Top 10 Private Cloud Hosting Solution Providers in 2021

A private cloud is defined as a virtualized hosting environment that uses computing resources, network resources, and storage resources to help run application and data processes without sharing these resources with another entity. By 2024, private cloud services will be worth $70.55 billion globally. This article discusses the 10 leading providers in this space.

Key Features of a Private Cloud Storage Solution
Top 10 Private Cloud Solution Providers in 2021

Key Features of a Private Cloud Storage Solution

A private cloud is a virtualized hosting environment that uses computing resources, network resources, and storage resources to help run application and data processes without sharing these resources with another entity. A private cloud can be installed either on an on-premise server, inside a virtual machine, or a remotely managed server that operates on a single-tenant basis.

As cloud adoption continues to increase, private cloud is occupying a significant portion of the market share. While private-only deployments are rare, Flexera’s State of the Cloud 2021 Report suggests that more than one in three enterprises spread their apps across public and private cloud instances.

Top 10 Private Cloud Hosting Solution Providers in 2021 - Spiceworks (1)

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Essential Features of a Private Cloud Storage Solution

According to Business Wire, the value of private cloud services will grow by 25% globally to reach $70.55 billion between 2020 and 2024. Here are five must-have features to look for when assessing this market and shortlisting the best private cloud solution for your company.

Easy scalability: The solution should help you add new resources and grow the infrastructure without uprooting existing systems.
A large partner network: The private cloud should not hinder interoperability. It should be compatible with third-party apps, services, and hardware to power a connected enterprise.
Managed services: The company should support you across the cloud migration, application modernization, and infrastructure maintenance journey.
Community: Ideally, the solution should have a surrounding community of experts, system engineers, customers, and open-source contributors for greater extensibility.
Usage-based pricing: You should be able to pay for the services and resources actually in use, and not a flat rate for the infrastructure.

Also Read: Private vs. Public Cloud: 10 Key Comparisons

Top 10 Private Cloud Solution Providers in 2021

Now that we’ve discussed the key features to look for, here are the top 10 solution providers in the category, arranged in alphabetical order. They address a wide range of use cases from small-scale hosting to application production, business process execution, and enterprise-wide modernization – catering to every type of cloud requirement.

Disclaimer: This list is based on publicly available information and may include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their own final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

1. AWS

Overview: While AWS is among the top three vendors in the public cloud segment, the company also offers a popular private cloud offering called Amazon Virtual Private Cloud or Amazon VPC. Using VPC, you can launch AWS resources in an isolated virtual network that you define – i.e., on-premises or through a remote managed provider. Essentially, VPC lets you create a private instance of public AWS resources, complete with its core capabilities.

Key features: The key features of AWS private cloud solution include:

Access to the scalable infrastructure of AWS
Easy setup using AWS Management Console or Command Line Interface (CLI)
Customizable virtual networking environment with the option to choose an IP address, subnets, and root tables
Partnerships with Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Sophos, Check Point Software, and others for private cloud security
A Reachability Analyzer tool to debug network connectivity between two resources

USP: The biggest USP of Amazon VPC is that it provides you with an extremely scalable infrastructure without compromising the private nature of your cloud environment. It is excellent for hosting simple websites or creating a backup location for your cloud data.

Pricing: Pricing depends on the resources and services you use and the number of hours for which you use them.

Editorial comments: AWS is among the latest cloud providers in the world, making Amazon VPC one of the most trusted private cloud solutions. You gain access to the same infrastructure and AWS’s robust network of partners while maintaining the integrity of a private environment.

Also Read: What Is Cloud Computing Security? Definition, Risks, and Security Best Practices

2. Cisco

Overview: Cisco has an impressive portfolio of private cloud solutions and enablers, including data center offerings, infrastructure management packages, business applications, and cloud management tools. It is built on a modular architecture so you can migrate, retrofit, and implement the components you want. Cisco also assists in the implementation stage of the journey through its assessment optimization and extension services.

Key features: The key features of Cisco’s private cloud solution include:

3. Dell

Overview: Dell has a wide range of cloud solutions (hybrid and private) powered by Intel architecture. Recently, the company announced a major push into the private cloud segment, launching a dedicated private cloud service through the Project Apex cloud console. The company plans to introduce more private cloud solutions in the next few quarters with a focus on colocation. Apart from core infrastructure, Dell also provides ancillary cloud services.

Key features: The key features of Dell’s private cloud solution include:

Private cloud implementation in as little as 14 days
Highly scalable to support a variety of workloads from 4GB to extra-large 32GB
Compatible with edge workloads and Internet of Things (IoT) implementation
Add-on support for Tanzu for Kubernetes workloads
Uses the Dell EMC VxRail series of hyperconverged infrastructure appliances

USP: An important USP that sets Dell apart is its consolidated range of first-party hyperconverged hardware and cloud services. The Apex console works as a single interface for ordering and provisioning cloud resources in a self-service manner, available in blocks of 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 instances. This simplicity of use allows rapid implementation as well as expansion in just five days.

Pricing: The new private cloud service through Project Apex will be available at $14 per instance per month.

