In the ever-evolving revolutionary world of technologies, cloud computing is the game-changer for businesses or individuals looking to access, manage, and store their data and applications offline. A global survey revealed that 49% of respondents plan to deploy a hybrid cloud computing deployment model within the next three to five years.
This is due to the fact that no other information technology (IT) infrastructure model is set to grow for more than five years. At the core of this technology lies various deployment models, each with its own features, advantages, and limitations. So, to ensure a smarter move, it’s important to notice what is being offered in the deployment model and your personal needs.
Analysts from Gartner revealed that more than 85% of organizations will embrace the principle of cloud-first by 2025. They will not be able to fully execute their digital strategies without the use of cloud-native architectures and technologies.
Through this guide, you’ll know the realm of cloud computing for unprecedented growth and success.
Let’s get started!
What is a Cloud Deployment Model?
A Cloud Computing Deployment Model is a unique approach to implement and manage cloud services, resources, and infrastructure. It outlines how cloud computing resources are provisioned, shared, and operated amongst the users.
It mainly determines how your cloud infrastructure will look, what can be changed, and what services will be provided to you. The relationships between the users and infrastructure are also defined by the choice of cloud deployment model type. The deployment architecture varies in the cloud computing model based on the amount of data to be stored and users’ access to it.
Benefits of Cloud Deployment Models
Before we go any further with the specifics of different models, let’s explore the benefits of deployment models in cloud computing:
Quick Application Deployment
Cloud deployment models offer streamlined solutions for deploying applications, thus reducing the time and complexity traditionally associated with setting up infrastructure. This agility makes businesses capable of introducing new services and functionalities to their users quickly. It helps in generating user support and business benefits in the form of revenue.
Centralized Data Security
Cloud deployment provides centralized security management, enabling organizations to implement consistent security measures across various applications and services. This centralized approach enhances data protection and reduces the risk of breaches. In case some breach does happen, tracking down the attacker becomes easier due to its centralized nature.
Virtualized Computing
Cloud deployment leverages virtualization to optimize resource utilization. This means that computing resources can be efficiently shared and allocated, leading to cost savings and improved overall performance. Smarter utilization of resources also provides higher performance and efficiency.
Automatic Updates
Cloud services often include automatic updates and patches. It ensures that applications and systems are constantly up-to-date with the latest features and security enhancements without requiring manual intervention. Security and performance are improved due to automated updates.
Innovative Acceleration
Cloud deployment facilitates innovation by providing ready access to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. Businesses can harness these capabilities without investing in extensive on-premises infrastructure.
Global Accessibility
Cloud services offer the advantage of global accessibility. Users can access applications and data from anywhere via the internet, promoting remote work and collaboration. Businesses are able to operate efficiently on a larger scale due to the benefit of cloud deployment.
Disaster Recovery
Cloud deployment often includes built-in disaster recovery and backup solutions. This ensures data resilience and business continuity in unexpected outages or data loss. Data integrity is ensured due to this feature.
After learning about all the benefits the cloud deployment model offers, you must be curious about its types as well. So, let’s move on and discuss its types in the next part.
Types of Cloud Computing Deployment Models
Various deployment models of cloud computing with unique benefits and limitations are explained here:
Public Cloud
A public cloud deployment model involves hosting resources and services on infrastructure owned and managed by a third-party cloud service provider.
In this model, anyone can access services and resources. Additionally, offer you services for general people or industry groups. It is owned by the entity that delivers the services rather than the consumer.
For this arrangement, both storage backup and retrieval services are provided for free as a part of a subscription or per-user basis.
For instance, Google App Engine, Amazon EC2, IBM Cloud, Salesforce Heroku, etc.
Benefits of Public Cloud
- You can easily scale the resources to meet your needs.
- The pay-as-you-go model reduces upfront costs.
- Services are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Usage of the public cloud has no necessity for infrastructure management.
- Maintenance is handled by service providers rather than users.
Limitations
- Limited control and customization options.
- Data stored on third-party servers raises security concerns.
Private Cloud
In a private cloud deployment model, resources are dedicated to a single organization and can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider. It is exactly the opposite of the public cloud deployment model.
In this model, the concern is only for a one-on-one environment or single user, with no need for hardware sharing with anyone else. This model is implemented in a secure environment protected by strong firewalls under the supervision of the organization’s IT department.
