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The term“Private cloud computing” is often
used to describe diferent cloud computing
scenarios; but in its truest meaning it should
only refer to a cloud computing network that is built
and maintained solely by the organization that will
be using it. Yes, it is true that some service providers
ofer virtual private cloud networks that function in a
similar fashion as dedicated private cloud networks.
But virtual private cloud computing is still lacking in
one important way, it isn’t really private (the vendor
as well as others that might be on the same public
cloud could potentially gain access to a virtual private
cloud network because its resources are on the
same hardware stacks as theirs). There is also much
debate concerning whether or not a private cloud
network is truly a form of cloud computing as many
attribute cloud computing to services ofered by
other organizations outside of their own data centers.
A good analogy would be a company that installs its
own closed telephone network/system.
Private cloud computing structure
and concerns
Establishing a private cloud computing network is
no easy undertaking, there are a great number of
concerns that must be addressed before it should
even be attempted. There are so many disparate
types of technology that must converge in order
to produce a private cloud computing network, for
example:
Virtualization management
– There will be
virtualized hardware in addition to processes
that require a mechanism be in place to oversee
or manage them. This is to ensure that conficts
(software and access) are avoided or quickly
remedied.
Standardization
– With any computer network or
system involving the use of software and hardware,
there will need to be technical standards in place
to assure proper operation(s). Basically, without
standardization there would be inept chaos.
Automation
– All of the processes that occur within
framework or infrastructure of a cloud computing
network (which are needed for performance as well
as functionality) cannot be performed in any other
manner expect via automation. Automation is also
very important in terms of security, with its ability
to scrawl the infrastructure on a continuous basis
looking for errors and inappropriate access.
Cloud API’s
– Aside from allowing programmers to
build applications to be used in a cloud environment,
API’s are also crucial in allowing networks to request
data and services from outside sources. So for
example, if your business wants to integrate a new a la
carte cloud service from another organization to use
on your private cloud computing network, you would
need a Cloud API (application programming interface)
to actually do this.
Chargeback systems
– A chargeback system is able
to measure and assign a $ amount to all services
used by all departments of an organization. It allows
management to gain an accurate insight into what
resources a company might be paying for that either
no one is using or is simply redundant. For private
cloud computing, a charge back system will identify
how to best use the resources of the IT department,
thereby saving a lot of money in the process and
limiting unnecessary expenditures and upgrades.
Self-service portals
– Why assign every task to an
IT professional when you can implement self service
portals which allow individual users on a private cloud
network to do some of the work themselves? Aside
from their ability to trim IT costs, self service portals
may also provide an organization with invaluable
marketing info / angles, new methods for closing sales
as well as function as “one in all” portal for customer
support representatives.
Instead of getting excited over the wealth of
technologies available for private cloud networks,
try to build your private cloud based on your actual
requirements (from a business perspective). It is all
too easy to become swayed by the myriad options
out there concerning various apps, so instead try to
envision what your long term goals for your network
might be. This often necessitates the creation of a
long term business plan which will also serve as the
blueprint for your future private cloud computing
network.
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The actual creation of a private cloud computing
system should be done slowly. The frst steps toward
integration should involve only non-critical business
processes, with more critical apps and processes
being added to it after the integrity of the system has
been frmly tested and established.
The very term“cloud computing” implies remote
access, according to a lot of industry experts. And
they do have a point, the principles behind cloud
computing do seem to strongly suggest that the more
centralized hardware resources are, the “cloud-like” a
situation is. If every business deploys its own private
cloud network, is it still cloud computing?
If a business is running virtualization from hardware
sources central to one location with a series of portals
attached then it is indeed cloud computing. It
matters not whether an organization is attached to
a public cloud or is ofering (or planning on ofering)
services to other groups or individuals. A lot of cloud
computing purists and extremists probably want
cloud computing to fulfll some far-reaching desire or
purpose, but the truth is that it must frst do the work
that’s already being done via grid computing, and
then once it has proven itself, it can move on to bigger
and better things. “You have to learn to walk before
you can take of running”.
Q
What is a private cloud
and what elements might
be needed to successfully
implement one?
A