Editorial comments: Dell offers an excellent mix of homegrown hardware infrastructure and ancillary capabilities through its partners. In 2020, Dell partnered with Google to introduce the Cloud OneFS solution for private cloud management on Google Cloud, marking another milestone on the company’s foray into the private cloud segment.

Also Read: What Is Cloud Data Protection? Definition, Importance and Best Practices

4. Google

Overview: Like Amazon, public cloud giant Google also offers a virtual private cloud (VPC) product built on its cloud resources. It enables a highly customizable network environment for hosting your public or private assets. You can control how different workloads connect regionally and globally while also gaining from packet mirroring partners like Cisco, Check Point Software, and Palo Alto Networks, among others.

Key features: The key features of Google’s private cloud solution include:

Automatic setup of virtual topology, subnets, and network policies with the option for manual configurations
Packet mirroring and network traffic monitoring at scale to detect intrusion and ensure performance
Network segmentation through a globally distributed firewall
Shared VPC, where multiple projects can leverage the VPC network with individualized management and billing for each project
Access to Google services (storage, analytics, machine learning, etc.) without using a public IP address

USP: Google has put together an impressive set of features for its VPC solution, combining ease of use with customizability and flexibility. You can bring your own IP address to further reduce networking infrastructure costs. Plus, logs are updated every five seconds for near-real-time visibility. It also offers an interesting feature called Firewall Rules Logging to analyze how firewall rules impact private cloud performance.

Pricing: Google VPC is priced depending on the nature and volume of services used. Traffic movements within the same region or between regions in the U.S. are the least expensive at $0.01 per GB. In other regions, this ranges from $0.08 to $0.23 per GB.

Editorial comments: For small-to-mid-sized and large companies in the U.S. looking for a private cloud-based hosting solution, Google offers a compelling solution. It offers detailed tutorials on getting started, Google Interconnect to enable a physical connection between your on-premise network and Google’s network, and AI/ML specialization in the cloud.

Also Read: Top 10 Cloud Security Challenges 2021 Needs to Address

5. HPE

Overview: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) offers an end-to-end private cloud solution portfolio, starting from data centers and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to consumption services and private cloud consulting. The company is particularly recognized for HPE GreenLake, a set of cloud services to optimize workload performance. HPE has partnered with VMware, OpenStack, SAP, and other companies to provide 360-degree support on your private cloud journey.

Key features: The key features of HPE’s private cloud solution include:

6. IBM

Overview: IBM is among the world’s leading private cloud providers, and it is among the few companies with no public cloud offerings. The company acquired Red Hat to further advance its cloud-based business strategy. Today, the IBM cloud offering includes 170+ services across AI/ML, automation, containerization, IoT, private cloud storage, quantum computing, and more. It also offers a free tier along with several active open source projects.

Key features: The key features of IBM’s private cloud solution include:

Connectivity with your existing infrastructure (including optional hybrid cloud)
IBM Cloud Satellite to run public cloud resources on an on-premise data center
Rich AI/ML capabilities such as translation, knowledge management, and AI-enabled data management
A wide range of development tools, including a CLI for private cloud management and Kubernetes-native CI and CD pipelines
A set of log analyzers for event analysis, system and application health monitoring, Kubernetes DevOps management, and Watson AI analysis

USP: IBM’s USP is the sheer range of capabilities on offer, along with the low barriers to entry. It is among the handful of private cloud companies that allows you to run quantum code on hardware appliances, simulators, or IBM’s own cloud programming environment. Most of this is available with a free-forever trial edition, giving you access to 40+ services.

Pricing: IBM’s private cloud solution is priced based on your product and volume usage.

Editorial comments: IBM is well suited for application development and execution on a private cloud, especially if it takes advantage of AI capabilities. It also offers Turbonomic, an AI-based performance optimization tool for private and hybrid cloud infrastructures.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Practices to Manage Hybrid Cloud Security Challenges in 2021

7. Microsoft

Overview: Globally recognized for its public cloud products, Microsoft also has a powerful private cloud offering through Azure Stack. Using Azure Stack, you can build and run applications across a wide range of environments, from data centers and edge locations to remote offices or even the public cloud. Microsoft’s private cloud capabilities cover IoT implementations, hyperconverged infrastructure, and the Azure Stack hub for running autonomous cloud instances on-premise.

Key features: The key features of Microsoft’s private cloud solution include:

Industry-specific private cloud solutions for financial services, governments, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare
Azure Stack Edge to enable ML-based data processing for edge devices
Scalable virtualization and storage through Azure HCI
Azure ExpressRoute to enable high-speed private connections from on-premise infrastructure to Azure networks
Robust resource library and documentation, including an active Azure Stack community

USP: The most significant USP that Azure’s private cloud solution offers is the Stack Edge range of appliances. It is deployed on hardware as a service model, letting you gain from the built-in NVIDIA T4 GPU or Intel VPU for AI/ML-led data processing on edge. This is a helpful use case for companies looking to utilize private clouds on IoT endpoints where public cloud connectivity is not possible.

Pricing: Azure Stack follows a pay-per-use pricing model, depending on the solutions you choose.

