Private Cloud and Public Cloud Compared

Google Drive is a public cloud. Specifically, it is a cloud-based storage solution where a variety of file types can be saved in the cloud, regardless of software vendor (e.g., Microsoft, Google). This includes standard files such as word processing, presentations, spreadsheets and media (e.g., videos, music, photos), just to name a few.

Amazon offers both public and private cloud services. The Amazon Web Services (AWS) that most people are familiar with often falls into the public cloud realm, as AWS owns the cloud infrastructure and offers all interested users IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. However, through Amazon VPC (virtual public cloud), a type of private cloud is available.

While there is no standard rule regarding which companies use a private cloud, most organizations that are highly regulated, must meet data compliance guidelines, deal in classified information, or possess highly sensitive data use a private cloud. For this reason, companies of any size may require a private cloud due data security requirements.

Yes, Gmail is a public cloud because it is open to anyone who wants to utilize the service and all infrastructure, storage, and software belongs to Google and is shared among all users. Specifically, Gmail is categorized as SaaS.

The Microsoft Azure product that most people are familiar with is a multi-tenant, public cloud with shared infrastructure, storage, and software that Microsoft owns. However, the lesser-known Microsoft Azure Stack product is a VPC and should be considered a private cloud.

Software as a service (SaaS) is not a type of cloud, but rather a service offered in a cloud environment. Specifically, in a public or private cloud setting, SaaS is offered so that users can access cloud computing software (e.g., Gmail, Microsoft Teams) from any location via the internet.

Three examples of a public cloud include Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure.

There are different types of private clouds, with names like “managed cloud” or “dedicated cloud.” These names simply indicate that the cloud is not a “traditional cloud” in the sense that it may not be on-premise or the exclusive user base may not own the infrastructure. However, the cloud is a one-tenant environment.