Computing has changed a lot over the last 20 years, and nothing has changed as much as the move toward “the cloud.” Individuals and organizations have been migrating their software, their storage, and their infrastructure away from localized data centers to the cloud, though at vastly different rates.
What is a data center? What is the cloud? How are they different, and how do they work together?
When reading about cloud computing, you are likely to encounter the words “cloud,” “data center,” “private cloud” and “public cloud.” It is incredibly important to recognize that different publications and organizations define these terms differently from one another.
While the definitions laid out in this article are fairly standard and accepted among tech folks, it is crucial to read all articles with a keen eye. Resources written and published inside organizations and even on trusted internet publications may use these words differently. Take the time to determine what the article means when using these terms.
A data center is an actual infrastructure that houses computing power. A data center is comprised of:
Some people use the term data center to strictly mean on-premises computing, i.e company-owned computers that support a single organization’s technical and security needs. (Another, more descriptive and accurate term for this is “enterprise data center” but even this can be used in multiple ways, with some using it for large-scale or hyperscale facilities.)
The fact is, data centers support all of the world’s computing and inter-connectivity. Data centers can be solely owned and used by one company or owned by the mega-companies that serve organizations and individuals all over the world. Amazon Web Services advertises 22 regions of availability, with likely one or more data centers in each one.
To summarize: a data center is a collection of all the physical computing needs used to serve an organization via some form of network.
No, not cirrus and cumulus, etc. Yet if you thought the data center terminology is confusing, cloud computing definitions are shifting almost as much as the stratus clouds literally floating over our heads.
At its essence, cloud computing refers to accessing files, programs, and information from a source other than the computer’s hard drive. Many organizations use internal networks (intranets) that allow users to access a centralized digital storage and computing area. This on-premise, localized data center is technically a form of cloud computing, though it is not what people think of when they refer to the cloud.
The most accepted and widely-used definition of the cloud is the internet. Generally, when most people talk about cloud computing, they are referring to outsourcing a portion or all computing needs to a third party and accessing it via the internet as opposed to a closed network. (As a reminder, when an organization outsources their computing to the cloud, it is simply being shipped off to one or more data centers owned by other companies.)
To get even murkier, private and public clouds (and hybrid clouds and multi-clouds) get added to the mix.
Basically, a private cloud is utilized by a single entity, with appropriate security clearance needed to access it. There may also be some responsibility for maintaining the infrastructure. A company-owned, on-premises data center is not usually considered a private cloud, but if a company contracts for dedicated servers from a third party, that would be a private cloud.
A public cloud, on the other hand, is what most people use when they use Amazon Web Services. The same servers, software, and data centers are being used by multiple entities. A small business in New York could be using the same server as a blogger in Australia. While individual accounts and organizational data are guarded by passwords, the hardware and bandwidth are not dedicated to one organization.
Outsourcing to the cloud comes in many forms. Aside from the public, private and hybrid clouds, there are different ways organizations can use the cloud for different parts of their IT process.
Even if a company determines that a local data center is the best way to go, SaaS may still offer a great way to outsource certain operations. Some companies feel more comfortable outsourcing email or word processing programs than crucial applications.
It is not one-size-fits-all when it comes to choosing whether cloud computing or an on-premises data center is the right solution for an organization.
Cloud computing offers several benefits, some of which make the cloud particularly attractive for small companies, or those just starting out.
On the other hand, there are still times when localized data centers are preferred by organizations. In spite of predictions, companies are still building and maintaining their own data centers.
Local data centers do have certain advantages over outsourcing to the cloud.
Determining the best option for any given organization requires a lot of thought. Some questions to ask:
In the end, it might not be an “either/or” outcome. It might be best to outsource certain software needs, like email, or visitor management systems, but keep crucial software and hardware on-site. The number of different sizes and types of organizations requires many custom options, and one size is certainly not going to fit all. However, the possibilities for the perfect on-premises or outsourced model are out there waiting to be explored.