Hybrid and Community cloud storage

What is Hybrid cloud storage?

Hybrid cloud storage combines your own private servers with the public internet cloud.

Special software connects them so they act like a single system, allowing files to move back and forth easily.

How does Hybrid cloud storage offer the "best of both worlds"?

-Security: You keep your most sensitive or secret data safe on your own equipment at home.

-Flexibility: You use the public cloud whenever you need extra space or want to save money on data you don't use often.

What are the advantages of Hybrid cloud storage?

- Flexible as organizations can decide what data should be stored on-site or in the cloud; for example, more sensitive data could be kept on-site.

- As the amount of data stored in the cloud can be managed, this can make hybrid cloud storage cost-effective.

- Can be used to help ensure data is backed up off-site in case of problems.

What are the disadvantages of Hybrid cloud storage?

- Complex to manage data in different types of locations, requiring each organization to employ specialist staff to set up and manage them.

- Potential security concerns as it is complex to ensure that security decisions are maintained on-site and in the cloud.

- Access speeds to data can be different depending on whether the required data is stored on-site or in the cloud.

What is Community cloud storage?

Community cloud storage is a collaborative cloud system shared by a specific group of organisations with the same needs.

How does Community cloud storage act as a middle ground between Public and Private storage?

Instead of being open to the whole world (Public) or kept strictly for one company (Private), it is shared by a select group of partners who follow the same rules—like a group of banks, hospitals, or government agencies.

What are some real-world examples of Community cloud storage?

-Government: Several police departments might share a cloud to store fingerprint data securely.

-Healthcare: A network of different hospitals might share a cloud to transfer patient records quickly while meeting strict privacy laws.

-Education: A group of universities might share a cloud for research projects.

What are the characteristics of Community cloud storage?

-Shared by a specific group

-Members-only access

-Shared costs

-Tailored security

-Collaborative management

What is "Shared by a specific group"?

It is built for a distinct group of people or organisations that have the same needs.

Example: A group of hospitals, a network of banks, or government agencies.

Why: They all follow the same laws and need the same type of security.

What is "Members-only access"?

It is not open to the public. You must be part of the specific community to get in.

What is "Shared costs"?

Because multiple organisations use it, they split the bill.

-It is cheaper than building your own private cloud.

-It is more expensive than a public cloud (like Google Drive), but much more secure.

What is "Tailored security"?

The security rules are written specifically for that group's industry.

What is "Collaborative management"?

Often, the members work together to decide how the cloud is run, or they hire a specific vendor to manage it just for them.

What are the advantages of Community cloud storage?

- Cost-effective as community cloud storage can share infrastructure among multiple organizations or businesses, so cheaper than a private cloud but more secure than a public cloud.

- Service can be specifically customized for particular community requirements.

- Potential for collaboration between users in a secure way.

What are the disadvantages of Community cloud storage?

- Cannot be customized for one particular business or organization as a cloud needs to serve multiple businesses/organizations.

- Limited scalability as infrastructure isn't as flexible as a public cloud provider due to a limited number of customers.

- Potential governance issues as changes cannot be made by one business/organization because features are shared among the community.

What are the factors to consider when choosing a cloud storage location?

-Security

-Scalability

-Cost