With all the hype surrounding cloud computing in the IT world, it can be hard to know the best way to go about taking advantage of the many benefits the private cloud has to offer. Many vendors are looking to capitalize on its popularity but are offering solutions that are cloud services in name only, making it even more difficult to understand what a private cloud really entails. In order to succeed, IT leaders must understand what the private cloud is, what it can provide and how it can help them meet specific business goals.
What is the Private Cloud?
This cloud option is a shared model for operating an IT infrastructure, characterized by self-service, broad network access, pooled resources, rapid elasticity and measured services. Like other forms of cloud computing, the private cloud is a new way of running an IT infrastructure that can help lower costs, improve efficiency and automate processes.
As the name suggests, private clouds are built and intended to be used by a specific organization, unlike public clouds, which are made available for an organization to use by a third-party provider over an open network. Many IT leaders prefer the private cloud architecture because it offers similar cost and efficiency benefits, without the data security concerns that come from an open network.
Why is a Private Cloud Strategy Important?
Some of the roadblocks organizations experience when implementing the private cloud could be avoided if IT leaders took the time to plan a strategy before beginning their implementation. The private cloud is completely unlike traditional enterprise computing, and organizations that fail to realize this may be misleading themselves about what’s involved.
IT leaders can’t expect to simply add cloud services to their legacy IT systems. Implementing a private cloud requires an organization to completely overhaul the traditional computing model they’ve used in the past and look at IT with fresh eyes. This is why it’s so important to have a strategy in place before implementing a private cloud. It can be expensive and disruptive to completely change your IT infrastructure, so you should make sure you know why you’re doing it.
What Steps should go into the Strategy?
Although it’s important to plan your private cloud strategy around your organization’s specific goals, certain general steps apply to all private cloud implementations. In the early stages, knowledge is key: Make sure you know the cloud and exactly how your organization stands to benefit from implementing it. As you progress, pay attention to issues such as data security and performance. Also, include a future-proofing aspect to your strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of your private cloud. One of the cloud’s benefits is its scalability, and it has the potential to grow along with the IT needs of your company.
With all the discussion and debate surrounding the cloud, it can be hard to separate the hype from the truth. Yet savvy IT leaders who take the time to do their research will be well positioned to devise a strategy that will allow their companies to take advantage of what the private cloud has to offer.
