If your company handles sensitive data and requires high levels of security, a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) may be the right solution for you.
Learn what a VPC is, how you can implement it and what are its benefits.
What is the Cloud?
Starting at the beginning: what is the Cloud?
Like other terms that emerge in the technology industry, such as "Big Data" or "5G," the term "cloud" by itself does not tell us much about its meaning.
Shortly, we use the term "cloud" to indicate that something is on the Internet rather than in a physical location. I.e., it's anything that you can access remotely over the internet.
It can also be known as "cloud computing" or "cloud storage".
When we say that something is in the cloud, it means that documents/information are on servers on the internet and not on your computer's hard drive.
These servers are worldwide, so you don't have to manage your own servers or run software applications.
People use the Cloud for its convenience and because it's a reliable service. Besides, it's widely used for:
- Storing documents - you can access them through any device with an internet connection;
- Sharing documents - makes it easy to share files with several people at the same time;
- Backing up documents - some applications automatically copy your files to the cloud, so there's no possibility of losing them if you lose access to your computer.
The differences between Public Cloud and Private Cloud
The cloud can have two parts: the public part and the private part.
The public cloud is a service that different customers share.
It's called "public cloud" to distinguish from the general term "cloud" and includes services such as:
- SaaS (Software as a Service) - a software distribution model. It's a service where the cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available over the internet.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service) - service that provides a platform for customers to develop, run, and manage enterprise applications without building and maintaining existing infrastructure in development processes.
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) - the provider manages IT infrastructures such as storage, server, and network resources and makes them available to customers over the Internet.
On the other hand, the private cloud is a service used by only one customer, i.e., it's not shared with any other entity.
What is a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)?
Picking up on previous concepts, a Virtual Private Cloud is a private cloud within a public cloud, as you can see in the image below.
With a VPC, you don't share any computing services with other entities.
This isolation (within the public cloud) is possible due to the assignment of a private IP subnet and the construction of encrypted user communications.
VPC vs. VPN
As we have seen, a VPC is an isolated cloud within a public cloud. However, a VPC must be accompanied by a VPN.
A VPN or Virtual Private Network acts as a kind of lock. Only those who can pass the levels of authentication and encryption required on the VPN have remote access to the VPC.
In other words, a VPN creates a private encrypted network on a public network. This way, data from the VPN that passes through the public network is not visible to third parties since it's encrypted.
Cloud Computing Providers
More and more companies are migrating their services to the cloud to accelerate their digital transformation. Moreover, it's a fast way to empower remote work.
As a result, more and more companies are looking for providers that match the specific needs of each company.
According to the Gartner Magic Quadrant, the leaders in providing cloud services (IaaS) are Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
What Are the Benefits of Having a VPC?
Now that you know what a VPC is and what the principle providers are, it's time to see what you gain by migrating and having your services on a Virtual Private Cloud.
1) Space Savings
By migrating your services to the cloud, you don't have to worry about software management and upgrades. Also, you don't have to worry about maintaining the servers on your premises.
2) High Security
As we mentioned earlier, only the authenticated user has access to the information present in the VPC.
Moreover, these service providers have every interest in keeping their clients satisfied, so they have high-security levels and review them regularly.
3) Easy Integration
A VPC can work in sync with other VPCs, a public cloud, or local infrastructures.
In these cases, when there is this synchronization of services, we called it a Hybrid Cloud.
By definition, a hybrid cloud combines public and private clouds along with a base infrastructure.
4) Seamless Updates
With users all on the same hardware, VPC's distributor has an easier time performing upgrades with less downtime.
As providers acquire better hardware, the faster and more secure their customers' workloads become.
5) Environmentally Friendly
Concern for the environment is a growing theme in society, and the business world is no different.
Companies are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint. And more conscious of the measures they need to take to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
With a VPC, you decrease your carbon footprint. As all the information is in the cloud, there is less consumption of material resources since you don't need local dedicated hardware.
Visor.ai Solutions and VPCs
Visor.ai is a company that offers cloud-based solutions. That is solutions that are entirely in the cloud.
These solutions are modular, scalable, and easy to implement. And don't require any human resources travel to integrate and use them.
Other than that, by working with the best cloud providers (AWS and Microsoft Azure), Visor.ai offers reliable and secure VPC solutions.
This way, companies that handle more sensitive data have the possibility to have a cloud that only they can access. This is the case of banks and insurance companies.
A VPC can be a great solution for companies that have extremely high levels of security.
If you are interested in Visor.ai's automation solutions and think that a VPC is the best option for you, please contact us. We'll be glad to talk to you!
