Hybrid IT is the future of business technology, and every company should start embracing it right now. Don't be left behind. Hybrid IT, which combines cloud services with on-premises technology, gives you the benefits of the cloud while still allowing you to use your own data centres and other on-premises technologies.
What Is Hybrid IT and How Does It Work?
Hybrid IT is a blend of on-premises and cloud services. IT is an evolution from multi-platform usage. It emphasises several key concepts, including improved resource coordination, governance, and synchronisation for better use, better agility, and improved reliability. This is where most IT departments are now, due to the need for a flexible and scalable way to support the dynamic workloads in today's modern organisations.
Hybrid IT can be a flexible solution for organisations looking to create a scalable and cost-effective environment. Hybrid IT bridges gaps in data accessibility, provide an alternate location for sensitive data and offers a backup if the cloud goes down.
The Benefits of Hybrid IT Are Plentiful
A hybrid cloud solution could be the best choice for storage and cloud hosting for small businesses. It can offer:
Increased Agility and Innovation
Companies that use this approach to IT and cloud services can efficiently respond to changes in business needs, customer requirements, and technological advances. Hybrid IT also helps companies innovate because it offers them greater flexibility in deploying resources, such as reducing costs by using cloud services instead of building on-premises infrastructure.
Improved Scalability and Control
By combining private and public cloud infrastructure, businesses can scale quickly when needed to support peak periods. This creates a more dynamic environment that's easier to manage than a fixed-capacity private cloud setup. It also gives you more control. Thus, allowing you to provide additional resources as they're needed while maintaining full ownership over your data.
Reduces Costs
By combining on-premises infrastructure with cloud-based services, Hybrid IT helps companies save money by allowing them to pay for only what they need. It also minimises spending on hardware and software upgrades. Instead, you can use existing tools and infrastructure to support new projects without spending more cash on new solutions.
How Can BMIT Technologies Help?
Today's businesses are under increasing pressure to be flexible and adaptable – Hybrid IT is the solution. Our BMIT team of experts can help you leverage the benefits of a hybrid IT solution to address these challenges and simplify your IT operations. Contact us today for more information on how we can support your business.
On August 2nd, 2021, Microsoft released a new managed Virtual Desktop solution, Windows 365. Now rewind a few months back and Microsoft renames their only virtual cloud desktop solution, Windows Virtual Desktop known as WVD to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This change raised a few eyebrows until they announced the Windows 365 solution, then all made perfect sense. But it left everyone with one simple question “Which solution should I use?”
Main difference between AVD and Windows 365
AVD is a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) running on the cloud, providing IT admins with a platform to spin up compute resources. With the possibility of allowing simultaneous users to log in to their virtual desktop session from one single VM. AVD is quite a scalable solution, allowing the administrator to scale the cloud server up and down depending on the business needs.
Windows 365 serves the same purpose i.e. offering its users a virtual cloud PC / virtual desktop session with Microsoft native apps, user applications and line of business apps. The difference with AVD is that Windows 365 infrastructure is mainly managed by Microsoft. Why mainly? Because the Enterprise edition it provides the organisation control on the Azure network resources letting the organisation configure the Azure vNet, which includes static IPs, Azure firewall, VPNs, and more. But this network resource consumption is at an extra cost to the organisation, hence why you will, strangely enough, find that the Enterprise plans are cheaper than the Business plans.
Another major difference is that while AVD allows simultaneous users/sessions per VM, Windows 365 only allows a 1:1, this means that for every VM only a single user is assigned a license through Microsoft 365 admin portal.
Selecting the appropriate solution
The solutions are not that different since they use the same platform and cloud resources. What’s certain is that one is not better than the another, but the choice is subjective, depending on the usage and the business requirement. Organisations may find that rather than having to choose, they prefer having a mix, which can really optimise performance and costs.
When users require a dedicated 1:1 virtual desktop without automatically switching the infrastructure off, then Windows 365 will suit the use case better and pan out cheaper than AVD. These 1:1 dedicated virtual desktops are used when there are compliance matters or the organisation has remote or an elastic workforce such as developers, temporary employees, or sub-contractors. They can also be utilised with third parties that require access to internal systems, this eliminates the need to ship or remotely manage hardware.
