What is the public cloud?

If cloud solutions often prove to be essential for the productivity and growth of a business, it can be tricky to find your way around. Indeed, this field of cloud computing generally brings with it a lot of technical terms. The public cloud is one of them. In order to help you to clearly identify the characteristics of the public cloud, its advantages and the differences between the types of cloud, we offer you this dedicated article.

What are the characteristics of a public cloud?

It is very likely that you have already become aware of The definition of the cloud in general. However, the term public cloud may still seem a bit nebulous to you. Know that public cloud simply refers to a cloud computing model where computer resources are made available to users via an internet connection.

The customer thus does not worry about the infrastructure necessary for the cloud to function. All he has to do is connect to an online application or a platform in order to create a corporate document sharing in a few seconds.

To help you better understand what a public cloud is, here are some of its characteristics:

• Accessibility of the service: You can access data or functionality offered by the service provider anytime and anywhere via the internet.
• Cloud outsourcing: The management of all the resources necessary for the operation of the public cloud (servers, storage, hardware linked to the network, etc.) is the responsibility of the service provider.
• Services on demand: Depending on the needs and workload of employees, the use of the environment can be modulated in order to meet customer expectations.

How is a public cloud structured?

To ensure its functioning, the public cloud is built around three essential and closely linked layers: infrastructure, platform, and software.

Physical infrastructure

The first layer, infrastructure means the physical elements that allow the cloud environment to function. For example, it integrates the servers, information storage hardware, and network equipment that make up the public cloud structure.

The cloud platform

The second layer is the one that will provide basic services, essential to the whole. Within this layer, we find in particular operating systems, databases, but also development tools.

The software

Finally, the last layer is the software layer. It is about all the solutions of cloud storage, the applications and services that are hosted in the cloud and usable by the end customer. This is the case with email services, customer relationship management (CRM) software, or enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools.

Public cloud models

Let's add that you may encounter different types of public clouds. In fact, each model meets a specific user need. Examples include SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), or FaaS (Function-as-a-Service) approaches.

Why opt for a public cloud?

Depending on its specific problems, an organization may prefer this or that type of cloud. However, it is true that The public cloud has a number of advantages. These are all factors in favor of selecting such an approach to the cloud.

Reasons to opt for a public cloud include:

• Cost reduction: Deploying cloud infrastructure can be very expensive. By outsourcing this need via the public cloud, your company can significantly reduce the costs associated with the IS (Information System).
• Flexibility of this approach: You maintain control over the sizing of cloud resources, because it is possible to increase or decrease the resources according to your needs and via a simple request to the service provider.
• Data security: Serious service providers integrate the latest encryption technologies (encryption keys, robust algorithms, etc.) and computer security technologies in order to preserve data and ensure their confidentiality.
• Resilience and redundancy: Thanks to the resilience of data centers and the redundancy of information, the public cloud ensures high availability and continuity of operations even in the event of an incident.
• Maintenance and updates: The service provider manages the maintenance and updates of the cloud infrastructure itself. So you can reduce the workload on your IT team.

What is the difference between a public cloud and a private cloud?

The public cloud refers to an approach where the infrastructure is owned and managed by an external service provider.

On the contrary, the private cloud Is a cloud model where the hardware and data are operated exclusively by one user. The latter then maintains greater control over the entire cloud environment and data. However, security requirements are borne by the user and the cost in terms of human, financial and technological resources is high.

What is the difference between a public cloud and a hybrid cloud?

The public cloud is entirely off-site. It is a external supplier that has the hardware necessary for the cloud environment And he has the responsibility for its management.

In the case of hybrid cloud, the cloud environment integrates public cloud and private cloud elements. In other words, the resources are deployed on a private site as well as a service provider's data center. This approach is interesting because it offers significant flexibility and gives users more control.