In recent years, cloud computing services have become essential IT services, providing computing power and data storage for professionals and private individuals alike. While it used to be necessary to choose between a private cloud and a public cloud, today, hybrid cloud means combining the security and data management benefits of the first with the flexibility of the second. Find out more about how hybrid cloud works and the benefits it brings below.
Private cloud and public cloud: what’s the difference?
Cloud computing provides easy access to IT services via the internet. A range of infrastructure types are available, which determine the cost, flexibility, and level of data access security.
The principe of cloud
The cloud is a virtualized infrastructure for storage or computing, or both, which comes in two possible forms:
• A physical server, divided into multiple virtual servers;
• Several physical servers combined into a single virtual server. This solution for computing or storage allows sensitive data to be stored or manipulated on a remote server accessible via the Internet, without the need for physical servers and computer resources. The cloud thus brings flexibility to the management of IT infrastructure.
Private cloud and public cloud : the differences
In terms of cloud computing, two storage solutions are possible:
• The private cloud, also known as a dedicated cloud environment, is the most common format. This infrastructure benefits only its owner (in this case, the equipment and data it manages belong entirely to it), or is designed for only one client (then, an integrator develops an infrastructure entirely dedicated to its client). The private cloud can be hosted internally or in a data center.
• The public cloud is an infrastructure that serves multiple clients. Data is hosted on many servers in a data center, which are accessible by multiple users, but that does not mean they are visible to everyone. The most well-known public clouds are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, or most of the mail servers used for personal use.
Definition of Hybrid Cloud The hybrid cloud is a clever mix of private cloud and public cloud, connected to each other by a system of data and application portability. In other words, hybrid clouds are like a puzzle with pieces of private or public clouds distributed in data centers. This solution is chosen by companies that share their IT infrastructure between the two types of clouds, in order to combine the best advantages of both worlds.
What are the uses of the hybrid cloud?
The uses of hybrid cloud are very varied and can interest many professionals.
• Hybrid by slice: this involves dividing an application or web server in two, with the back end in the private cloud, and the front end in the public cloud.
• Partitioned multi-cloud: this consists of using two public clouds simultaneously, in order to take advantage of the benefits of each (such as price or flexibility), and thus not putting all one’s eggs in the same basket.
• Analytical hybrid: this cloud solution allows separating transactional aspects (where information is entered) and analytical aspects (where information is stored and processed). Analytical hybrid is used for enterprise applications such as ERPs or CRMs. It is also possible to separate the development part from the execution part, especially when developing applications (DevOps).
Why choose hybrid cloud?
There are many reasons to choose hybrid cloud over private or public cloud.
- For security: keeping sensitive data and performing calculations in the public cloud prevents a cloud provider from accessing the Data Lake.
- For resilience: using two public clouds with a private cloud for storing information is interesting, especially in case of an incident.
- For flexibility: the public cloud offers interesting flexibility to benefit from variable and “real” billed computing capacity.
- For savings: being able to change public providers allows you to take advantage of price competition.
- For performance: having public clouds at the edge allows you to reduce latency and transportation.
What is the difference between a hybrid cloud and a multicloud?
The hybrid cloud and the multicloud are two different approaches to cloud computing architecture.
• The hybrid cloud combines both public and private cloud resources within the same infrastructure, thus offering increased flexibility and the ability to meet various needs in terms of security, compliance, and performance. It allows companies to move workloads between different environments according to the specific requirements of each application.
• In contrast, multicloud involves the simultaneous use of multiple cloud service providers, whether public, private, or managed cloud services by third parties. This approach aims to avoid dependence on a single provider and take advantage of the specific benefits offered by each platform, such as geolocation, specialized features, and costs.
What are the disadvantages of using a hybrid cloud architecture?
Using a hybrid cloud architecture has several disadvantages, especially regarding databases, data management, data security, and compliance requirements.
Concerning databases, a hybrid cloud architecture can lead to increased complexity in managing databases distributed across different environments. Databases need to be synchronized and kept consistent between the public and private clouds, which may require additional efforts and specialized technical skills.
Data management also becomes more complex in a hybrid cloud architecture. Data needs to be moved and shared between different environments securely and efficiently. This can lead to latency and performance issues, especially for applications requiring fast access to data.
Data security poses another major challenge. Sensitive data may be stored in different environments, making it more difficult to ensure their protection and compliance with security regulations. Companies need to implement robust security measures to protect data during transit between different clouds and during storage.
Finally, compliance requirements can pose challenges in a hybrid cloud architecture. Regulations such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) impose strict constraints on data localization and protection, which can make compliance difficult in a hybrid cloud environment where data is distributed across multiple locations.
In summary, although hybrid cloud architecture offers advantages in terms of flexibility and scalability, it also presents significant disadvantages in terms of database management, data management, data security, and compliance requirements. Companies must carefully weigh these factors before choosing a hybrid cloud architecture.
Data4 and hybrid cloud
Many client companies host their private cloud with Data4, and many Cloud Provider clients run their public cloud there. Companies appreciate being able to connect from their private cloud to a nearby public cloud. Indeed, transit time, also known as latency, is low, which is a real advantage for applications sensitive to this parameter.
Moreover, the reduced distance between the equipment of the two clouds limits failure points and thus the availability of the entire application. For these reasons and many others, many Data4 clients choose hybrid cloud.
Hybrid cloud emerges as a good compromise between privatization and resource sharing. However, it is important to accurately determine and calculate data storage space according to evolving needs, and to select cloud hosting for a successful hybrid virtualization.
