David Kelleher
Jul 17, 2025
David Kelleher
Jul 17, 2025
Most organisations already use the cloud in some form. Whether it started with moving emails to Microsoft 365, running a website on AWS or Azure, or using a private cloud for sensitive data, cloud has become part of the day-to-day.
However, not every cloud setup fits every business, and the model you choose can affect everything from how secure your data is to how quickly you can scale. For IT leaders and decision-makers, making the right choice depends on many factors.
Think of the public cloud as a sprawling office block where you rent exactly the space you need with added amenities. Providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) operate digital infrastructures that you can tap into.
For example, a boutique retail store can run its e-commerce site on Shopify (hosted on AWS), use Microsoft 365 for collaboration, and rely on cloud-based CRM and backup solutions to streamline operations. Using public cloud services, an organisation gains automatic scalability during peak sales and remote accessibility but without the burden of managing IT infrastructure.
Security concerns can make some businesses wary, but major cloud service providers invest far more in security than most individual organisations could. For those experiencing rapid growth or managing customer-facing applications, public cloud solutions offer both cost efficiency and scalability.
While public cloud infrastructures are secure, if you are a financial institution, a healthcare organisation, or handling sensitive documents, a private cloud may be the better choice. Think of it as having your own ‘dedicated data centre’, but with all the flexibility of cloud technology. It’s more expensive, but for organisations requiring total control, it’s essential.
A financial institution, for example, may rely on a private cloud to comply with strict regulations while modernising its infrastructure. This setup ensures customer data is fully secure, while also enabling the agility to launch new digital services efficiently. For businesses with stringent data residency requirements, private cloud solutions offer peace of mind.
This is where things get interesting and where business thinking is changing. Often described as getting the ‘best of all worlds’, the Hybrid Cloud or Multicloud model is like having a secure private office for your most sensitive operations while also maintaining flexible, scalable space in one or more shared buildings for everything else. What you are doing here is matching each workload to its most suitable environment.
Compliance and security needs may dictate that customer data resides in a private cloud (on-premises or in a data centre), while its website and e-commerce platform run on Azure. Meanwhile, its development teams might test web applications in AWS. This approach balances security with scalability while leveraging the strengths of different cloud providers.
BMIT recently organised a half-day event that explored hybrid cloud. You can read more about the event here.
BMIT, Malta's leading data centre and cloud services provider, has years of experience helping organisations - particularly in highly regulated industries like iGaming and financial services - choose the right cloud model. The company recently invested in a managed services provider specialising in AWS solutions.
The key is to start with your business objectives.
Based on your answers, BMIT will provide a tailored solution that may focus on one type of deployment or recommend a hybrid approach using the existing infrastructure but also expanding the IT ecosystem with a multi-cloud approach (AWS with private cloud, or AWS and Azure).
Your business goals and growth path will determine the right cloud deployment model. Whether you're looking to reduce costs, accelerate innovation, or enhance security, there's a cloud option that can support your business strategy.
Would you like to discuss how these cloud deployment models could specifically support your business strategy? Speak to one of our experts to discuss your options.