On the contrary, if the user has specific working hours through the month, AVD VMs can be automatically switched off at certain hours (such as a branch offices workforce). Then using Pay-As-You-Go VMs on AVD will be cheaper in the long run. However, the saving needs to be justified depending on the quantity of users and the hours required versus the IT admin resources required to manage and maintain the AVD infrastructure.
If the desktop usage is basic and thus does not require 1:1 performance, the VM resources can be utilised by multiple users such as call centres or other similar environments. Whilst the performance may not compare to a 1:1 session, the overall business savings using pooled resources on AVD is noticeable compared to Windows 365. The savings are even more significant when you have a scenario where your organisation will utilise pooled resources and uses auto-scaling (not to run the VMs on a 24x7). This allows the VMs to be switched off and using Pay-As-You-Go will allow the organisation to get the optimal performance and reduce running costs.
Conclusion
AVD and Windows 365 Enterprise are one and the same using the same platform and address “mostly” the same business needs. With the major difference being that AVD is completely managed and maintained by the customer and can offer simultaneous sessions over a single VM. So it boils down to the level of IT capabilities to implement and maintain the infrastructure (VDI) and the operational cost.
Windows 365 Enterprise will be more attractive to SMBs since it is less complex and requires less IT capabilities. Still, it should not be shrugged off by IT Admins or larger enterprises as there are certain use-cases showing that having a mix will optimise their operations.
Choosing the right solution for your business or your users can be challenging, and this is where you can take advantage of BMIT Technologies. Harnessing the skilled resources in Azure to offer support services, deployments, and even IT architectural design needs. Engage with us today, to achieve the required capabilities, identify the business needs and the right solution.
Deciding where to host your company's servers can be overwhelming, especially if you don't have experience in the field. There are many factors to consider, including cost, location, network quality, and service reliability. While it can be tempting to save money by hosting your servers in your office, this isn't always the best choice.
Benefits of Colocation
Reliability
Colocation providers guarantee you access to power and internet connectivity. By choosing to host in a colocation data centre, you're, indeed, taking advantage of 24/7 constant security power and cooling systems. These measures mean you can trust that your services will be up and running at all times. That means fewer downtime issues, which equates to greater profitability. Most providers also offer backup generators in case of complete power failure at their data centre.
Speed
Colocation ensures your servers are always running in peak condition. Colocation also reduces downtime because you can access hosting facilities 24/7 with a login provided by you. Should something go wrong, it's quick and easy to log in and make repairs or adjustments to get everything back up and running quickly.
Colocation Performance
Most electronic equipment works at its optimal level only when kept in a specific range of temperatures and humidity. Anything outside that optimal range can cause trouble—and that means it's more difficult to keep those things working properly. Colocation facilities have access to high-end climate control systems, ensuring that their servers run well. This also helps owners save money on repairs and replacements.
Security
Colocation providers offer physical security to ensure that no one unauthorised gains access to a colo facility. This means using biometric scanning systems, digital surveillance, and even lock-and-key technology.
Scalability
One of the colocation's most compelling selling points is scalability. You can always add hardware to an existing physical server or add a new server to an existing virtual server. This flexibility comes at a lower cost than renting dedicated hardware from another provider. It also allows you to scale on-demand and avoid paying upfront capital expenditures in a year where you don't need that much power.
How Can BMIT Technologies Help With Colocation?
Every client we work with requires different solutions. So, we tackle each need with our expertise in technology, business strategy, and innovation. As a Malta-based company, at BMIT, we rely on our expertise in data centres, cloud solutions, and productivity solutions to enable your company to reach new heights.
Want to learn more about colocation? Contact us, and one of our experts will reach out and guide you accordingly.
Ever wondered how many suppliers your organisation is connected to? Most likely you’re connected to multiple service providers; whether it is to receive a consultation, auditing, or support services. These are known to your business as a third party. This can also be extended to an elastic workforce or sub-contracted employees such as developers. Some of these third parties will at some point require access to your systems or business data to conduct their services. The issue is giving third parties access to your sensitive data while also keeping your data secure.
