, we need a team of specialized engineers who are knowledgeable about networks and security.
Scalability limits:It is difficult to suddenly expand, such as by adding 100 servers with a single click, as with public clouds. It is necessary to predict future demand and make planned capital investments.
Initial investment and maintenance costs:You need to purchase all the equipment, including the servers, so it requires a large initial investment, and there are also ongoing maintenance costs.
Full responsibility for security:While a high level of security can be ensured, your company will be responsible for managing it and for any problems that may occur.
My perspective
It's interesting to see how much the "cloud" actually changes, even though it tends to be lumped together. In particular, the emergence of new technologies such as AI seems to be overturning conventional wisdom and guiding IT infrastructure to the way it should be, "using the optimal tools in the optimal place." The key to surviving in the coming age seems to be to think flexibly about combinations, rather than sticking to one answer.
This article is based on the following original articles and is summarized from the author's perspective:
The private cloud comeback