On-Premise vs. Cloud IaaS - advantages and disadvantages
I believe that the advantages and disadvantages of the Cloud, you can find a lot of information. Most often, information about the benefits of cloud technologies prevails over information about their disadvantages.
The information below does not in any way pretend to be the ultimate truth and is not complete. But I really hope that, thanks to your support, this list will be greatly expanded and will be useful to many readers. The advantages and disadvantages primarily concern Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
When you go to the Cloud, you can forget about the following :
Necessity takes care of the physical IT infrastructure of the data center, namely:
')
1. Server hardware, replacement of faulty components
2. Backup Power Supply (USV). Depending on the size of the data center, maintenance of diesel generators or, for example, the replacement of batteries
3. Network: routers, switches, modules, cables
4. Storage (Storage), no RAID-s, units and disks. No discussion on iSCSI, FibreChannel or InfiniBand. Full transition to All-Flash-Arrays or partial?
5. Backup (Backup and storage systems)
6. Information Security
The above iron should not only be regularly updated, but also replaced after the expiration of the lease or warranty service (3-5 years). There is no need for discussion on which manufacturer to order the iron from.
7. Cooling system of the computer center
8. Fire Extinguishing System and Providing Early Fire Detection
9. Organization of physical protection of the data center
10. Expansion options (adding new cabinets), as well as related changes in cooling and fire extinguishing systems
It is worth noting that in terms of security, whether physical or informational, a serious provider far exceeds the average enterprise.
All of the above categories have their own control systems, which in turn require qualified service personnel. In the case of transition to new technologies, employees also need to be trained.
Cloud will help reduce costs, especially in terms of attracting external resources in projects related primarily to the replacement or upgrade of existing infrastructure.
From the point of view of taxation, the cloud is not without attractiveness, since capital expenditures (CAPEX) for the purchase of equipment are transformed into regular operating expenses (OPEX), and this is more profitable.
Well, finally forget about the main thing, the cost of electricity.
It is the ability to quickly automated expansion or reduce the infrastructure can be called one of the main advantages of cloud technologies. Use and pay only for what you really need (Pay-As-You-Go).
A major cloud service provider is constantly looking for what can be offered to customers as an additional service, or something that will help reduce the costs of the provider itself.
In terms of creating uninterrupted infrastructure and disaster recovery, the cloud has an undoubted advantage.
In many cases, the above advantages easily turn into disadvantages.
Let's start with the data center itself. Any more or less serious medium-sized business already has its own data center. So, you already have an appropriate protected room with an installed fire extinguishing system, uninterrupted power supply and cooling. Your data center already has enough cabinets filled with the appropriate equipment (Servers, Storages, Switches, Backup Libraries).
Purchased server hardware easily allows you to upgrade systems, adding, for example, additional memory. Decommissioned servers can be used to create a test environment.
I find it hard to imagine that all the above equipment was purchased at the same time and has an identical warranty period, after which the transition to the cloud could be a completely deliberate and logical step.
In recent years, many components have become much more efficient, ranging from the power consumption of processors to networks with data transfer rates of 40 GB or higher or All-Flash-Arrays Storage. Often, only replacing storage systems will significantly “unload” (save space, reduce electricity costs) the data center, while increasing its efficiency. Recalling a story from our own experience of how to use PureStorage's All-Flash-Arrays, occupying 6U, we managed to get rid of the 19-inch 42U cabinet filled with NetApp products.
The claim that abandoning local infrastructure means a loss of investment has the right to life.
Trusting the provider is in my opinion the most important criterion for evaluating cloud technologies.
You must be sure
The presence of various certificates for compliance with safety standards can not be a guarantee of security itself.
You are sure that in case of loss of one of the two regional data centers, your provider will be able to provide the full functionality of your entire infrastructure. The main thing is its extensibility, especially in a period of heightened business activity? I'm not so sure, and you?
One of my colleagues once told me that the possibility of the complete loss of one regional data center is also unlikely as to meet a dinosaur on the street. And who among the residents of New York on 10.09.2001 would believe that by noon tomorrow, one of the symbols of the city will no longer exist? A large data center can undoubtedly be the goal of “unkind people”, since its loss can cause not only serious economic damage, but have far-reaching consequences. Cloud is when many companies put their eggs in one big basket and hope that the basket will never be dropped. Each of the eggs is a kind of Koshchey the Immortal's egg. Diluting it will compromise its owner’s vitality.
