Difference Between Private Cloud and Public Cloud Comparison

20 October 2022

Digital transformation is happening at breakneck speed. Companies are looking to leverage the power of digital technologies and the latest innovations to become more customer-centric, profit-driven, and agile. Digital transformations come in different forms some companies choose to transform their business through a digital transformation while others transform their existing processes in order to meet the needs of a new digital age.

From an end user’s perspective, there’s just one difference between public cloud and private cloud is public clouds are accessible by anyone while private clouds are only available to a select group of people who have been given special privileges. In this post, we’ll examine the difference between public cloud vs private cloud, and which one is right for your organization.

What is Public Cloud?

A public cloud is a type of cloud computing service that is provided over the internet by a third-party cloud service provider. In a public cloud, the infrastructure, servers, storage, and other resources are owned and operated by the cloud service provider and made available to the general public over the internet. Customers of a public cloud can use the resources provided by the cloud service provider on a pay-per-use basis, typically by signing up for a subscription plan.

The largest public cloud service providers are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web services, and Google cloud.

What is Private Cloud?

A private cloud is a type of cloud computing service that is provided to a single organization by a third-party cloud service provider or by the organization itself. In a private cloud, the infrastructure, servers, storage, and other resources are dedicated to the use of a single organization and are not shared with any other organization. This can provide the organization with greater control and security over its data and resources compared to a public cloud, where resources are shared among multiple organizations.

One example of a private cloud service is Microsoft Azure Private Cloud. It is a cloud computing platform provided by Microsoft that is designed specifically for organizations that require a high level of control and security over their data and resources. Azure Private Cloud is deployed and managed by Microsoft and is made available to a single organization on a subscription basis.

Private cloud vs Public cloud – Comparison Table

	Private Cloud	Public Cloud
Definition	A cloud computing environment dedicated to a single organization, providing computing resources over a private network.	A cloud computing environment that offers computing resources to multiple organizations over the internet.
Ownership	The organization owns and operates the private cloud infrastructure.	Owned and operated by a third-party cloud service provider.
Security	Offer higher levels of security and data protection due to their isolated nature and the ability to customize security policies.	Provide a high level of security but are vulnerable to cyber threats and data breaches due to the shared nature of the infrastructure.
Scalability	Private clouds are less scalable than public clouds as resources are limited to the capacity of the private cloud infrastructure.	Public clouds are highly scalable, allowing organizations to quickly add or reduce resources to meet changing business demands.
Cost	Typically, more expensive due to the need for specialized infrastructure and maintenance costs.	Cost-effective as they operate on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing organizations to only pay for the resources they use.
Customization	Offer more customization options and greater control over the infrastructure.	Offer limited customization options but provide a wide range of pre-built services that can be used to build applications quickly.
Accessibility	Accessible only to authorized users within the organization’s network.	Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, making them more flexible and accessible.

Difference between public cloud and private cloud

Ownership

In a Public Cloud, the infrastructure is owned and operated by a third-party service provider, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. In a Private Cloud, the infrastructure is owned and managed by the organization or a third-party service provider on behalf of the organization.

Accessibility

Public Cloud is accessible to anyone over the internet, while Private Cloud is restricted to a specific organization and requires authentication for access. This makes Private Cloud more secure and suitable for organizations with sensitive data.

Cost

Public Cloud is less expensive as the cost of infrastructure and maintenance is spread across multiple customers. Private Cloud is more expensive as the organization has to bear the entire cost of infrastructure and maintenance.

Security

Public Cloud has a lower level of security compared to Private Cloud as the infrastructure is shared by multiple customers. Private Cloud offers a higher level of security and privacy due to its dedicated infrastructure and increased control over security measures.

Customization

Private Cloud offers a higher degree of customization compared to Public Cloud as the infrastructure is dedicated to a single organization. This allows organizations to tailor the infrastructure to their specific needs and requirements.

Control

In a Private Cloud, the organization has direct control over the infrastructure, while in Public Cloud the service provider manages the infrastructure. This gives organizations greater control and visibility over their IT environment in a Private Cloud.

Scalability

Public Cloud is highly scalable as the infrastructure is shared by many customers and can easily be scaled up or down as needed. Private Cloud scalability is limited by the dedicated infrastructure, which can make it more challenging for organizations to scale quickly as needed.

Advantages of Using a Public Cloud

Accessibility 

The public cloud offers several accessibility advantages over traditional IT environments. First, public cloud deployments allow organizations to scale up their services as demand grows. Because the public cloud is shared by multiple customers, it can accommodate an unlimited number of users and applications at any time.

Cost savings

When it comes to the public cloud vs private cloud, the Public cloud offers significant cost savings over the private cloud, there is no need to invest in expensive hardware or software. You can get started with the public cloud at a fraction of the cost of traditional on-premises solutions.

Better security 

Public clouds are inherently less vulnerable than private environments because there are fewer points of access and fewer opportunities for unauthorized access. The provider has robust security processes and controls in place, which means you can be assured of high levels of protection.

Flexibility  One advantage of using a public cloud is flexibility. Public clouds allow organizations to easily scale their resources up or down based on their changing needs. This is because public clouds are built on a shared infrastructure that is designed to be highly elastic and can be easily reconfigured to meet the needs of different customers. For example, if an organization using a public cloud needs to handle a sudden increase in traffic or workload, it can easily scale its resources up by purchasing additional compute, storage, or other resources from the cloud service provider. Better disaster recovery

Companies may automate backups of their data, programs, and other resources across worldwide public cloud regions with only a few mouse clicks. It’s quite simple. You don’t have to worry about maintaining equipment in several data centers or paying for related labor and infrastructure expenditures, unlike with on-premises disaster recovery.

No more server management

Companies that use public clouds don’t need to spend time managing servers, unlike with on-premises data centers or internal private clouds.

Advantages of Using a Private Cloud

Better control and flexibility

When comparing private and public clouds, the private cloud provides you full control of the environment, so you can create the exact architecture you require. More control over compliance and security. You can create and enforce compliance and security policies that meet your specific needs.

Better data security

You can more effectively protect your data because it will be on your premises. More control over investment. Since you have invested in your private cloud, you have more control over maintenance, upgrades, and capacity planning.

Efficiency 

Private clouds can be hosted on-site or in a third-party data center, which is also considered a privately hosted environment. This provides you with greater control over your data and infrastructure, allowing you to respond quickly if adjustments are required.

Improved performance. 

Since you can optimize your environment for your specific needs, you can expect better performance.

Enhanced Resource Utilization

Private cloud takes advantage of the same virtualization technology used for all cloud computing. Most servers are underutilized, and virtualization ensures that private cloud users can benefit from improved resource utilization, making it possible to shift workloads to different physical servers for more flexibility. Furthermore, resources dedicated to a certain server can be adjusted to meet the dynamic needs of any application.

Public Cloud vs Private Cloud: Which is Right for Your Business?

Finally, after knowing the benefits and difference between private cloud and public clouds, one question raises, which one is best? The public cloud is best used when your business requires flexibility, scalability, and better control over investment. A private cloud is best used when your business requires better control over compliance and security, and better performance. However, it is important to note that the public cloud is more suitable for smaller businesses, while the private cloud is more suitable for larger businesses. If you are confused about whether to choose a public cloud or create a private cloud for your business, make sure you consider the advantages of each type, as well as your business requirements.

If you are still confused about this, contact us. Our expertise in data engineering, machine learning, and natural language processing, along with our deep industry knowledge and hands-on experience, help you build the right cloud solutions for your business.