Enterprise cloud: differences, uses, and challenges

Enterprise cloud computing is becoming more widespread, enabling small, medium, and large organizations to manage their IT environments in a different way. More flexible, more economical, and increasingly secure, this IT model could be the solution for your business. Here is everything you need to know about cloud computing: the different types, their uses, their advantages, and what to consider when choosing the right solution for you.
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Understanding cloud computing

Definition of cloud computing

Cloud computing is a way to access online services and computer applications without having to install or manage them on your own server. Both individuals and businesses now use cloud computing on a daily basis. Cloud computing allows you to use services that are created, managed, and hosted elsewhere than on your own computer equipment.

Types of cloud: public, private, hybrid

When it comes to cloud computing, there are three deployment modes available depending on your needs and requirements: Public cloud: public cloud solutions are managed and hosted by cloud service providers on the public internet. As a business, you can access SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services for free or via a subscription. The environment provided is also used by other business customers

The private cloud: unlike the public cloud, the private cloud for businesses is an environment entirely dedicated to your company. It offers the same advantages as the public cloud because the service provider is also responsible for management, connectivity, etc. The private cloud can be hosted by the cloud service provider, but also in your data center. This deployment method provides greater data security and better control over access and configuration.
The hybrid cloud: it combines the best of the public cloud and the private cloud. For example, you can store your sensitive data in a private space and use the public cloud for less sensitive needs.

IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS: distinguishing between them

IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS are types of services offered in cloud computing. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a type of enterprise cloud that provides you with an IT infrastructure hosted in the provider's data center. You pay a subscription fee for the services you use. PaaS (Platform as a Service) provides you with a platform from which you can develop and launch your own applications. The service provider supplies the cloud infrastructure (networks, storage, OS, middleware, servers, virtualization). SaaS (Software as a Service) is the simplest solution to implement. You can access the applications you need from any computer via a web browser. The software is managed, hosted, and updated by the provider.
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Cloud servers for businesses: what are the options?

Dedicated, shared, private cloud: what are the differences?

As the name suggests, a dedicated server is entirely dedicated to your business. All the resources you need (network, enterprise cloud storage, OS, etc.) are fully allocated and are not shared with other users. This solution therefore offers enhanced performance and security, but at a higher cost than a shared server. A shared server is shared between several businesses. These businesses share the physical server's capacity, which means that the performance of the enterprise cloud server depends on other users. Control, security, and configuration options are also more limited, but the cost is lower. As for the private cloud, it offers a highly secure and high-performance solution since the environment is entirely dedicated to your company. Your cloud resources can be hosted on your own server or on a third-party provider's server.

Cloud server vs. traditional hosting Why choose a local cloud

By choosing a local enterprise cloud, you benefit from a small data center located close to your site. You place your trust in a provider with whom you can develop a relationship of trust and who is readily available when needed.
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Advantages of the cloud for IT infrastructures

1. Reduced operating costs

The main advantage of the cloud for businesses is financial. You only pay for the resources you actually use.

2. Dynamic resource allocation and flexibility

The enterprise cloud is a flexible solution that allows you to manage your needs in real time. Whether you need to increase or decrease your storage requirements, add or remove a service, you only use (and pay for) what you really need.

3. Optimized IT management and provisioning

With the cloud, you can manage your resources in just a few clicks. Certain tasks can also be automated, saving you valuable time.
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Sécurité et conformité dans le cloud

Protection des données : quels enjeux ?

Héberger vos ressources dans une solution cloud externalisée potentiellement sujette aux cyberattaques est source de préoccupations pour votre entreprise ? La sécurité est un jeu clé c’est pourquoi il est important de choisir avec soin votre fournisseur, de miser sur le chiffrement des données et sur l'authentification multi-facteurs. Il est également essentiel de former vos équipes, de surveiller les accès au cloud de votre entreprise et réaliser des mises à jour régulières.

Standards and certifications: ISO, HDS

To be sure you are making the right choice for your enterprise cloud, also check your provider's standards and certifications. The HDS (Health Data Hosting) standard is particularly essential for cloud solution providers that host personal health data. A series of ISO 27000 standards has also been established to provide cloud solution providers with a set of best practices for protecting their users' data.

Zero Trust approach: what are the best practices?