So how do you protect and secure your sensitive business data?
Before we answer that question, let's look at what most organisations are currently doing to secure their data and to what extremes they go to. In doing so we shall create some fictitious companies to enable the required scenario. White Lotus Ltd is acquiring services from Black Fox Ltd (provider) to provide a system audit as part of an assessment to evaluate the required changes for White Lotus’s legacy ERP system.
The first thing both businesses do is sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Once that is out of the way Black Fox is ready to start a discovery session on the ERP system. White Lotus has different options and methods to allow the Black Fox personnel access to the system such as:
Provide Black Fox a VPN tunnel and credentials to the ERP system
Block Fox to visit and conduct session from premises
Provide Black Fox with a company device to access the system
Method A will come at no cost to White Lotus and requires minimal effort. On the other hand, it also causes high security risks of data leakage. The provider will use his/her own device which enables the provider to have full control of White Lotus data without any preventions.
White Lotus will need to make travel arrangements for the provider to visit the premises. This option is not always possible as certain contracted services may take long, thus conducting them remotely is the best option. In any case this scenario makes sense when providing a business device and dedicating a resource to supervise the Black Fox representative. This scenario is only then considered low risk and high effort, costing the business money and resources to lower the risk.
Shipping a business device to the provider can be expensive and can also cause delays due to logistical issues. While having a monitored and controlled business device would lower the risk, the administration and logistics make this scenario a nightmare for White Lotus.
So how do you protect your sensitive, core business data?
With Windows 365 enterprise a business can address these data security risks with a few simple clicks and in a cost-effective manner. The IT admin does not need to worry about device procurement, servicing the hardware, insurance or other logistical nightmares. Simply assign the provider a controlled virtual desktop which is managed and monitored through Microsoft Endpoint Manager. With the ability to set policies such as removing the ability to copy or transfer data between the cloud PC and local devices you can rest assured that your data is secure. Not excluding other services such as VPN and firewall configurations to enhance and protect your business data. So why not give the third-party representative access to a cloud PC?
How can BMIT Technologies help?
Every client we work with requires different solutions. So, we tackle each need with our expertise in technology, business strategy and innovation.
We propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies. This ensures a greater level of business management and progression.
Want to learn more about how your business can secure its data? Contact us and one of our experts will reach out and guide you accordingly
A data centre (British English) or data center (American English) or a datacentre can, in its simplest form, be described as a building or groups of buildings that house computer systems, equipment and similar technologies within them. These can vary from whole racks full of computer servers on one extreme, to virtual servers running on a shared computer setup on the other (the now ubiquitous “cloud” can be considered as a mix of these two).
How have data centres evolved over the years?
As has everything, data centres have evolved over time. Whereas traditionally they just acted as co-location facilities – i.e. places where hardware was placed, in an environment that was secure, at the right temperature and with good connectivity solutions – it has now evolved into a complex, interconnected reality, where physical, virtual and hybrid environments co-exist, within private clouds or public clouds, or the two.
Add to this the need to spread data and systems across multiple locations (for example for resilience purposes) and the need to retain some equipment in your office or business, and you have a perfect complex situation. This new reality is often called hybrid IT.
This is happening because although many companies are making the move to the cloud, not everyone can, or is willing, to take the leap. Technical requirements, data visibility and transparency are generally key reasons why many organisations still opt for a datacentre or private cloud set-up vs public cloud. In fact, according to an Uptime Institute survey - 58% of organisations are hesitant to move to the cloud.
What are the different types of data centres?
On a broad basis, there are 4 different types; let’s take a look at what each one entails.
Enterprise
Enterprise data centres are normally built for large organisations that use the data centre for their exclusive own internal use.
Managed Services
Managed Services are data centres that are managed by a specialised company, such as BMIT Technologies, offering solutions such as data storage, computing, connectivity, equipment, infrastructure, private and hybrid cloud solutions and many more, as a fully fletched service to customers. These will be completely or partially managed by the company that owns that data centre.
