The options for cloud services these days are virtually unending. There are public clouds, multi-cloud networks, and much more.
So where do virtual private clouds (VPC’s) fit in?
Virtual private clouds are similar to public cloud services, but with much more protection and privacy. Essentially, a VPC is a division of the public cloud into private sectors.
It gives the same benefits of a private cloud, but are combined with the benefits and resources of a public cloud.
Often, the terms virtual private cloud and private cloud are used synonymously but there is actually a big difference. Private clouds are run by a company’s internal IT department. VPC’s are run externally by a public cloud provider.
Keep reading to find out how a virtual private cloud works and its many benefits.
How Does a Virtual Private Cloud Work?
A virtual private cloud is run through a public cloud provider. It is the public cloud provider’s responsibility to keep your cloud information separate and private from its other cloud customers.
Providers keep your information private through various methods like encryption, private IP addresses, or giving each customer a unique virtual private network (VPN) in the cloud.
As a network user, you have the power to manage these different areas. You can define access capabilities, IP addresses, and other things.
What Are the Benefits?
Is VPC right for you? The best way to determine this is to study out the pros and cons.
One of the biggest benefits of VPC’s is their ability to offer private cloud benefits and control, with the accessibility of a public cloud. Like mentioned earlier, private clouds are run in-house by a company’s personal IT department.
Obviously, running an in-house IT department can be very costly. VPC’s are a great way for companies to be able to access private cloud capabilities while being able to pay much less for them.
Another benefit is security. As a VPC user, you will still remain in control of your content and accessibility while maintaining high levels of security.
The cloud provider is motivated to uphold the highest level of security because their business depends on it. They will be able to provide a much higher level of security than any individual could normally obtain.
Access to seamless upgrades is another benefit of VPC services. The provider will be able to provide upgrades across all user networks without any downtime on your end.
Finding a Reliable VPC
A VPC is on off-premise service. Some companies claim that their servers will allow you to build a private cloud. These are not true VPC’s. With a true VPC, you will purchase a provider’s services and software. This software is the same for all cloud users.
If you are using a true VPC, you can add to your services without having to add any hardware or software. Updates will be added through the cloud automatically.
Another key indicator is that companies will explicitly state that they offer virtual private cloud services.
Is VPC Right for You?
The virtual private cloud route is a great option for many companies. You can have increased security while paying a fraction of the cost.
Determine if VPC is right for you by considering what your company needs and weighing the benefits.
For more cloud service help, read our article on the benefits of cloud computing.
