Cloud computing complements your IT infrastructure

blog Thursday, July 22, 2021

What if you want to provide a service that would require a cloud infrastructure? First, you'll need rack space suitable for the setup of a server cluster. Subsequently the underlying hardware must be virtualized using hypervisor or containerization technology. If we speak solely for the physical implications that are required, this is already considered challenging. Not to mention the technical skills, and costs that virtualization software, network- and cloud engineering require. Shouldn't we ask the question: why setup a cloud infrastructure when the current cloud offerings are so immense and use case specific? It can be beneficial to outsource this task. Ask yourself: is cloud computing necessary to the service that you want to provide?

Does cloud computing complement your IT infrastructure?

Usually when we mention cloud, we are referring to a public cloud service like Google, Azure, or Amazon AWS. Strictly speaking a public cloud is considered off-premises (existing on the premises of the cloud provider). If one tenant can alter file management and user permissions, does this refer to a private cloud? While serving one tenant is a characteristic of private cloud, altering files and user permissions are not exclusive to a private cloud. Though the inclusion of a firewall that prohibits external access usually is. The link between private and public is typically defined as hybrid cloud, while multiple cloud services (generally public) are seen as multi-cloud.

When accessibility of your data and files are critical to your mission statement

If all cloud solutions are virtualized environments and share a connection (not always directly) to the internet, what makes the private cloud private? Current public cloud offerings also offer the ability to restrict access whilst resources are shared with multiple tenants. What is the significant difference between the two? Technically a private cloud is utilized by a single tenant. This single tenant has full control over their resources and workloads are fully isolated. More specifically, an unshared environment where resources are virtualized such as the vCPUs and VMEM, and where storage becomes accessible over SAN (Storage Area Network) for example. These resources can then be used for disaster recovery, API-calls, or sending push notifications. The latter two are prime examples where low latency is key for optimal performance, a characteristic that is usually boasted by a private cloud rather than a public one.

Why create or innovate, when the optimal IT solution is readily available?

Specialization is becoming much more common, both in the realm of computer science and information technology. Not everyone excels in multiple spaces as a DevOps. If we use the web as an example, which slowly shifted away from static webpages to fully realized applications. Websites are now a space of applications, where integrated functionalities like geographical tracking and real-time stock inventory are common for a shopping page.

Today, if you are not able to keep up with current innovations it's not uncommon to use a third party for a fully managed solution. We're slowly shifting away from a model where businesses have their own hardware and dedicated engineering team to a world where Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) can be just as effective. At time of writing, this is already possible through public cloud offerings. Doesn't this suggest that a public cloud is a valid choice? Since setting up your own private cloud including your own cloud applications would suggest that all these skills need to be accounted for.

Is the future hyperscaled?

But how will you choose between private cloud or the proposition of the well-known 'hyperscalers'? Cloud providers like Amazon AWS are usually named in this fashion, thanks to their ability to deliver on hyper scalability. The main advantage of choosing a public cloud is that the solutions are catered to many specific applications or use cases. You might have heard of EC2, S3, and Lambda before. However, a service such as AWS Ground Station would only be known by space scientists. Whether you're a developer that uses cloud computing for cloud-based applications or a system administrator who constantly archives data. Most hyperscalers have a complete solution for any of these use cases.

For the fact that so many possibilities already exist within the public cloud space we decided to build upon these offerings with Cloud On-Ramp. Through Cloud On-Ramp a direct and SLA guaranteed link with several cloud providers (Google, AWS, Azure) is made through our Worldstream Elastic Network platform.

Public cloud offerings are generally a good idea if you already have a specific idea in mind. These services are typically used for instant solutions. If you are in need for more dedicated resources that can be reutilized at will, a private cloud would fit that description. The same can be said in relation to private cloud for preferences such as unlimited bandwidth, low latency, and compliancy. To summarize, when and for what purpose do you require cloud computing?

Getting a grip on your technical knowledge

The argument for public cloud is broad, but none are favored to speed up decision making. However, when we discuss storing important data the opinions are strong: don't store sensitive data in the cloud. Specifically, when you have knowledge that gives you a better position in the market or isn't even worth sharing within the company. We would suggest using solutions where you have full control over your resources and protection of your data, for example on-premises servers, dedicated servers, or a private cloud solution.

At Worldstream we believe in that there is truth in allowing customers to have full control over their resources, tailor made to specific and future needs. Without the usual hassle like hardware maintenance and capacity planning. This is one of the main reasons that we offer a private cloud solution. Worldstream has 15 years of experience and knowledge of data centers, servers, virtualization, storage, and networking. So, you might see some facets of our DNA in this solution. Our private cloud is a VMware virtualized environment with a highly secured and customizable HA FortiGate firewall, where the high-performance iSCSI all-flash SAN can manage consistent IOPS, even during peak workloads. Backed by our global network backbone and our anti-DDoS solution (Worldshield). This fully in-house developed solution can be customized further by adding other solutions like fiber to the business, multi-location, and is suitable for hybrid cloud setups (through cloud on-ramp, bare metal, colocation, or a combination). As all these IT solutions are built upon our Worldstream Elastic Network the private cloud solution is cost efficient, highly redundant, and scalable to future-proof your IT infrastructure.

If you have a broad knowledge of IT, from hardware to software, choosing private cloud as a solution is solid. However, the answer might not surprise you; whether you choose to use cloud computing, it is highly dependent on the use case. A more definitive answer might be getting a grip on your technical knowledge and use the insights from this article. Perhaps your cloud application might be better off on a physical server. Another insight could be that the existing IT solution can be interconnected through Cloud On-Ramp. Or you might conclude that DDoS mitigation could better be handled by a third party. This allows you to focus on your business, without having to worry about missing expertise.