As far as I know, a change in US law allows you to now claim damages in the amount of up to 100,000 USD per user, in case of data theft, through the provider’s fault. In this context, the word diversion begins to acquire a new meaning. After all, no matter how carefully the selection of personnel is carried out, these are people, but they are not perfect and are subject to vices, such as greed ...
The possibility of disaster recovery, along with flexibility and scalability is one of the main arguments in favor of the cloud. With the help of cloud technologies, it is quite simple to create a copy of your infrastructure, located hundreds of kilometers from the main data center. Do you currently have similar solutions like backup systems? Do you really need them if you have been without them for many years?
One of the key conditions for successful implementation of cloud technologies is the availability of a fast and reliable Internet connection, with the mandatory possibility of increasing speed and bandwidth. Unfortunately, many people underestimate this factor, which entails not entirely successful implementation of projects.
So let's be honest, virtual machines in the cloud are not very cheap. If you remove the additional benefits that the cloud undoubtedly has (especially in terms of Disaster Recovery), then the cost of a VM in the cloud far exceeds the cost of a VM in a local data center.
On-Premise is when you have the freedom of choice, this is when your suit is sewn only for you and it suits you perfectly. Cloud is first of all an attempt to choose the right costume for you from even a huge range of high-quality ready-made costumes. Cloud Provider is simply obliged to provide absolutely identical services to all its customers, without any special conditions.
If moving to the cloud is a rather complicated process that requires deep and meticulous planning, then returning the infrastructure from the Cloud to On-Premises is an even more difficult and incredibly expensive task. A complete transition to the cloud is a one way ticket.
By the way, did you notice how the marketing rhetoric of leading cloud service providers changed? The idea or even the desire of Cloud First gradually transformed into a Hybrid Cloud First ...
Think for yourself, decide for yourself, to have or not to have ...
I look forward to your feedback, opinions, pros and cons.
The information below does not in any way pretend to be the ultimate truth and is not complete. But I really hope that, thanks to your support, this list will be greatly expanded and will be useful to many readers. The advantages and disadvantages primarily concern Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Advantages of the Cloud
When you go to the Cloud, you can forget about the following :
Necessity takes care of the physical IT infrastructure of the data center, namely:
')
1. Server hardware, replacement of faulty components
2. Backup Power Supply (USV). Depending on the size of the data center, maintenance of diesel generators or, for example, the replacement of batteries
3. Network: routers, switches, modules, cables
4. Storage (Storage), no RAID-s, units and disks. No discussion on iSCSI, FibreChannel or InfiniBand. Full transition to All-Flash-Arrays or partial?
5. Backup (Backup and storage systems)
6. Information Security
The above iron should not only be regularly updated, but also replaced after the expiration of the lease or warranty service (3-5 years). There is no need for discussion on which manufacturer to order the iron from.
7. Cooling system of the computer center
8. Fire Extinguishing System and Providing Early Fire Detection
9. Organization of physical protection of the data center
10. Expansion options (adding new cabinets), as well as related changes in cooling and fire extinguishing systems
It is worth noting that in terms of security, whether physical or informational, a serious provider far exceeds the average enterprise.
Staff and Expenses
All of the above categories have their own control systems, which in turn require qualified service personnel. In the case of transition to new technologies, employees also need to be trained.
Cloud will help reduce costs, especially in terms of attracting external resources in projects related primarily to the replacement or upgrade of existing infrastructure.
From the point of view of taxation, the cloud is not without attractiveness, since capital expenditures (CAPEX) for the purchase of equipment are transformed into regular operating expenses (OPEX), and this is more profitable.
Well, finally forget about the main thing, the cost of electricity.
Scalability, Automation, Innovation
It is the ability to quickly automated expansion or reduce the infrastructure can be called one of the main advantages of cloud technologies. Use and pay only for what you really need (Pay-As-You-Go).
A major cloud service provider is constantly looking for what can be offered to customers as an additional service, or something that will help reduce the costs of the provider itself.
Disaster Recovery
In terms of creating uninterrupted infrastructure and disaster recovery, the cloud has an undoubted advantage.