Colocation
Colocation or more commonly known as ‘co-lo’ or ‘colo’ facilities are data centres, that offer space for rental within their own data centre to their clients. Colo facilities host and manage the physical infrastructure and security while the client would be responsible for the management and upkeep of the other components. BMIT Technologies also offers this type of facility.
Cloud
Cloud data centres are virtual data centres hosted by cloud service providers such as BMIT Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM Cloud or a mixture of all.
How can BMIT Technologies help with data centres?
With our many years legacy in managing colocation facilities and managed datacentre services, we can help you define the right requirements, select the best type of IT solution you require – within the datacentre or not – and provide solution to deploy, manage and support such environments. As Malta's leading technology provider, we can propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies.
Every client we work with requires different solutions. We use our expertise in data centres, cloud and productivity solutions, to get your business to go further than ever before.
Want to learn more about data centres and how they can elevate your business? Contact us and one of our experts will reach out and guide you accordingly.
Microsoft has created the first managed Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) product, Windows 365, which is included under the Microsoft 365 suite of online services.
And their message is simple “A Hybrid Windows for a Hybrid World”, positioning their new product for the sudden increase in remote working and targeting businesses who are adopting a Hybrid Workplace.
So, what is a Hybrid Workplace?
Hybrid Workplace is simply a strategy an organisation takes up, defining how and where its employees deliver their work/productivity. To most organisations Hybrid Work is simply a division of time between the organisation’s office and remote, where the employee needs to deliver their work. This strategy is set and bound by policies and agreements between employer and employee.
What challenges does Hybrid Workplace bring?
Splitting your workdays between two or more locations requires the necessary technical resources to be available, to retain the same level of productivity throughout.
Some of these challenges may not apply to every business or employee. So, let’s start with the first challenge; the users must have adequate if not similar hardware & consistent productivity tools and applications between the two (or more) locations. Employees who use multiple devices (usually because one out-performs the other), face certain productivity challenges such as data and application synchronisation issues, and re-loading time.
This also increases the IT administration tasks and headaches to discover and secure unknown devices.
The most prioritised challenge for any organisation is security. BYOD or non-organisational devices increase business risks for data theft, malicious attacks, and other intrusion activities. Phishing and other methods targeting remote workers have increased during the last two years as more vulnerabilities and IT security weaknesses are exposed.
How does Windows 365 address these challenges?
Microsoft has created two new versions but in total have 3 products to address these challenges. The first one, Windows 365 Business, is aimed at SMBs (up to 300 users) that face technical challenges to deploy and maintain Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
Therefore Windows 365 Business is a pure DaaS solution which enables businesses to simply purchase and assign a user license. With a 1 to 1 model, a virtual machine with a pre-loaded Windows desktop and Microsoft native apps is assigned to a single user. This allows the user to stop and start their work wherever, whenever and from which ever device they like, as long as they have an adequate internet connection and browser.
Windows 365 Enterprise provides organisations some control over the network resources to be able to assign IP addresses, create VPN tunnels and configure firewall rules. It also provides the ability to deploy and manage the virtual desktops through Microsoft Endpoint Manager. IT admins can distribute security policies and manage both known and unknown devices more easily. However, the Enterprise version requires the organisation to have an Azure subscription and the users must have an Intune license.
The biggest advantage with Windows 365 is the security element. The physical device becomes of no consequence so whether it is stolen or passed around the household, the organisation data remains secure in the cloud. With policies, IT admins can also restrict transfer of data between the virtual desktop and the local device.
How can BMIT Technologies help with Windows 365?
Every client we work with requires different solutions. So, we tackle each need with our expertise in technology, business strategy and innovation.
We propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies. This ensures a greater level of business management and progression.
Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) is a managed cloud infrastructure service which delivers a virtual desktop to the user through any internet-connected device with a modern browser or remote desktop application.
DaaS has been around for quite some time now (over a decade), but it never really took off on a mass scale. Some reasons being the dependency on a high-speed Internet connection, the cloud compute performance, and the service provider availability. These technical reasons have been addressed as technology evolved, hence why DaaS is now more cost effective and applicable.
In recent years DaaS has found itself in the spotlight, with the sudden increase in remote working and the shift towards a more dynamic employee work experience.
What are the benefits of DaaS?
