Many business owners scramble the distinction between managed cloud vs. hosted cloud. However, understanding the differences is the first step to choosing the service that is best suited to your business.
The most common cloud services are managed cloud and hosted cloud. Managed cloud services are offered by third-party companies (or partners) associated with cloud service providers. Of the many benefits of managed cloud service providers, they can design services tailored to your unique business needs because of their experience.
On the other hand, hosted cloud services are provided by the cloud service provider for the user. The most common cloud service providers are Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Amazon AWS, Linode, etc.
In this article, we’ll compare managed cloud services and hosted cloud services so you can make an informed decision about which is best for your business.
What is managed cloud service?
Managed Cloud Service allows businesses to outsource their cloud hosting needs to a third-party provider. The managed service provider will organize all aspects of the hosting for the business, from setup and configuration to ongoing maintenance and support.
By outsourcing the management of your cloud infrastructure to a third-party service provider, you can reduce your capital expenses, leverage new and innovative technologies, and access IT resources to focus on higher-value opportunities.
Managed cloud services can include the following: IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and SaaS (Software-as-a-service). In addition, managed cloud service providers can offer services such as disaster recovery and backup, security and compliance monitoring, application or database management, and performance optimization.
Using managed cloud is helpful for businesses that don’t have the time, resources, or dedicated team to sustain an in-house or hosted cloud infrastructure. A good managed cloud service provider will work with you to understand your needs and configure the hosting solution that’s best for you.
They’ll also be there to help you with any issues or questions you have about your cloud hosting solution. This option is best for businesses that have limited in-house IT resources and need a hassle-free cloud solution.
What is hosted cloud service?
Hosted cloud service is a type of public cloud service in which the cloud service provider makes the resources (computing, storage, and networking) available to the customer. With a hosted cloud service, the provider manages and maintains the infrastructure and all the applications running on it.
This is in contrast to a managed cloud service, which is a type of private cloud service. In a managed cloud service, the provider manages and maintains the infrastructure but leaves the customer in charge of managing and maintaining the applications running on it.
Pros and cons of managed services vs hosted services
It’s challenging to decide between managed services and hosted services, especially if you have not adopted cloud computing solutions.
Here’s a list of the features of each service to ease your decision process:
Managed services
- More control and customization over your environment
- Potentially better security posture
- More expensive
- Takes longer to set up but is more secure
Hosted services
- Quick setup time
- Inexpensive
- Full customization and control but depends on experience
- Potentially less secure
Managed Cloud vs. Hosted Cloud
How to decide on managed or hosted services for your business needs.
When it comes to deciding between managed or hosted services for your business needs, it boils down to the IT support that you require. If you need a more hands-on approach, then managed services may be the way to go.
With this option, you can outsource specific IT tasks and projects to a team of professionals like KatPro Technologies’ Azure Managed Services, trained with over 10 years of combined experience in managing cloud services.
Conversely, you might opt for a hosted service if you want more control and flexibility over your cloud environment. With this option, however, you must have an experienced in-house IT team with a good understanding of the cloud environment and how to leverage the services for your business.
Tips on selecting the right cloud hosting services for your business
When it comes to choosing the right cloud hosting service for your business, it’s essential to define your company goals clearly.
Additionally, think about any specific needs or requirements your business has for cloud hosting services. If you need specialized software or extra storage space for certain applications and data, both managed and hosted solutions can provide these benefits.
Finally, take into account how often you need to make changes to your cloud environment. With managed cloud services, you will have more control over the customization process, but the process takes longer with hosted cloud services.
By considering these factors carefully before making your selection between managed cloud vs hosted cloud solutions, you’ll be able to find the solution that fits your business’s unique needs most accurately.
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Frequently asked questions about managed cloud vs hosted cloud
1. What is the difference between managed and hosted cloud services?
Managed cloud service vendors provide constant support, monitoring, and management of your cloud infrastructure. Hosted cloud services help you access basic hardware components (e.g. servers) but you manage them yourself without any external support from a vendor.
2. Is managed cloud more expensive than hosted?
Generally speaking, the managed cloud can be more expensive than hosted because of the extra costs associated with having a vendor provide support and management. But, depending on your specific needs, the free time and focus on other tasks you get as ROI is worth the investment.
3. Is there a difference in security between managed vs hosted?
Security is typically handled differently between these two types of services; however, both will ensure that your data remains secure by following best practices and keeping up with industry standards.
4. What is the best option for my business?
In the end, it will rely on your unique needs and financial situation. Professional guidance can help you make an informed decision about what will work best for you and fit within your budget.
Related Post: How Can Your Business Benefit from Azure Managed Services?
Conclusion
In the end, it’s important to weigh all of the factors involved in order to make the best decision for your business. Managed cloud services offer more customization, while hosted cloud services are more affordable and require less infrastructure setup.
Regardless of the route you choose, cloud services can be an invaluable asset to your business – providing increased efficiency, security, and flexibility.
If you’re thinking of an affordable and reliable third-party cloud service provider for SMEs and large enterprises, Katpro Technologies has you covered with a combined experience of 10 years in delivering managed cloud service solutions. Get your cloud done right – Contact Katpro Technologies Today!
