Public, Private or Hybrid: What Type of Cloud Computing Is Best for Me?

Public cloud services are, as the name implies, available to the general public. Any business owner who wants to make use of these services can pay for a subscription and begin using them immediately. You’ve likely seen these advertised by major cloud service providers—and you’ve probably used services like these whether you realize it or not.
Effectively, you’ll be sharing resources with other users. This usually isn’t much of a problem, but it can raise some additional complications.
These are some of the biggest advantages of public cloud services:

• Little to no maintenance requirements. With public cloud services, you’re tapping into a product that already exists and working with a company highly experienced in providing cloud services. Additionally, part of your subscription costs cover maintenance needs. Because of this, you should have little to no maintenance responsibilities for keeping your cloud services up and running.
• High scalability and flexibility. Public cloud service providers try to make their services as convenient and accessible to as many potential users as possible. Accordingly, they offer a wide range of packaged services that can be augmented over time. If you’re looking for something scalable and flexible, public cloud services are ideal.
• Reduced complexity. As we’ll see, building private cloud solutions can be complicated and overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure what your needs are. If you’re just getting started or you need a simple solution, public cloud services are advantageous.
• Appropriate pricing. Compared to what you get, public cloud services tend to be inexpensive. The companies offering these services have considerable resources and experience, so they can afford to offer relatively low rates.

However, there are some disadvantages to consider as well:

• Fewer options. Because there are set packages to choose from, you may have fewer options with public cloud services than you would with a private cloud solution. If you have niche or complex needs, there may not be a viable solution for you here.
• Less control. Some business decision makers like to have as much control as possible over their cloud services. But when you go with a public cloud service provider, you’ll have to sacrifice at least some control.
• Lower security. While most public cloud providers take security seriously, it’s hard to rival the security provided by a private cloud solution.

If you want to save money or just need the basics, public cloud services are probably best. This is especially true if you’re not especially concerned about personal control or security.