Quicker deployments
DaaS minimises certain administrative and logistical problems such as procurement, delivery/shipping time, supplier/logistical delays. Management is easier and configurations for the deployment of applications and data are streamlined.
Scalable
DaaS is a solution to meet on-demand requirements whether you are increasing performance of a single virtual desktop or removing it when it is no longer needed. It can allow you to save costs during temporary or seasonal initiatives.
Cost effective
DaaS solutions vary between products or service providers, but you can find the appropriate billing type that suits your organisation. Options can include monthly subscriptions for a more predictable OPEX or consumption-based billing for a more optimised OPEX.
Secure by design
DaaS solution provides any organisation with the peace of mind that the applications and data are securely stored on the cloud. Providing IT administrators with a level of control through policies, allowing them to enhance the security against physical or data theft.
Disaster ready
DaaS can be considered as a critical tool when it comes to business continuity. It can reduce the RTO by provisioning virtual desktops to users on-demand, keeping your employees safe and productive.
When should Organisations consider DaaS?
When adopting BYOD strategies
Employing elastic and/or remote workers
Making use of third-party support/consultation services
When having a call centre, a hot desk environment or branch office(s)
We propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies. This ensures a greater level of business management and progression.
Want to learn more about DaaS - Desktop-as-a-Service? Contact us and one of our experts will reach out and guide you accordingly
Our DDoS partner NETSCOUT recently published the NETSCOUT Threat Intelligence Report Issue 7, covering the first half of 2021 and analyzing the DDoS landscape and related threats. Similarly, our connectivity partner, Telia Carrier, released the DDoS Threat Landscape Report 2021, which covers all of 2020. The general result of both these reports is far from optimistic – DDoS attacks keep increasing in size, number, and complexity.
The intensity of DDoS attacks keeps increasing. The largest attack in 2020 mitigated by Telia Carrier reached 1.18 Tbps, which is nearly 50% more than in 2019, and the peak attack intensity was 887 Mpps.
The mitigation volume reached 57 PB and 14 TP which is up 192% and 176% respectively from 2019.
Carpet bombing (attacking many IPs in a given range at the same time) is becoming more commonplace. Starting from isolated attacks in early 2020, Telia Carrier has observed sustained carpet bombing activity in late 2020.
The most common types of DDoS attacks were DNS and NTP amplification attacks – this is a shift from small packet SYN attacks that were observed more often in the past and it allows attackers to use fewer resources for larger attacks.
These numbers and trends are proof that the DDoS threat keeps growing, putting more pressure on organizations and requiring efficient mitigation. Interestingly, attack waves mirrored the world lockdown phases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This suggests that cybercriminals are taking advantage of the pandemic to apply more pressure at the weak spots.
NETSCOUT – DDOS Threat Landscape in 2021 H1
The numbers from NETSCOUT speak for themselves. Telia Carrier’s 2020 already looked bleak but things are even worse off in the first half of 2021.
The quantity of DDoS attacks in the first half of 2021 reached 5.4 million, which is 11% more than last year in the same period.
The largest attack observed was 1.5 Tbps (169% more than in 2020 H1) and the fastest was 675 Mpps (16% more than in 2020 H1). At least 4 attacks were terabit-class.
Seven new attack vectors were observed in 2021 H1, targeting exploitable UDP services and applications.
The number of vectors in multivector attacks steadily grows – a record-setting attack with 31 vectors was observed in 2021 H1.
NETSCOUT also stated that attackers are more and more likely to perform reconnaissance on their target and design custom attack vectors that are more likely to be effective. Cybercriminals are now more apt to attack global network components such as major DNS resolvers, VPN exit nodes, and IXPs, which makes the DDoS affect a much larger number of parties. A new campaign was also observed targeting authoritative DNS servers for ISPs.
One of the most worrying trends is the fact that ransomware gangs often offer DDoS attacks as part of their service packages. This helps them improve the chances at getting a payout and then enables them to invest into better resources and technology thus leading to more ransomware attacks. This also means that ransomware and DDoS become closely coupled and that we can expect even more DDoS in the future.
