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Virtualization of server capacities became the basic technology that predetermined the further growth of clouds. All companies use servers for the operation of their IT services (for example, e-mail, ERP systems, online stores). A server is a computing node of any modern IT infrastructure. It processes data, and directly stores data on specialized equipment — a data storage system or a storage system. Let's take a server. Virtualization allows you to divide a physical device into parts and use a piece of expensive equipment for one task, and another piece for another. Thus, virtualization can significantly increase the efficiency of server usage. This basic technology in the IT infrastructure of any enterprise has given impetus to the development of cloud computing. So we can give part of the infrastructure to the tasks of the first customer, and the other part to the second. This is convenient for most customers, as they do not want to spend a lot of money on a truly reliable data center, on a mountain of expensive servers and storage, to maintain them, and so on. It is much more efficient and economical to take a "piece" of infrastructure from a cloud service provider. In other words, the cloud is an outsourcing of the IT infrastructure. Cloud Computing Delivery Models Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) So, let's take the cloud. What signs does it have? Firstly, it is virtualization as a basic technology, for example, vStack, VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, Xen and others. If we add to this a billing system and a self–service portal where the client can independently manage their resources, we will get a classic IaaS cloud in the modern view, i.e. Infrastructure as a Service, infrastructure as a service. In IaaS, the main resources received, that is, what the customer pays for, are vCPUs (virtual processors), RAM (RAM), and storage system resources are disk capacity of various types – for example, HDD or SSD solid–state drives. Platform as a Service (PaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS), i.e. Platform as a Service — in this case, the client receives, in addition to resources, a certain environment for the operation of its applications, for example, a database as a service or kubernetes (a service providing infrastructure for microservice architecture of application execution). Software as a Service (SaaS) Software as a Service (SaaS), i.e. Software as a service — in this case, the cloud provider also adds the application itself, for example, an email service or 1c. Cloud computing from ITGLOBAL.COM Why IaaS is the most popular solution IaaS is the most popular among corporate customers, since any cloud carries a certain level of service typing. In other words, the service is issued as standard for all customers. And if this is most often acceptable in IaaS, then SaaS will rarely be suitable for a large client, since they often have unique requirements for the work of their applications. Plus, a large customer today is often ready to outsource a piece of infrastructure, but he wants to develop corporate applications himself, since this is what is now called digitalization – when each company seeks to concentrate its efforts on applications, for example, on its online store. And by updating its IT product faster and more efficiently, the company can compete more successfully in the market. That is, the cloud allows it to reduce the investment of its workforce in routine infrastructure maintenance operations. [text_with_btn btn="Contact Us" id="50"]Get a consultation on CLOUD[/text_with_btn] Cloud Infrastructure Implementation Options There are several approaches to implementing cloud infrastructure, depending on business needs and budget: Rent capacity from a hyperscale retailer – these are Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud; Rent capacity from a local cloud provider in a public cloud; Rent capacity from a local cloud provider in a private cloud. Let's compare these three options in more detail. Flexibility, Integration, and Performance Differences From the point of view of service typing, hyperscale is the most rigid infrastructure — everything is predefined and cannot be changed. The public cloud offers limited customization, while the private cloud is tailored to specific customer needs, making it the best choice for non-standard requirements. Only a private cloud is typically compatible with the vCenter cloud management system, making it the only option for businesses that rely on this tool. In terms of scalability: Hyperscalers expand by adding virtual machines from ready-made templates. Public clouds allow changes in vCPUs, RAM, and storage configurations. Private clouds scale by adding new hosts and datastores, providing more flexibility in infrastructure growth. Oversubscription is another important consideration. Hyperscalers typically oversubscribe resources at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:10. Public clouds range from 1:2 (enterprise-level) to 1:10 (budget options). Private clouds, however, can be customized to have minimal or even zero oversubscription, offering performance guarantees aligned with business-critical workloads. The same applies to guaranteed IOPS and maximum virtual machine sizes — only a private cloud allows full control over such parameters. Speed, Security, and Cost Considerations Scaling speed is highest with hyperscale providers, while private clouds scale the slowest, often requiring procurement of additional physical hardware. From a security standpoint, a private cloud allows full implementation of client-specific policies and controls — the highest possible level of protection. Public and hyperscale clouds offer fewer customization options for advanced security. In terms of cost — based on our experience in the UAE — pricing for hyperscale and local public cloud services is roughly comparable. Private clouds are generally more expensive due to the level of customization and dedicated infrastructure The approach of ITGLOBAL.COM towards building a cloud infrastructure When commissioning new cloud platforms, ITGLOBAL.COM chooses a data center very carefully, because this is the basis for the reliability of the cloud. In the UAE, we chose the Equinix DX-1 data center. The data center complies with international Tier III standards and has quality certificates, including ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and PCI DSS. The cluster has vStack-R-SL201-25RE servers equipped with 16-core Intel Xeon Gold processors with a base frequency of 3.0 GHz.A ll critical infrastructure and equipment are fully redundant, with engineers monitoring and maintaining them 24/7. This facility is part of Equinix, a global leader founded in Silicon Valley in 1998. The company owns and operates a network of 250 data centers across 71 major cities worldwide. The certificates guarantee us that the data center performs all the necessary maintenance and its reliability does not decrease over time, which is 100% of planned availability and 99.982% guaranteed. The architecture of a private cloud is built without a single point of failure. There are services that do not allow shutdowns and work 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Every day, dozens of petabytes of data from our customers from the commercial and public sectors are processed under our control. [text_with_btn btn="Contact Us" id="50"]Get a consultation on CLOUD[/text_with_btn]