Where the Private Cloud Fits in your IT Strategy
Author: John Weigelt
Computing is currently experiencing a profound transformational shift to the cloud computing era. While some service providers would have you believe that everything will be provided over the Internet, how the cloud model is actually taking shape is a far richer story.
As with previous shift of mainframe computing – most notably client server and web services – today’s cloud technologies and processes are providing an exciting and complementary approach to how organizations leverage IT. Even though public cloud services are taking most of the spotlight today, deploying the cloud internally within the organization can provide meaningful opportunities to transform operations in the future. Organizations have made significant investments in their existing computing infrastructure, and private cloud solutions provide the ability to maximize the value of this investment. By implementing management and operational tools and processes, small computing environments can see meaningful increases in efficiency and agility.
We all appreciate that not all applications are made equal. One pitfall when moving to the cloud is treating all workloads or services the same. This shouldn’t be the case; some solutions may require substantial network bandwidth while others may require significant customization. Private clouds provide organizations with the ability to gain some of the cloud advantages. It accomplishes this by offering governments the flexibility to begin shifting from their internal systems to external systems at a more controlled pace. By building out private cloud services, organizations can validate their service oriented approach, have a better understanding of their service level expectations and even look to adopt a hybrid IT approach that combines private and public cloud services.
While the private cloud does have its benefits, organizations must appreciate the limitations of their private cloud environments. In a private cloud deployment, these services do not have the economies of scale that the worldwide cloud can deliver. Scalability, supply and demand side savings, and full efficiencies cannot be fully realized in these constrained environments.
So as you assess what cloud services are right for your organization, carefully review how the private cloud can complement your existing IT operations, and also fit into your external cloud strategy moving forward.
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