Everyone’s the Target
The NETSCOUT report identified the most likely vertical targets for DDoS attacks as: telecommunications, data processing, hosting, publishing, broadcasting, and e-commerce. The biggest attack increase was noticed in the financial sector – especially card processing services.
The report also notes that DDoS attacks are very common in the online gaming community. Such attacks often end up crippling VPNs as well as deal collateral damage to ISPs and other customers connected to the same communications hubs. The gaming community also creates a demand for small-scale DDoS services, which become more commonly available, cheaper, and therefore lead to more DDoS attacks on smaller targets outside this community.
The Conclusions
Both reports clearly show that everything about the DDoS landscape is becoming more threatening. This includes the number of attacks, the size/intensity of attacks, the techniques, and even financing for attackers. The reports also show that while major organizations are still the most affected, the attacks on Internet infrastructure, VPN, as well as the availability of small-scale DDoS services makes SMBs much more likely to suffer DDoS consequences.
The only way to counter this threat is by using reliable services such as the ones offered by BMIT Technologies. You need 24/7 protection and a partner that will react immediately when an attack happens. BMIT offers not just the right partnerships, the right tools, but also the most experience on the local market. We help you make sure that no matter whether the DDoS attack is aimed directly at you or at the infrastructure that you are connected to, it does not affect your business.
Telia Carrier rebranded to Arelion following the publication of this blog post
BMIT Technologies has been proudly regranted its ISO 27001:2013 certification.
But what does this entail? ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization and is the world's largest developer of International Standards for business, government, and society. Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
We have successfully managed to gain recertification in the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 which focuses on the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system within the context of the organization.
This certification also includes requirements for the assessment and treatment of information security risks tailored to the needs of the organization.
As the largest datacenter on the island, we are very proud to be recertified as this provides reassurance to all our customers. Every client we work with requires different solutions. So, we tackle each need with our expertise in technology, business strategy and innovation.
We propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies. This ensures a greater level of business management and progression.
Cloud services have proved to be an undeniable requisite and a positive shift for businesses of all sizes, with a high possibility of further acceleration in the near future.
There are various Cloud Services to fit different business requirements - from storage to computing, from AI to machine learning- not to mention the availability of SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms and solutions. Nowadays, software and IT infrastructures have reached a high level of complexity, and in this context, choosing the right mix between on-premise IT services and infrastructure and public and private cloud services, in order to find the optimal solution for your operational context, is a must.
Cloud-related debates have now moved from analysing of the pros and cons of a cloud approach to figuring which cloud approach will be most effective for specific business requirements.
Public Cloud
By now everyone knows the great advantages of public cloud in terms of costs and efficiency, of relying on a provider which provides you with an adequate Iaas (Infrastructure as a Service) or Saas solutions. One of the most significant advantages is the reduction of the management costs since the adoption of an IaaS implies a shift of costs from capital expenditure (Capex) to operating expenditure (Opex), An adequate IaaS infrastructure therefore allows you to significantly reduce the initial IT costs.
Beyond the economic advantages, there are also technical considerations to be done, which can even be more relevant: scalability, reliability, automation, continuous updates, non-existent obsolescence, and much more.
Public cloud services can work side-by-side to infrastructure hosted within a data centre, through a hybrid cloud set-up, therefore allowing for better manageability of the related physical hardware equipment, the maintenance costs of the hardware and its maintenance
Nowadays, from a technical point of view, there are very few services that cannot be migrated to the cloud.
The main services that are particularly suitable for a public implementation are the following:
Saas (Software as a Service):
This is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end-users over the internet. Microsoft 365 is probably the most famous product which falls in this category, but there are also other types of applications, such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management, such as Salesforce or Hubspot) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning).
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service):
This is a type of cloud computing service that offers essential compute, storage, and networking resources on-demand, on a pay-as-you-go basis. The IaaS enables you to avoid “important” investments which would eventually be necessary for building and maintenance physical infrastructure otherwise. In this scenario, the provider is responsible for creating and maintaining the infrastructure, while the user makes use of a powerful, modern, efficient, and highly scalable system.