Cloud Disadvantages, On-Premises Benefits
In many cases, the above advantages easily turn into disadvantages.
Let's start with the data center itself. Any more or less serious medium-sized business already has its own data center. So, you already have an appropriate protected room with an installed fire extinguishing system, uninterrupted power supply and cooling. Your data center already has enough cabinets filled with the appropriate equipment (Servers, Storages, Switches, Backup Libraries).
Purchased server hardware easily allows you to upgrade systems, adding, for example, additional memory. Decommissioned servers can be used to create a test environment.
I find it hard to imagine that all the above equipment was purchased at the same time and has an identical warranty period, after which the transition to the cloud could be a completely deliberate and logical step.
In recent years, many components have become much more efficient, ranging from the power consumption of processors to networks with data transfer rates of 40 GB or higher or All-Flash-Arrays Storage. Often, only replacing storage systems will significantly “unload” (save space, reduce electricity costs) the data center, while increasing its efficiency. Recalling a story from our own experience of how to use PureStorage's All-Flash-Arrays, occupying 6U, we managed to get rid of the 19-inch 42U cabinet filled with NetApp products.
The claim that abandoning local infrastructure means a loss of investment has the right to life.
Trust and reliability
Trusting the provider is in my opinion the most important criterion for evaluating cloud technologies.
You must be sure
- inviolability of your data
- quick recovery without loss in case of special circumstances
- full compliance with local law
- employee professionalism
- that the services provided are of much higher quality or at least equal to those you had before
The presence of various certificates for compliance with safety standards can not be a guarantee of security itself.
You are sure that in case of loss of one of the two regional data centers, your provider will be able to provide the full functionality of your entire infrastructure. The main thing is its extensibility, especially in a period of heightened business activity? I'm not so sure, and you?
One of my colleagues once told me that the possibility of the complete loss of one regional data center is also unlikely as to meet a dinosaur on the street. And who among the residents of New York on 10.09.2001 would believe that by noon tomorrow, one of the symbols of the city will no longer exist? A large data center can undoubtedly be the goal of “unkind people”, since its loss can cause not only serious economic damage, but have far-reaching consequences. Cloud is when many companies put their eggs in one big basket and hope that the basket will never be dropped. Each of the eggs is a kind of Koshchey the Immortal's egg. Diluting it will compromise its owner’s vitality.
As far as I know, a change in US law allows you to now claim damages in the amount of up to 100,000 USD per user, in case of data theft, through the provider’s fault. In this context, the word diversion begins to acquire a new meaning. After all, no matter how carefully the selection of personnel is carried out, these are people, but they are not perfect and are subject to vices, such as greed ...
Disaster Recovery Local Infrastructure
The possibility of disaster recovery, along with flexibility and scalability is one of the main arguments in favor of the cloud. With the help of cloud technologies, it is quite simple to create a copy of your infrastructure, located hundreds of kilometers from the main data center. Do you currently have similar solutions like backup systems? Do you really need them if you have been without them for many years?
Internet connection
One of the key conditions for successful implementation of cloud technologies is the availability of a fast and reliable Internet connection, with the mandatory possibility of increasing speed and bandwidth. Unfortunately, many people underestimate this factor, which entails not entirely successful implementation of projects.
Price
So let's be honest, virtual machines in the cloud are not very cheap. If you remove the additional benefits that the cloud undoubtedly has (especially in terms of Disaster Recovery), then the cost of a VM in the cloud far exceeds the cost of a VM in a local data center.
Conclusion
On-Premise is when you have the freedom of choice, this is when your suit is sewn only for you and it suits you perfectly. Cloud is first of all an attempt to choose the right costume for you from even a huge range of high-quality ready-made costumes. Cloud Provider is simply obliged to provide absolutely identical services to all its customers, without any special conditions.
If moving to the cloud is a rather complicated process that requires deep and meticulous planning, then returning the infrastructure from the Cloud to On-Premises is an even more difficult and incredibly expensive task. A complete transition to the cloud is a one way ticket.
By the way, did you notice how the marketing rhetoric of leading cloud service providers changed? The idea or even the desire of Cloud First gradually transformed into a Hybrid Cloud First ...
Think for yourself, decide for yourself, to have or not to have ...
I look forward to your feedback, opinions, pros and cons.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/346210/
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