Public Cloud Vs Private Cloud Vs Hybrid Cloud: 7 Differences

These days, the delivery of services through the internet has been made easy by cloud computing. Cloud computing entails several architectural models, types, and classifications but can majorly be categorized into three general types- Public Cloud, Private Cloud, and Hybrid Cloud. These three categories of cloud computing all have their respective use-cases hence leading us to discuss their differences.

Cloud computing that’s delivered via the internet is known as Public Cloud, Private Cloud is a cloud computing service specifically dedicated to an organization while Hybrid Cloud is the use of both public and Private Clouds. This is the main difference between the three cloud computing categories.

Popularly known examples of cloud computing include- software as a service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Either of these examples can be set up with public or Private Cloud computing options. In this article, I’ll dwell in detail on each category of cloud computing, exploring their differences and similarities.

What Is A Public Cloud?

A third-party provider uses an IT model to manage on-demand computing services and infrastructure, sharing the structure with multiple organizations using the public internet. This IT model is known as Public Cloud Computing. Cloud-based infrastructural services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) are offered by Public Cloud Service providers to users with a pay-per-use plan, thereby eliminating the requirement for users to host these services on-site in their own data center. 

The Public Cloud creates the ease of making computing resources available to everyone for purchase. Cloud service suppliers utilize sets of data centers that are separated into virtual machines and shared by cloud tenants. These cloud tenants may rent the use of the virtual machines, or they choose to make purchases for additional cloud-based services like software applications, application development tools, or storage.

The Public Cloud also solves the popular need for physical storage space since data can be stored on the Public Cloud. Data stored on the Public Cloud is backed up and accessible anywhere, giving users the ease of accessing data wherever and whenever they want to. Data is stored with respect to any enterprise’s chosen plan but data that doesn’t need to be accessed regularly can be stored in the Public Cloud for a very cheap price.

What Is Private Cloud?

Unlike Public Cloud, Private Cloud, also known as internal or corporate cloud, is a cloud computing service in which all hardware and software resources are specially dedicated to a single customer. The service can be offered either over the internet or over a private internal network to selected users, businesses, or organizations.

Private Cloud allows the delivery of Two cloud service models. The first, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), allows an enterprise to use infrastructural resources that include computing, networking, and storing as a service. Platform as a Service, (PaaS) which is the second cloud service model, allows companies to deliver everything from simple cloud-based applications to sophisticated-enabled enterprise applications. 

Many enterprises choose Private Cloud over Public Cloud because Private Cloud provides an easier infrastructural service that meets their regulatory compliance requirements. They also choose Private Cloud for security reasons as their workload deals with confidential documents and properties, personally identifiable information (PII), medical records, financial data, And other confidential information.

What Is A Hybrid Cloud?

The combination of the functions of both private and Public Cloud computing is termed Hybrid Cloud computing. Hybrid Cloud uses a blend of third-party, Public Cloud and on-premises, Private Cloud services with a well-managed process between these two cloud services. 

In this cloud model, workloads are deployed by enterprises on Private Cloud infrastructures or Public Clouds and interchanged between them as the computing requirements and costs grow. This allows greater flexibility and better data deployment options. The web service feature of an application, its hosting and network, are what make up the Hybrid Cloud workload.

The Hybrid Cloud computing model allows a company to choose to deploy its most confidential workloads in an on-premises cloud and to host less-sensitive resources on a third-party Public Cloud service provider. The model enables enterprises to get the utmost experience out of both private and Public Cloud models. Enterprises that choose this model of cloud computing benefit from it in terms of- flexibility, Low-cost management, scalability and agility, resiliency, and interoperability.

Enterprises or companies can migrate workloads easily to and from their traditional infrastructure and a vendor’s Public Cloud whenever it’s needed since the Hybrid Cloud setup uses traditional systems and the latest cloud technologies for operation, without a full commitment to a vendor.

Differences Between Public Cloud, Private Cloud, And Hybrid Cloud.

The major difference between public, private, and Hybrid Cloud computing services is their mode of execution. Public Cloud is a cloud computing service delivered through the internet while Private Cloud is a cloud computing service dedicated for use by a single enterprise or an organization. Hybrid Cloud computing service is the combination of both services, this service allows companies to operate some part of their internet infrastructure on Public Cloud while the confidential ones are operated on Private Cloud infrastructures.

S/N	Public Cloud	Private Cloud	Hybrid Cloud
1.	Its Cloud computing services are delivered through the internet for any organization.	Its cloud services are not shared with other organizations as the service is dedicated for use by a single organization.	This cloud computing service combines both public and Private Cloud solutions.
2.	Its maintenance is less costly	It’s more costly in terms of maintenance.	Unlike the Private Cloud, its maintenance is less costly but more costly than Public Cloud.
3.	Public Cloud computing is less secure and doesn’t meet up most enterprises’ regulatory compliance requirements.	Private Cloud is more secure as it meets up with most organization’s regulatory compliance requirements	Compared to the public computing service, it’s more secure as it meets up with most organization’s regulatory compliance requirements
4.	It is mobile-friendly.	Mobile users have limited access to it due to its high-security measures.	It is more mobile-friendly due to its flexible policy-driven option.
5.	It is only reliable when delivering services across Public Cloud data centers.	It is only reliable when delivering services across Private Cloud data centers	It is more reliable in terms of delivering services across multiple data centers that include both public and Private Cloud services
6.	This cloud computing service does not provide a secured environment that is inaccessible to other organizations.	This cloud computing service provides a dedicated and secure environment that cannot be accessed by other organizations.	This cloud computing service allows organizations to choose to dedicate a secure environment that can’t be accessed by other organizations or not.
7.	The infrastructure offers high scalability	The infrastructure may not offer high scalability.	The infrastructure offers high scalability.

Which Cloud Service Is Better- Public, Private, Or Hybrid Cloud?

Each of these cloud service categories has its benefits and drawbacks. Using Public Cloud generally comes with low maintenance costs as users barely need to spend more on maintenance, while the Private Cloud is a little more expensive in terms of maintenance and cost of operation. Unlike the Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud is cheaper in terms of maintenance and cost of operation but is more expensive when compared to Public Cloud as Hybrid Cloud.

	Public Cloud	Private Cloud	Hybrid Cloud
BENEFITS	Zero maintenance costs.	Dedicated and Secure.	Its Deployment is policy-driven.
Flexibility and High scalability.	Regulation Compliant.	Flexible and Highly scalable
Agile for innovation.	Efficient	Improved security.
DRAWBACKS	This cloud computing service has Decreased security and availability.	It has minimal mobile access due to its security infrastructures	It’s quite hard to integrate using this cloud service. It’s also less compatible
Organizations have Minimal control while using this cloud computing service	Limiting infrastructure due to its security measures.	Due to the mix of both private and Public Cloud services, this causes added complexity.