PaaS (Platform as a Service):
This is the third cloud computing model, in that it provides customers with a complete cloud platform—hardware, software, and infrastructure—for developing, running, and managing applications without the cost, complexity, and inflexibility that often comes with building and maintaining that platform on-premise. The PaaS provider hosts everything—servers, networks, storage, operating system software, databases, development tools—at their data centre. Typically, customers can pay a fixed fee to provide a specified amount of resources for a specified number of users, or they can choose 'pay-as-you-go' pricing to pay only for the resources they use.
Nowadays you can either manage your IT infrastructure or delegate it to a service provider. A cloud service can effectively support the entire infrastructure, managing for example, Web Servers, Load Balancing, Failover, High Availability, and allowing you to manage everything from a single monitoring environment.
Private cloud
Although there are many advantages when using the public cloud, companies are usually reluctant to assign 100% of their IT resources and applications on such platforms. Also, as is often the case especially at migration stage, it is usually easier from a technical point of view to deploy a private cloud, rather than migrating to a completely public solution.
Nowadays, it is possible to create private cloud environments from which you can deploy almost any kind of applications. The private cloud therefore remains an interesting option for all those companies that might have concerns related to migrating to a Public Cloud.
There might be several scenarios where a Private Cloud fits best. By way of example: a company that uses applications that require high performance at a technical level.
Another example would be when main applications have a very predictable usage model, with low management and storage costs, and therefore the migration to the public cloud may not be the best option financially.
A third use case is security and compliance – it is usually best-practice to adopt a private cloud model if you want the highest degree of compliance and security for your data.
In all these instances, the data centres, with cloud solutions at local level, implemented with virtualization systems such as VMware, still might be the best solution.
Hybrid Cloud
Given all the above consideration, the best solution is often to implement a hybrid cloud strategy within a certified data centre.
As the Latin saying goes, “in medio stat virtus”, virtue stands in the middle.
Hybrid architectures are very appealing for companies that want to migrate gradually. A hybrid system is presented as an excellent solution even in such circumstances where there are “institutional” concerns related to security and privacy of the data. A hybrid system allows for a partial migration while keeping certain data on-premise and other data in the public cloud.
Ultimately, technology enables us to solve the same problem in diverse ways: the choice of the implementation strategy is therefore based on a series of technical, economic, and even "ideological" considerations. There is no right or wrong answer, but you can start off with considering the following points before deciding which cloud model will best suit your needs:
Identify the main use case: What is the purpose and the objective of the project (disaster recovery, backup, collaboration, primary storage, etc.)? It is necessary to define the strategic objective and draft a plan of how to reach this.
What information will be stored: is it data in use by users? What kind of applications do they power? Do these applications also work in cloud environments?
Identify the type of storage: If you have to support a project that provides data available to cloud native applications, probably object storage via public cloud will be the most suitable solution.
Compliance and Security: What type of data do you deal with? If you deal with highly sensitive and private data, it might be that storing it in the public cloud is not allowed from a compliance perspective. When a strict control over your data is required, a public cloud with servers in other countries might not be the best solution and is often illegal. A hybrid cloud setup set on a private platform enables organisations to actively restrict access externally and internally. However, most of today’s cloud providers offer maximum-security options, at a cost, to ensure that your data is stored securely. Depending on company policies one or the other is more suitable.
Scalability Requirements: A public cloud can scale exponentially within minutes. This flexibility in available storage can be beneficial if you are dealing with volatile data streams that need to be processed and stored. When you have a private cloud on premise, scaling up often requires additional hardware which can both be time-consuming and expensive.
Available Budget: Of course, budget is a key factor to consider. For example, installing a large Hadoop cluster on premises requires substantial hardware, employees to operate and manage it, as well as maintenance costs. A hybrid cloud setup often works with a pay-as-you-go system, which ensures that you only have to pay for the equipment used, sometimes even charged on an hourly, or even shorter, basis.
How can BMIT Technologies help?
Every client we work with requires different solutions. So, we tackle each need with our expertise in technology, business strategy and innovation.
We propose and develop intelligent, secure infrastructure solutions, help build your internal capabilities and identify opportunities to enhance your business potential through the application of innovative technologies. This ensures a greater level of business management and progression.
