The Difference Between Managed and Unmanaged Cloud Services

Managed cloud computing and the needs of individual organizations have immensely changed the way information technology works. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the need for managed cloud computing technology as organizations are looking for smarter ways to run their business. Organizations can choose to manage their cloud computing infrastructure themselves or opt for a managed cloud provider to help reduce the burden of day-to-day management.

Both options, i.e., managed and unmanaged cloud services, have their advantages. The ultimate decision of which option to go with depends on the business and the requirements of the workloads they plan to move to the unmanaged or managed cloud services.

What Is Unmanaged Cloud Computing?

An unmanaged cloud computing has a ‘do it yourself’ model where organizations pay for the resources they use. This is generally a public cloud where the customer rents the infrastructure and has administrative access to manage their cloud computing services directly. This approach gives businesses two key things – control and freedom to customize and deploy software as per their need. Unmanaged cloud computing is also a cheaper option than managed cloud services. Hence businesses that are comfortable managing their resources prefer to use this option.

What Is Managed Cloud Computing?

A managed cloud is a custom-built, organizations specific private cloud solution where the organization can harness the power of the private cloud without worrying about the cost, stress, or time it takes to manage it. An organization seeks the services of managed cloud hosting service providers for solutions and resources. The managed cloud provider offers hands-on availability, redundancy, 24x7support, guidance, monitoring, management, troubleshooting, and more.

This solution is preferred by organizations that do not have a proper IT team or resources and are therefore uncomfortable with the full deployment. It is also a preferred option for organizations with complex infrastructures and applications that would much rather outsource this function. Businesses get the full support of the managed cloud provider and work with them to create the perfect solution that is ideal for their business.

Choosing the Right Option for Your Business.

The debate between managed cloud versus unmanaged cloud has been there for a while and has only got more complex over time. Private clouds offer extraordinary benefits, given the required time and experience to set up correctly. It is the best fit for mission-critical workloads that usually require scalable components in a virtualized infrastructure and automated lifecycle features.

Unmanaged cloud is the cheaper option offering a wider range of services and more tie-ins with third-party integrators. It is an ideal fit for organizations that demand elasticity and greater control.

This decision between managed and unmanaged cloud services is an important one, so it is recommended for managers to take the time to consider the options and understand how this decision will impact their business.