It offers greater flexibility of control over cloud resources. Examples of this model include Red Hat OpenStack. CISCO, Rackspace, IBM Bluemix Private Cloud, etc.
Benefits of Private Cloud
- Full control over resources and infrastructure.
- Enhanced data security and compliance.
- Tailor infrastructure to specific requirements.
- It is designed to function with legacy systems without access to the public cloud.
Limitations
- Setting up and maintaining a private cloud can be costly.
- Managing a private cloud requires specialized expertise.
Hybrid Cloud
The hybrid cloud model combines elements of both public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them. This means you can host the application in a safe environment while taking advantage of the public cloud’s cost savings.
Organizations can manage the movement of data and applications between different clouds using the combination of two or more cloud deployment methods per their needs. Examples are Microsoft, NetApp, Amazon, etc.
Benefits of Hybrid Cloud
- Ability to choose where to host different workloads.
- Optimize cost and performance for various tasks.
- Data separation reduces the chances of data theft.
Limitations
- Integrating data between public and private clouds can be complex.
- Latency happens due to data transmission through the public cloud.
Multi (Distributed) Cloud
The multi-cloud or distributed cloud model involves using services from multiple cloud providers. This approach minimizes vendor lock-in, optimizes cost and performance, and enhances redundancy. However, managing different providers can be complex.
It is similar to the hybrid model that combines public and private resources. The only difference is that it makes use of many public clouds. Chances of mishaps exist for multiple public cloud providers, but two distinct clouds have rare chances of incidents occurring simultaneously. This improves the overall availability of the services for the user.
Examples of this are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft (Azure), etc.
Benefits of Multi (Distributed) Cloud
- Avoid vendor lock-in by using multiple providers.
- Optimize costs and performance for specific tasks.
- Service is available almost all the time due to the rare chances of incidents in distinct clouds.
- The choice of cloud regions and zones close to clients reduces latency.
Limitations
- Managing different cloud providers can be challenging.
- Complex structure also brings loopholes for hackers to take away your data.
Community Cloud
Multiple organizations share community clouds with similar needs, such as security or compliance requirements. This model promotes collaboration while addressing specific concerns. It is a distributed system made by combining services from various clouds to meet the particular needs of a business, community, or industry.
However, building consensus among participating organizations can be challenging. The management is generally done by a third party or a combination of one or more organizations inside the community.
Benefits of Community Cloud
- Shared resources for organizations with similar needs.
- Address common security or compliance concerns.
- More efficient in cost as shared by multiple organizations or communities.
- Community cloud provides better protection.
Limitations
- Building consensus among participating organizations can be difficult, thus bringing rigidity to customization.
- Less scalable due to the sharing of resources between various organizations as per their collaborative interests.
Overall Comparison Table for Deployment Models
Here is a comparison chart for you to better understand the different factors and features of Cloud Computing deployment models.
| Factors | Public cloud | Private cloud | Community cloud | Hybrid cloud |
| Setting up | Very Easy | Complex and needs professional support | Complex and need professional support | Complex and needs professional support |
| Scalability and Flexibility | High | High | Fixed | High |
| Cost index | Cost-efficient | Quite costly | Cost distributed among all members | Ranges between public and private |
| Data security | Low | High | High | High |
| Data privacy | Low | High | High | High |
| Reliability | Low | High | High | High |
Know What’s Right for You?
Choosing the Cloud Computing Deployment Model is a critical decision that requires a deeper understanding of the organization’s needs, constraints, and goals. While public clouds offer cost savings and accessibility, private clouds focus more on control and security.
Hybrid and Multi-cloud models go for the combination of the best of both worlds, thus catering to different scenarios. Therefore, community cloud can be a smart choice for organizations having shared concerns. So, it all comes down to what your organization needs and matching them with the models that best fit with it.
Conclusion
Cloud computing deployment models give a framework for organizations to make more informed decisions about their cloud strategy. By evaluating and comparing the benefits and limitations of every model and aligning it to your needs, the way to a successful cloud journey can be paved. It will bring your business to new dimensions in terms of better innovation and higher efficiency.
Salesforce provides cloud services for domains like sales, marketing, commerce, experience, health, financial services, and education. If you want to build your career in the cloud, try the professional Salesforce training provided by S2 Labs. In the next part, we will provide details on cloud service models, so stay tuned.
