What is the difference between data center and cloud?

What is the difference between data center and cloud?

Blog, Cloud, Data

This essay will help you have a thorough understanding and tell you the difference between cloud vs data center. You are responsible for your own security.

A data center is a physical facility incorporating all the IT components, such as servers, communication media and data storage. And as well the facilities components, such as power supplies, backup systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) and security devices. Data will be accessible as long as the local network remains stable. This is an on-premise hardware solution with all resources locally present at access, typically ran and maintained by in-house support. Data centers store the IT on physical hardware while the cloud relies on the internet. It can also refer to an offsite storage center. That consists of servers and other equipment needed to keep the stored data accessible both virtually and physically.   

On the other hand, a Cloud solution is a completely virtual infrastructure solution. It is access or deliver with either an internet connection or accessing the remote location via the internet. Cloud services can be access either on-demand whenever the user requires on a pay per use basis, or as a dedicated resource. This model is known as Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS. Within this environment, end users can access resources, network services and network storage, on demand without any requirement of physical infrastructure. It is an Off-premise solution which can be access from the internet. However maintenance and updates being maintain and controll by a third-party. Furthermore, unless you pay to have a private cloud within the vendor’s network, your company will be sharing hardware resources with other cloud users.

Which one to choose ?

Data centre and cloud solutions co-exist, as what may suit one company may not suit the other. Whereas some companies may employ both solutions, due to their own needs. Depending on your organizations budget, it could prove too expensive to maintain an organization owned and operated data center. If your organization doesn’t need a customisable powerhouse dedicated purely to your storage needs, consider a third-party cloud based solution. This will bring down costs since you are utilising space shared by other organizations that have hired the third-party to maintain their data. Plus, if you need more space, most third-party organizations allow you to increase your storage, with no questions asked.

Operating a large data center can cost a company a much larger amount of money, compared to a cloud based solution. So this is much more cost-effective for small to medium companies. Cloud solutions require less time and budget to set up and run, with constant scalability. However larger companies that are more extensive and widespread should opt for in-house data center as they promise greater security and complete control.

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