Cloud Deployment Model Selection Assessment for SMEs: Renting or Buying a Cloud

Cloud computing technology is increasingly important in the industry with the promise of increased performance, dynamic resource allocation capabilities and provides a convincing opportunity for organizations to outsource their IT infrastructure under the pay-per-use model offered by many public cloud providers. But there are concerns when selecting between the private cloud and the public cloud that must be taken into account. Many SME enterprises with scarce in-house IT support and limited knowledge about different cloud technologies encounter difficulties in making the most appropriate choice on 'buying' a private cloud or 'renting' a public cloud service. Through a number of interviews with potential cloud adopters from the industry, this paper identifies the most relevant factors concerning cloud adoption and develops a cloud deployment model assessment method called Cloud Deployment Selection Model (CDSM). The model has been validated in real case studies, and recommendations derived have been compared with real adoption cases. Result shows it is able to accurately recommend a suitable cloud deployment model based on the factors identified from many SME organizations, an important tool for SMEs to decide between the private or the public cloud solution.