Cloud hosting is a platform which uses software to divide a single server into multiple servers, also known as virtual machines, or VMs. This means that each server is given an allocated amount of resources such as CPU cores, RAM, and storage space.
Types of Cloud Hosting
Private Cloud – A private cloud is dedicated resources and VMs that are not being shared between customers but are dedicated solely to you.
Hybrid Cloud – Hybrid cloud can mean a lot of things but think of it as a mix of hosting solutions. Some applications and/or services might require dedicated servers, where others might be fine on a (set of) virtual private servers. Hybrid cloud can also mean diversifying what hosting providers you use. Certain companies can have a ton of reach, so if trying to market in specific regions you may use them for what your on-site infrastructure can’t directly help with, such as edge-compute (i.e. storage on servers physically near customers).
Public Cloud – A public cloud is a cloud that you are assigned virtual resources on but is a shared machine with other customers. There are allocated storage and other virtual resources on a server.
On Demand Private Cloud – A new type of private cloud is emerging now here at InMotion. We specialize in what is called “On Demand Private Cloud“. It is fully private, but the hardware is delivered on demand, so it crosses over into the world of “public” since one of the key attributes of public cloud hosting is the resources are simple and fast to provision, use, and return.
How Does Cloud Hosting work?
It depends on the specific solution above, but they are very similar in functionality. Cloud hosting allows for your data to be redundant as it will be hosted across multiple servers, on VM (virtual machines) vs a single dedicated machine.
What is Cloud Hosting according to NIST’s (National Institute for Standards and Technology) Definition of Clouds
Private cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization comprising multiple consumers (e.g., business units). It may be owned, managed, and operated by the organization, a third party, or some combination of them, and it may exist on or off premises.
Community cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a specific community of consumers from organizations that have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be owned, managed, and operated by one or more of the organizations in the community, a third party, or some combination of them, and it may exist on or off premises.
Public cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for open use by the general public. It may be owned, managed, and operated by a business, academic, or government organization, or some combination of them. It exists on the premises of the cloud provider.
Hybrid cloud. The cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more distinct cloud infrastructures (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities, but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds).
There are also several followup questions to “What is Cloud Hosting?”. You might be interested in Converged vs Hyper-Converged or “What is OpenStack?”.