Private cloud computing infrastructure is a category of
cloud computing
Cloud computing is "a paradigm for enabling network access to a scalable and elastic pool of shareable physical or virtual resources with self-service provisioning and administration on-demand," according to International Organization for ...
that provides comparable benefits to
public cloud systems, such as self-service and
scalability
Scalability is the property of a system to handle a growing amount of work. One definition for software systems specifies that this may be done by adding resources to the system.
In an economic context, a scalable business model implies that ...
, but it does so via a proprietary framework. In contrast to public clouds, which cater to multiple entities, a private cloud is specifically designed for the requirements and objectives of one organization.
Definition
A private cloud computing infrastructure constitutes a distinctive model of cloud computing that facilitates a secure and distinct cloud environment where only the intended client can function.
It can either be physically housed in the organization's in-house data center or be managed by a third-party provider. In a private cloud, the infrastructure and services are always sustained on a private network, and both the hardware and software are devoted exclusively to a single organization.
History
The concept of private cloud infrastructure started to take shape around the mid-2000s, coinciding with the rise of other cloud computing forms. It came into existence as a solution to the shortcomings of public clouds, particularly concerns over data control, security, and network performance. IT departments began to mirror the automation and self-service features of the public cloud in their data centers. Over time, these services became more advanced, and private cloud technology has been refined to address businesses and organizations' diverse needs.
Architecture
Private cloud computing infrastructure generally involves a mix of hardware, network infrastructure, and virtualization software.
* The hardware, often referred to as a cloud server or cloud array, consists of a server rack or a collection of server racks containing the storage and processors that constitute the cloud.
* The virtualization software, such as Hyper-V, OpenStack, or VMWare, establishes and oversees virtual machines with which users interact.
* The network infrastructure connects the private cloud to users and may facilitate connectivity with other on-premises data centers or clouds.
Applications
Private cloud infrastructures are usually utilized by medium to large businesses and organizations that need robust control over their data, have extensive computing needs, or have specific regulatory or compliance obligations. This includes
healthcare
Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
organizations,
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
agencies,
financial
Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and Academic discipline, discipline of money, currency, assets and Liability (financial accounting), liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business administration, Business Admin ...
institutions
An institution is a humanly devised structure of rules and norms that shape and constrain social behavior. All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity. Laws, rules, social conventions and ...
, and any business that needs to process and store large data volumes.
See also
*
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is "a paradigm for enabling network access to a scalable and elastic pool of shareable physical or virtual resources with self-service provisioning and administration on-demand," according to International Organization for ...
*
Edge Computing
Edge computing is a distributed computing model that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data. More broadly, it refers to any design that pushes computation physically closer to a user, so as to reduce the Latency (engineer ...
References
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Cloud computing
Information technology