IT environments are increasingly migrating to huge data clouds. Cloud technologies are changing many areas of companies. They are influencing the way data is handled and making old processes obsolete. IT teams are saving themselves time-consuming administrative tasks and the expense of setting up hardware.
The question for companies today is no longer: do you want to go to the cloud, but how much cloud do you want to use?
In a Europe-wide study by Research in Action on cloud trends, the majority of IT and business executives predicted that the development will continue to move away from on-premises towards local cloud landscapes by 2020. And that is exactly what has happened.
Data volumes via the cloud have grown by a factor of 2.4 to date. Hybrid clouds in particular are becoming increasingly widespread. The reasons for this major change lie in scalability, productivity and cost reduction.
But what models are there? What do on-premises, public, SaaS or PaaS actually mean? We will guide you through the jungle of terms and give you tips for making the right cloud selection.
On-premises vs. clouds
Our IT landscapes originate from the classic on-premises world. "On-Premises" means on site. Companies manage their processes in their own network. From the server to the software - the entire IT infrastructure is administered in-house and is not located on externally hosted servers.
However, the role of in-house data centers continues to diminish. This is precisely where Clouds into play.
In contrast to on-premises, companies use computing resources such as servers, databases and software via the internet. The physical IT infrastructure runs via a data center, which can be located anywhere on the planet.
Some companies are concerned that cloud solutions could allow them to lose control of their data. On the one hand, the objections are justified, but on the other hand, there are many solutions available today in terms of data protection. Hybrid solutions in particular can be used with the aim of achieving a high level of data security.
Get an overview of the advantages of cloud services below:
The opportunities of using the cloud
- No more costs for your own in-house server
- Automatic installation of patches and software updates
- Lower costs for IT administration
- Cloud use independent of local resources
- Enormous storage space as required
- Saving costs for classic hardware equipment
- Comprehensive backup solutions can be set up
- Global scaling to individual company requirements
- Lower network latencies
- Flexible use
- Overall cheaper than on-premises
Not all clouds are the same
We explain the main differences between public clouds (public clouds), private clouds (private cloud) and Hybrid clouds.
In public clouds, the data is stored on public servers. Larger platform providers make these available to a large number of companies. Microsoft's Office365 platform is one such example. IT services, such as Exchange for email communication, are distributed across several Microsoft data centers.
In contrast, only one customer accesses the server in a private cloud. It is available exclusively for one company or institution. Private clouds are organization-related environments in which the application is only available to authorized users.
Contrary to the initial definition of cloud computing, a private cloud can also be located in an in-house data center. Alternatively, it is hosted via a server from an external provider. In this case, access is either via VPN (= Virtual Private Network) or via the classic intranet, for example.
As this type of cloud is not designed for the general public, it automatically offers a higher level of security and control over sensitive company data. However, more IT expertise is required for setup and maintenance than for public clouds in order to professionally manage the resulting complexity. Once the technical expertise is in place, private cloud computing can make a lot of sense, especially for special compliance and security requirements.
Historically evolved hybrid landscapes
If you find clouds, you will also find hybrid landscapes. As long-established companies originate from the on-premises world, infrastructures have developed over time that offer a balancing act between in-house solutions and clouds.
Companies like to use hybrid clouds to store sensitive data on private servers on the one hand and to store non-critical content in simple, public clouds on the other.
To make it easier to imagine: The Microsoft Dynamics ERP system, for example, runs on-premise in Microsoft's own data center, while the linked CRM system from Salesforce is located in a cloud of the American digital giant.
But what other hybrid forms can companies consider? Hybrid landscapes can consist of the following combinations, for example:
- On-premises environment + a public or private cloud
- One private + one public cloud
- At least 2 public clouds
- At least 2 private clouds
"As a Service" - What do IaaS, PaaS and SaaS mean?
The abbreviations of cloud platforms can be confusing. We clear them up.
All three have one thing in common: clouds can be rented as required - with varying degrees of flexibility and scalability.
The tag "as a service" (=aaS) means that cloud providers make any IT resources available to companies for a certain period of time.
IaaS - Infrastructure as a service
In this cloud form, the provider provides users with access to infrastructure components such as servers, networks or data storage as a bookable service from the cloud. Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and the Google Cloud Platform, for example, are typical IaaS environments.
Instead of users buying hardware themselves, they pay the providers according to their storage capacity requirements and business processes.
For example, you can book a Windows Surfer 2019 + an SQL server including operating system with 2 terabytes of disk storage on the Microsoft Azure platform via IaaS.
This allows you to automatically outsource technological layers to the cloud. Processes such as patches, management, backups and monitoring are now managed in the cloud service.
In a nutshell: you rent IT infrastructure and maintenance - you do the rest yourself.
PaaS - Platform as a service
PaaS is more about developers than IT admins. This service offers software developers the opportunity to develop and implement their own software using the booked platform.
Developers specify the memory and interfaces used. However, they do not intervene in the infrastructure itself.
Salesforce with the Force.com platform, the SAP Cloud Platform and IBm Bluemix, for example, are common PaaS systems. There, companies can access practical tools and test tools to develop customized applications.
The advantage? Companies can focus on software development and do not have to worry about the underlying IT infrastructure. Associated communities also ensure regular optimization of the systems.
SaaS - Software as a Service
SaaS is an "all-round carefree package" - consisting of IT infrastructure and platform.
Simply explained: You rent ready-to-use software and can use it with any Internet browser.
Here, you do not have to manage and develop the software yourself, as the providers are responsible for the application. Very typical SaaS systems are Office365 from Microsoft or the CRM system from Salesforce.
You simply work with the software yourself. The only expense that may arise is the initial connection to your existing systems, such as your on-premises environment.
The right strategy for an optimal cloud landscape
SaaS has become very widespread in recent times. Billing models have also changed as a result. Subscription models are increasingly replacing traditional license models. Whereas in the past, billing was based purely on user numbers and additional maintenance costs were often incurred, the usual billing formula for subscriptions is now often as follows:
Total price = user price per month x number of users.
IT managers still have to keep a cool head when it comes to calculations, for example when it comes to fixed terms of 12, 24 or 36 months, but the barriers to entry are much lower.
Here's a tip from us: When booking a cloud service, bear in mind from the outset that there can often be hefty price increases of up to 10 % after the term has expired. If possible, you should secure this contractually or factor it into your IT budget at an early stage!
Are you planning a move to the cloud and want to secure the benefits, such as cost reduction and scalability, for the long term? If you are not a start-up that can immediately adopt a "cloud-only" strategy, the hybrid route will almost certainly be the method of choice.
This allows you to smartly combine the IT landscapes that have worked well up to now, which you have probably built up with a great deal of effort and financial commitment, with the right cloud solutions. The various cloud platforms definitely have what it takes to be a game changer on the path to digitalization.
And another tip: Choose cloud platforms that are as powerful and scalable as possible. We generally recommend relying on clouds when selecting software, even if "cloud first" is not always recommended. We can look at this together for your case.
If you would like advice on your planned cloud or hybrid landscape, please contact us. We can help you set up a future-proof and suitable cloud environment. This will give you an enormous competitive advantage and a high level of innovation.
