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On-premises vs. cloud-based cyber ranges: Why virtual learning environments are best

Introduction

Most companies have been struggling with making decisions about infrastructure. Cloud or on-premises? Cyber ranges are not immune to this kind of decision-making when it comes to planning and deciding on which path to take. Each approach has its own benefits, drawbacks, pros and cons.

If you are thinking of involving your cybersecurity team in some comprehensive training and practical exercises then you need to know the different kinds of cyber ranges and the different ways that they are set up. What is the difference between an on-premises solution or a cloud-based cyber range? What is a remote virtualization solution?

To answer this and more, we have compiled some interesting facts that will help you to make the decision about which one suits you best.

Types of cyber ranges compared

In order to properly compare the different types of cyber ranges, we should look at some terminology. On-premises solutions are generally integrated into your local hardware pool, either through virtual servers or physical ones. Cloud-based solutions are hosted on an external provider’s cloud platform and are accessible through the internet.

On-premises

On-premises is the traditional approach that most companies would take when wanting to create a cybersecurity training environment for their employees. This is primarily because the companies that use this type of training would already have quite an extensive hardware pool to install these environments onto.

On-premises solutions are seen by many as a legacy approach to cybersecurity training. Part of this is due to the costs involved with keeping a system such as this running properly and delivering relevant training. The amount of time and effort that is required for such a testing environment to be effective is not trivial. This means that you will generally find that more than one person will spend a lot of (Read more...)

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Infosec Resources authored by Graeme Messina. Read the original post at: https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/on-premises-vs-cloud-based-cyber-ranges-why-virtual-learning-environments-are-best/