The Zero Trust approach is a security model based on the principle that no one should ever be trusted, either outside or inside the network. Each user wishing to access a resource must therefore prove their identity and authorization level before being granted access to that cloud resource. The zero trust approach acts as a proxy and also uses two security solutions: identity management by an identity provider (IdP) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) technology.‍
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Cloud adoption in businesses: what are the drivers?

Migration strategies and governance

Want to adopt the enterprise cloud? You'll need to implement a robust migration strategy to choose the solution best suited to your needs and objectives (time savings, cost savings, digital transformation, evolution, etc.).

Connectivity, interoperability, and application management

The transition to the cloud often reveals connectivity issues that were not anticipated. Your ERP in Azure needs to communicate with your CRM at Salesforce and your historical data still on-premises: welcome to the headache of hybrid architecture. Bandwidth becomes critical. An architectural firm that switches its CAD software to the cloud discovers that it needs a dedicated fiber connection with a minimum speed of 500 Mbps so that its 20 designers can work without latency. Cost: $2,000 per month instead of the $99 for their old professional box. Not to mention the essential backup connection when a $10 million project is waiting for the plans.

Interoperability? Let's translate: your applications must communicate with each other without you having to develop dozens of custom APIs. Companies that often fare best are those that standardize on common protocols from the outset and avoid the proliferation of incompatible proprietary clouds. Application management is at the heart of your migration to the cloud. It concerns how you will orchestrate updates, monitoring, and application performance. Business use cases: ERP, CRM, e-commerce

Cas d’usage métiers : ERP, CRM, e-commerce

The choice between cloud and physical infrastructure depends heavily on the business. For critical ERP systems that run 24/7 with stable volumes, colocation in a data center is often the best option. Companies retain full control of their SAP or Oracle environments, with guaranteed performance and predictable costs over the medium term, for example over three years. CRM systems are a good example of the hybrid approach that dominates today. The customer database often remains on-premises or in colocation for compliance and performance reasons, while mobile interfaces go through the cloud. This architecture allows sales representatives to quickly access data from the field without exposing the entire system. On the e-commerce side, seasonality often dictates the choice. Retailer websites that experience peaks during Black Friday appreciate the elasticity of the cloud to absorb traffic. But those with a constant flow find colocation to be a good fit: costs are halved, latency is controlled, and above all, they have the certainty of knowing exactly where their critical applications are running. A Magento site hosted in a data center with a well-sized architecture can easily handle the load of sales.Challenges and limitations of the cloud in business.
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Challenges and limitations of the cloud in business

Hidden costs and resource management

The cloud often helps reduce costs, but it can hide unexpected expenses related to resource consumption, storage, or data transfer. Poor management of cloud services can quickly increase your bill. It is therefore essential to carefully configure your requirements in advance and regularly monitor your usage.

Vendor lock-in:

One of the main risks associated with cloud computing lies in dependence on a single provider. Changing providers or migrating data can be complex, costly, and time-consuming. To limit vendor lock-in (the feeling that you have to stay with your provider because it seems too difficult to leave), it is best to choose open solutions that are compatible with multiple cloud environments. A multi-cloud or hybrid strategy can also help you maintain a certain degree of freedom.

Latency and performance: challenges in a distributed environment

In a cloud environment, data and applications are hosted remotely. This can sometimes cause latency (response delay) or impact performance. This is particularly sensitive for applications that require unfailing responsiveness. To remedy this, you can rely on nearby data centers, as well as monitoring tools that can adjust performance as needed.

Sovereign and local cloud: how to position yourself?

Faced with GDPR and NIS 2 compliance requirements, companies have several options. Sovereign clouds such as S3NS or SecNumCloud guarantee that data remains on French soil, but at a cost 30 to 40% higher than traditional public clouds. Colocation in French data centers offers a solid alternative: physical control of servers, guaranteed data location, and often more economical for stable workloads. Many companies combine the two approaches: critical infrastructure colocation in an ISO 27001-certified data center, and less sensitive applications on a sovereign cloud for flexibility. The choice really depends on the context. A healthcare institution will favor HDS colocation for its patient data. A fintech company will potentially opt for the sovereign cloud to scale quickly while complying with regulatory constraints. With its 250 local data centers in France and its compliance with sovereignty requirements, UltraEdge is an enterprise cloud computing solution that meets the needs of your organization. The important thing is to assess your real needs rather than follow a trend.