But not all business requirements can be met through the offerings of the public cloud. In some cases, organizations opt to implement a private cloud storage solution to meet their needs or desires. Let’s look at how these two forms of cloud storage differ and what each solution offers to customers. 

Comparing Public and Private Cloud Storage

Some characteristics differentiate public and cloud storage solutions that may make them more or less applicable for meeting specific business objectives. Companies need to weigh the benefits of each alternative when selecting the right type of cloud storage for their needs. 

Public cloud storage

The defining characteristic of public cloud offerings is that they share computing resources among multiple customers. A public cloud solution is hosted by a third-party provider who may provision its hardware as it sees fit to address the needs of its tenants. The benefits that accompany this type of cloud storage model include:

• A low initial cost of entry - Public cloud services can be obtained inexpensively and offer businesses an economic method of taking advantage of extended storage capacity. 

• Enhanced scalability - One of the most appealing aspects of the cloud is the ease with which capacity can be scaled up or down to meet fluctuating business needs while minimizing costs and avoiding paying for unused resources.

• Access to cutting-edge technology - Cloud providers have tremendous technical resources and regularly introduce new technologies into their offerings. Customers can take advantage of these improvements without development and implementation costs. 

Private cloud storage

Private cloud storage offers a different set of benefits for companies who are not comfortable with the shared model of the public cloud. A private cloud implementation employs the same basic technologies as its public alternative but is designed to be used by a single tenant. Its advantages include:

• Enhanced control - Private clouds offer companies complete control over the hardware and software products used to provide the storage infrastructure. The solutions can be customized to fit unique business requirements.

• Improved security and access control - All access to private cloud storage will be achieved behind the customer’s firewall, giving them more visibility and control over who can access their data.

• Better regulatory compliance - Customers can tailor private cloud storage solutions to meet any regulatory standards applicable to their industry. 

Making the Choice 

When faced with a choice between public and private cloud storage, many companies are opting for a hybrid approach that uses both models where they are most appropriate for specific business situations. By segregating sensitive data and information subject to regulatory compliance from less critical resources, companies can enjoy the overall benefits of cloud storage designed for their exact requirements.