Definition
A vertical cloud is a tailored service created for a specific industry, such as finance, healthcare, or government agencies. In terms of cybersecurity, vertical clouds are developed with security features subject to industry-specific rules.
Common Types of Vertical Clouds
- Healthcare cloud: This may include features enabling patient record management, convenient data transmission, and secure data storage. Moreover, it may have specialized tools for medical data analysis.
- Educational cloud: Educational cloud facilitates online learning, manages multiple student data systems, and supports collaborative academic research while maintaining privacy and security.
- Government cloud: Government clouds manage data per security protocols and regulations. They may include safe communication solutions that support governmental workflows.
Pros and Cons of Vertical Clouds
Pros
- Enhanced efficiency: Industry-specific features and workflows allow companies to streamline operations and procedures, increasing efficiency.
- Specialized security: Industry cloud platforms commonly offer tailored and built-in security protocols, lowering the threat of data breaches and ensuring data privacy and security.
- Improved compliance: Various industries adhere to distinct regulations. Vertical cloud providers are conversant with such compliance requirements and assist organizations in complying with industry regulations and standards.
Cons
- High costs: Due to the numerous specialized services, industry cloud services may be costlier than generic public cloud offerings.
- Vendor lock-in: Once an organization selects a provider’s platforms, shifting to another provider for better services or prices is difficult.
