What are some of the potential pitfalls and drawbacks of using a community cloud deployment model?

1 Privacy and compliance

One of the main concerns of using a community cloud is how to ensure the privacy and compliance of the data and applications that are shared among the members of the community. Depending on the industry and the regulations that apply, there may be different requirements and standards for data protection, encryption, auditing, and reporting. For example, if you are part of a community cloud that serves healthcare organizations, you need to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other laws that govern the handling of sensitive patient information. You also need to trust that the other members of the community cloud are following the same rules and not compromising your data or exposing it to unauthorized parties.

2 Governance and management

Another challenge of using a community cloud is how to establish and maintain a clear and effective governance and management structure for the shared resources and services. This involves defining the roles and responsibilities of the community members, the service providers, and the third parties that may be involved in the cloud operations. It also involves setting the policies and procedures for access control, service level agreements, billing, dispute resolution, and security incident response. Without a strong governance and management framework, the community cloud may face issues such as conflicts, inefficiencies, miscommunication, and breaches.

3 Performance and availability

A third drawback of using a community cloud is that you may have less control and visibility over the performance and availability of the cloud services and applications. Since you are sharing the same infrastructure and resources with other organizations, you may experience fluctuations in the speed, reliability, and quality of the cloud services and applications. You may also face downtime or outages due to factors such as network congestion, hardware failure, maintenance, or cyberattacks. Moreover, you may have limited options to customize or optimize the cloud services and applications to suit your specific needs and preferences.

4 Vendor lock-in and migration

A fourth pitfall of using a community cloud is that you may face difficulties in switching or migrating to a different cloud provider or model. Depending on the nature and complexity of the community cloud, you may have to deal with technical, contractual, or organizational barriers that prevent you from moving your data and applications to another cloud platform. For example, you may have to overcome compatibility issues, data loss, security risks, or legal obligations that arise from changing your cloud provider or model. You may also have to negotiate with the other members of the community cloud and the service provider to facilitate your transition.

5 Scalability and innovation

A fifth drawback of using a community cloud is that you may have less flexibility and agility to scale and innovate your cloud services and applications. Since you are part of a community that has a common set of needs and goals, you may have to compromise or conform to the standards and expectations of the community. You may also have to wait for the approval or consensus of the community members and the service provider before you can implement any changes or enhancements to your cloud services and applications. This may limit your ability to respond to changing market demands, customer needs, or competitive pressures.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?