Everything You Need to Know About Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs)
Virtual private clouds, or VPCs, were created by public cloud providers to address the concerns of those who weren’t comfortable putting their data onto the public cloud. Instead of consumers choosing a solely private cloud service, they now have the option of a VPC, which provides the features and functions of a public cloud in a private cloud environment. It’s a secure service that many businesses are interested in learning more about.
What is a VPC?
A VPC is a private cloud that is located inside a public cloud. It gives an organization the ability to utilize a private cloud’s computing environment but within a shared infrastructure. You’ll get access to public cloud resources and retain control over your own, secure piece of the network.
Your data will remain isolated from others who use the public cloud, or who have a VPC themselves. This means that your data will be more secure than it would be on an entirely public cloud. You can also control which IP addresses you want to allow to access specific resources within your network. Using a VPC is a great option for any business looking for a higher level of privacy, security, and control over their cloud operations.
The best way to set up a VPC is by hiring a professional who has an online masters in data science. They will have the knowledge to walk you through all the features, set up procedures and identify potential risks. You can then manage your VPC via a control panel, which will allow you to implement any changes.
VPC vs. private cloud
VPCs are often confused with private clouds, which, while understandable, is inaccurate. A VPC is a feature that is offered by a public cloud within a multi-tenant architecture. Every customer receives their own isolated portion of the public cloud that other tenants cannot access. A private cloud, on the other hand, is a cloud environment with only one tenant. The company will manage and operate their own private cloud and typically host it directly on-site.
VPC vs. public cloud
A VPC takes the concept of being single-tenant, but utilizes the public cloud’s architecture for hosting. A public cloud service shares computing services across many different customers. All their data and applications run in the same place, though all actions are hidden from other users. That said, advanced cybercriminals have an easier time accessing data through public cloud services. There is more security in a VPC than in a public cloud, but customers can take advantage of the low cost, flexibility and availability of a public cloud. There are some public cloud features that you may not have access to in a VPC, and storage may also have some limitations.
Features of a VPC
VPCs give you a perfect blend of private cloud features and public cloud features. Here are some of the features that you can expect from using a VPC:
- Public cloud cost-effectiveness
One of the problems with private clouds is that it can be quite expensive. The hardware and labour costs add up quickly. With a VPC, you’ll be using the public cloud resources, which means you don’t need to pay the typical private cloud premium.
- Security features
As you’ll be utilizing a separate piece of the network, you have full control over the security and accessibility of all the resources, workloads and data you have in the cloud. You won’t have to share the public space with other companies, so you won’t need to share resources. You can choose exactly who can access what in the VPC, down to the individual devices that you want to allow in.
- Availability
You can easily access cloud-based applications, data, and other resources instead of relying on availability zone architectures.
What are the benefits of using a VPC?
There are a variety of benefits to using a VPC over a public network or a private network. Here are some of the best features of VPCs:
- Risk reduction
With all the security features that are available on a VPC, your virtual networking environment will have optimum security. This includes secure network gateways, subnets and IP addresses as well. You will have peace of mind that your business processes and customer data are all safe, and it even allows you to isolate specific databases in subnets that aren’t linked to the internet, meaning they are even safer.
- Data control
Since your VPC is isolated from any other businesses or individuals using the public network, you don’t need to worry about your data mixing with data from another company. That’s one of the most significant risks of using public clouds, and one you can avoid by using a VPC. You are in total control of your data.
- Customizable
A VPC is customizable based on your business needs. As you grow, you can adapt your VPC accordingly and add extra storage, virtual servers and other networking options. For example, if you are expanding your business and want to hire some private contractors, you can allow restricted access to only the portions of the VPC that they need, instead of having to go through an internal network.
- Customer satisfaction
It’s no secret that today’s society is fast-paced, and no one wants to sit around waiting for information to load. People expect that pages, folders, documents and basically all resources will load instantly, and anything less is unacceptable. Luckily, VPCs have an excellent track record – providing reliable and quick uptime ratios, and allowing speedy access to the cloud.
Architecture
A virtual private network is typically designed using a three-tier architecture system. Each tier is assigned a subnet, meaning that it will have a unique IP address range. All three tiers are interconnected, and they include the following:
– Web/presentation tier
– Application tier
– Database tier
Choosing to use a VPC will give your business the best of everything when it comes to a functional and safe cloud environment.