Editorial comments: Microsoft is a global leader in the public cloud domain, and the company has been vocal about the potential of multiple clouds (including private) in the past year. While Azure Stack might be better suited for hybrid implementations, its IoT capabilities alone make Microsoft one of the top private cloud solution companies today.

Also Read: Common AWS Services Explained: EC2, RDS, S3, VPC

8. OpenStack

Overview: OpenStack is a unique cloud provider, with its open-source focus acting as a key differentiator. The OpenStack platform was envisioned as an open-source private cloud that would help anyone manage computing, network, and storage resources without heavy capital expenses. OpenStack works with managed service providers and system integrators around the world to provide enterprise private cloud solutions.

Key features: The key features of OpenStack’s private cloud solution include:

Private cloud as a service either hosted on-premise or remotely managed
Highly portable and extensible owing to the open-source architecture
Runs on standard, off-the-shelf hardware that is available at low costs
Unlimited storage pools and object file storage
Supported by industry innovators such as Cisco, HPE, Intel, Citrix, and IBM

USP: Expectedly, OpenStack’s USP is open-source architecture and the fact that you can port applications from other platforms like AWS using OpenStack Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Apart from this, there is a wide range of OpenStack-certified services powered by its partners that can help make the most of your private cloud landscape.

Pricing: It is an open-source platform, making the core solution free while you pay for add-on services such as the management dashboard, resource orchestration, database as a service built on the private cloud, remote management support, etc.

Editorial comments: Companies that want a fully operational but affordable private cloud solution should consider OpenStack. While it’s not advisable to adopt an end-to-end homegrown approach using the open-source components, many solution partners, including IBM, City Network, Canonical, BigCloud, Rackspace, and Mirantis, can either implement their pre-configured OpenStack environment or help manage your own.

Also Read: The Top 5 Cloud Computing Books to Read in 2021Opens a new window

9. SAP

Overview: SAP, better known for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, offers a sophisticated private cloud solution as well. The company’s SAP S/4HANA Cloud (private edition) brings the full potential of SAP into a private cloud environment, complete with a pre-built line of business (LoB) and industry processes. It should be noted that SAP private cloud is compatible only with SAP and partner solutions, although it does support code enhancements and code modifications to an extent.

Key features: The key features of SAP’s private cloud solution include:

Industry processes and LoB workflows for 25 discrete industries
Access to SAP® Business Technology Platform to enable a connected enterprise
Rapid deployment through SAPs’ well-established methodologies
Partnerships with leading system integrators, consultancy companies, and implementation service providers
Technical operations owned by SAP to minimize IT overheads

USP: The primary USP of SAP’s private cloud solution is its business readiness. Not only does it support 25 industries, but it is also available in 64 countries with separate versions for 39 languages. This makes it perfectly tuned for each organization’s localized and industry-specific requirements while gaining a globally proven hyperscale infrastructure.

Pricing: Pricing varies depending on the scale of your existing SAP and partner product investments.

Editorial comments: Companies with an existing SAP dependency would be well-advised to consider SAP S/4HANA Cloud as they scale their cloud presence. This would dramatically reduce the total cost of ownership and everyday cost overruns, with SAP looking after the one-time migration. It also helps that SAP has a massive network of technology partners in nearly every country of the world.

Also Read: Cloud Security Basics: AWS, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure & OracleOpens a new window

10. VMware

Overview: VMware is one of the first names that come to mind when you think of infrastructure virtualization and private clouds. The company offers a wide range of private, hybrid, and multi-cloud products, including capacity management, containerization, application modernization, security, and hyperconverged infrastructure. VMware also partners with AWS, Dell, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM, and Oracle to enable virtualization in any of these environments.

Key features: The key features of VMware’s private cloud solution include:

Application modernization in any cloud environment
Zero trust security enforcement across your cloud footprint
Enterprise-class compute, storage, networking, and cloud management services
Kubernetes management platform VMware Tanzu
Cloud Universal to unify SaaS management and on-premise process management for smarter orchestration

USP: VMware’s foremost USP is that it has one of the largest partner networks in the cloud segment and has a vast portfolio of private cloud tools. From app development to microservices, from using private clouds for 5G or edge implementation to hyperconverged infrastructure, VMware covers the entire spectrum. The company also offers private hosting for digital workplaces, ideal for remote work scenarios.

Pricing: The pricing for VMware depends on various factors, including the product mix and the partner you choose.

Editorial comments: VMware provides a lot of flexibility and a myriad of options. It is ideal for large enterprises and technology companies looking to build a strong digital infrastructure to power their solutions and business processes. You can choose either a VMware product supported by its certified partners or deploy a packaged solution to address a specific business use case.

Private cloud adoption is essential for companies that operate in a regulated environment, want to retain control over infrastructure availability, and need to continue leveraging the existing investments in on-premise servers. These 10 companies can help implement a well-oiled operational engine for your private cloud, helping scale up even as you maintain absolute visibility and predictability.

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Top 10 Private Cloud Hosting Solution Providers in 2021 - Spiceworks (2024)

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