Top 8 Factors to Consider When Choosing Public or Private Cloud
The use of cloud services for application testing has been on the increase. More and more developers are starting to move to automated testing on a device cloud over traditional manual testing practices as they are always available and save a significant amount of money.
There are numerous advantages of moving automated testing to a device cloud. However, companies have differing requirements, including security and budgetary concerns.
As a result, there are varied types of cloud services available to meet demand, such as private cloud, enterprise cloud, and business cloud.
A private cloud can be hosted by a third party on behalf of an organisation or managed and maintained in-house. App developers should familiarise themselves with the benefits of both public and private cloud when deciding which best suits their needs.
To help you out, we discuss the top 8 things to consider when choosing a public or private cloud.
1. Security
Undoubtedly, security is one of the biggest concerns of any app developer. The majority of modern apps are security-driven, and application and user data must remain secure.
Public clouds do by definition bring additional security concerns to the table, particularly for heavily regulated industries; however, most cloud providers are extremely secure with firewalls, SSL, and other security measures in place to provide safe and secure services.
2. Performance
The hardware of a private cloud is reserved for just one company or client, which makes its dedicated computing power far more predictable than a public cloud where resource availability may vary based on load.
In a public cloud, developers can face issues regarding performance and availability, especially during peak times.
3. Support
There is little difference between private and public cloud services in terms of supporting different devices and applications. Both implementations can support automation and offer a wide range of monitoring features.
4. Updates
Both private and public cloud providers publish their update policies. A private cloud may offer a detailed service roadmap, with details on upgrades and adding new features to the infrastructure and services.
In a public cloud, all users and devices tend to be updated to the latest versions of OS on release. Organisations can decide on their own updating policies and schedule in a private cloud. Both of these cloud types support automated updates to fix bugs and security issues.
5. Usability
Usability, user-friendliness, and user interface matter a lot while choosing a suitable cloud. Usability is perhaps one of the essential criteria for product development. Hence, clouds must offer compelling features and support different types of frameworks.
6. Legal Agreements
Before selecting an appropriate cloud service, you should ensure that the legal contract is flexible, and you are not getting stuck in a complex agreement. Fees should be clearly stated at the start of the contract, and it should be specified which services and features are included.
Usually, costs are fixed for a specific amount of time. Generally, enterprise cloud plans are often more expensive because they have more capabilities, however enterprise tiers also offer better value.
7. Scalability
Most managed cloud services support scaling out of the box; however, if you choose to host in-house or on a VPS, then you may be responsible for load balancing and scaling the architecture yourself.
8. Reviews and Recommendations
Reviews and feedback of existing customers are a quick and reliable way of selecting a cloud service. You should choose a particular service after reading the testimonials and case studies.
If you want answers to your specific questions, you can often ask the existing customers of the cloud service you are interested in to help you make a smart choice.
The Bottom Line
The factors discussed above are the most important criteria to consider when choosing a cloud service. The performance and responsiveness that suit your requirements matter while choosing between public or private cloud providers.
It’s a good idea to thoroughly evaluate your needs and ask the right questions to find the best cloud-based solution for you. For more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our helpful and professional consultants who will be pleased to answer any doubts you might have.