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virtual private cloud (VPC)
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A virtual
private cloud (VPC) is the logical division of a service
provider's public cloud multi-tenant architecture to support private cloud
computing. This model enables an enterprise to achieve the benefits of
private cloud -- such as more granular control over virtual networks and an
isolated environment for sensitive workloads -- while still taking advantage
of public cloud resources.
The terms
private cloud and virtual private cloud are sometimes used incorrectly as
synonyms. There is a distinct difference -- in a traditional, on-premises
private cloud model, an enterprise's internal IT department acts as a service
provider and the individual business units act as tenants. With a VPC, a
public cloud provider acts as the service provider and the cloud's
subscribers are the tenants.
How
a virtual private cloud works
In a
virtual private cloud model, the public infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS)
provider is responsible for ensuring that each private cloud customer's data
remains isolated from every other customer's data both in transit and inside
the cloud provider's network. This can be accomplished through the use of
security policies requiring some -- or all -- of the following elements:
encryption, tunneling, private IP addressing or allocating a unique virtual
local area network (VLAN) to each customer.
A virtual
private cloud user can define and directly manage network components,
including IP addresses, subnets, network gateways and access control
policies.
Benefits
and challenges of virtual private clouds
As
mentioned above, one of the biggest benefits of VPCs is that they enable an
enterprise to tap into some of the benefits of private clouds, such as more
granular network control, while still using off-premises, public cloud
resources in a highly scalable, pay-as-you-go model.
Another
benefit of VPCs is enabling a hybrid cloud deployment. An enterprise can use
a VPC as an extension of its own data center without dealing with the
complexities of building an on-premises private cloud.
Despite
the benefits of VPCs, they can also introduce some challenges. For example,
an enterprise might face some complexity when configuring, managing and
monitoring its virtual private network (VPN).
In
addition, while VPCs offer an isolated environment within a public cloud in
which workloads can run, they are still hosted outside an enterprise's own
data center. This means that businesses in highly regulated industries with
strict compliance requirements might face limitations on which kinds of
applications and data they can place in a VPC.
Before it
commits to a VPC, an enterprise should also verify that all of the resources
and services it wants to use from its chosen public cloud provider are
available via that provider's VPC.
Virtual
private cloud providers
Most
leading public IaaS providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft
Azure and Google, offer VPC and virtual network services.
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