Public Cloud has long been popular for companies looking to rapidly deploy servers using APIs and automation tools and for those looking to incorporate technology such as AI, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) into their business strategies. This is because Public Cloud provides scalability and on-demand payment methods that other hosting solutions cannot achieve in the same way.
In this blog, we’ll explain how Public Cloud works, compare it to other solutions, and identify ideal use cases to help you decide if it’s right for you.
What is Public Cloud?
Public Cloud is a computing service that offers virtual resources accessible to customers via the public internet. It is an infrastructure-as-a-service product that enables customers to create their own hosting environments. The third-party provider (such as Leaseweb) maintains the underlying hardware, including the servers, network, and storage, while the customer takes care of the operating system and configuration to install a server that runs their application.
Virtual servers can be created on the spot according to demand, as opposed to physical servers which take significantly more time to set up. This is ideal for any online business, for example AdTech or MarTech companies or SaaS companies, who experience a surge of users periodically or unexpectantly. With Public Cloud, more servers can be spun up to meet the demand instantly without any long-term commitments. This is also useful for performing quick tests in your environment.
How does Public Cloud work?
Leaseweb Public Cloud is a multi-tenant infrastructure solution connected to the public Internet. It is comprised of physical servers in a data center, but within these physical servers is the management environment which orchestrates and organizes virtual machines. The combination of all the physical servers is known as a platform.
Public Cloud customers purchase their own virtual machines, but they share the underlying physical resources with other customers. Customers can use this virtual machine to run websites, applications, and more, allowing them to service end-users via the Internet.
Private Cloud vs Public Cloud
The main difference between Private and Public Cloud is that with Public Cloud, infrastructure is shared between multiple customers (multi-tenancy), whilst Private Cloud offers infrastructure exclusively to one customer (single-tenancy).
At Leaseweb, our Private Cloud offering is VMware vSphere where one customer exclusively occupies a platform. This is more expensive than Public Cloud, but as you can imagine, it offers more robust security and performance since customers won’t have to worry about noisy neighbors when it comes to both the compute and networking aspects. However, this level of security and performance is not always necessary, depending on the needs of the customer, in which case Public Cloud might be a better solution. But for large companies with highly demanding requirements and extreme security measures, Private Cloud may be needed.
Public Cloud customers are still isolated from each other, having their own virtual machines, but since they share a physical server, they will share resources such as CPU with other customers. Therefore, compared to the Private Cloud, Public Cloud is more cost efficient and is needed for companies offering their services through the Internet.
Hybrid Private Public Cloud
At Leaseweb, you can connect your Private and Public Cloud instances via our private network, which is separate from the public Internet, resulting in a Hybrid Cloud. This type of solution is well suited to companies with extremely large databases that are too big to run on a virtual machine. Data can be stored in the Private Cloud, which has more disk space and more CPU capacity, while the Public Cloud can be used to run the front-end of the website or application.
Alternatively, companies that predominantly use dedicated servers can utilize the Public Cloud only when they need additional compute power for additional loads by adding virtual servers for a few hours rather than upgrading to additional servers for a month.
Advantages of Public Cloud
The advantages of Public Cloud over other solutions include scalability and cost-effectiveness.
Scalability
Leaseweb Public Cloud allows you to scale your resources up or down based on demand. Whether you need additional compute power, storage, or networking, the cloud infrastructure can adapt to your needs within minutes.
Cost-effective
Public Cloud offerings, including Leaseweb Public Cloud, come with flexible payment plans allowing you to pay for resources as needed. This can save money in the long term for companies that experience unpredictable fluctuations in workloads, compared to solutions such as dedicated servers or Private Cloud where fixed quantities of resources are purchased monthly.
Who should use Public Cloud?
In a nutshell, Public Cloud is ideal for web-based companies offering services over the Internet that are looking for a fast, scalable solution, with flexible payment options. Some use cases include:
Highly Available Front-end App
Since the Public Cloud offers a versatile virtualized environment, you can deploy sufficient instances for optimal performance of your application. Additionally, you have more control over the settings of your infrastructure, where you can automate daily operations to your backend servers or deploy new cloud instances via a wide range of APIs.
Host a Performant Backend Platform
Imagine you are developing a mobile application that allows users to store and share photos and videos. Your backend platform will be responsible for managing media storage, enabling content sharing, API management, and more. Public Cloud is designed to handle the requirements of performant backend platforms such as this.
Parallel Software Testing
If you are a software development company, you want to deliver high quality software with fast release cycles and reduced costs. Public Cloud allows you to quickly provision instances with different configurations, operating systems, and browser versions required for test scenarios. This allows you to test multiple environments easily, saving time and money.
Cost-effective Storage Solution
If you are a business that deals with significant amounts of data, like customer records, product information, media files, or backups, utilizing Public Cloud for storage may be more beneficial than traditional methods. You can leverage the scalable and high-performing local NVMe 15K IOPS storage, paying only for the quota needed, making it a flexible and budget-friendly option.
Public Cloud Offerings at Leaseweb
At Leaseweb, we’ve designed three types of Public Cloud instances to provide ideal matches for your business needs.
General Purpose
General Purpose instances with 1 CPU per 4GB RAM are suitable for a wide range of workloads as they provide a balance of compute, memory, and network resources. You can select instances ideal for anything from small databases and low-traffic web servers to high performance and high throughput workloads.
Compute Optimized
Compute Optimized instances with 1 CPU per 2 GB RAM are designed for applications where compute needs are higher than memory needs, thus offering large quantities of high-performance processors. These instances are ideal for high-performing workloads such as gaming servers, high-performing web servers, and e-commerce platforms.
Memory Optimized
Our Memory Optimized instances with 1 CPU per 8 GB RAM are ideal for fast performance workloads that process large data sets in memory. For example, high-performing DBs, open-source databases, and in-memory caches would greatly benefit from our Memory Optimized instances.
Why Choose Leaseweb Public Cloud
Scalability
Leaseweb Public Cloud allows you to scale up within minutes without long-term financial commitments. We offer advanced API automation and integration with other Leaseweb solutions and providers. This automation creates benefits with auto-scaling and availability with load balancers. Our APIs are also compatible with AWS.
Cost Effective and Efficient
Our Public Cloud solution is up to 30% more cost effective than hyperscalers, with no upfront investment required in software licenses or data centers. In addition, we have a transparent, flexible, and cost-predictive on-demand subscription model that can include hourly or monthly billing.
Global Reach
Leaseweb Public Cloud is available across seven regions, reducing latency and ensuring global accessibility for your applications and services.
Reliability
With more than 25 years of experience, we offer reliable and consistent services. Our Public Cloud service provides exceptional redundancy, robust data sovereignty, and support for SLAs. Additionally, we address important concerns such as performance, vendor lock-in, and GDPR compliance for data privacy.
Human Touch
At Leaseweb, we provide a dedicated team that works closely with customers. From presales to customer care, we are with you every step of the way. We take a consultative approach understanding your unique business needs. For more complex issues, we provide specialized technical assistance where needed.
If you would like to learn more about Leaseweb Public Cloud, visit our product page.