A dedicated cloud is very similar to a private cloud. It is also a single-tenant solution. Ownership and access differ. In a dedicated cloud, ownership of the infrastructure shifts to the service provider. The infrastructure is housed within the provider's data center. A dedicated environment is for use by the single tenant. Network, compute, and storage are dedicated to the single tenant.

The economic model for dedicated solutions is usually a combination of non-recurring cost (NRC) which is a one time fee up front, and monthly recurring cost (MRC), which is a monthly payment paid over a term (number of months or years). Dedicated solutions enable a shift from all capital upfront models (CAPEX) to smaller payments over a longer period (OpEx). Management and operations can continue to be in-house, outsourced, or a combination of both.

Is a dedicated cloud really a cloud service? It also has cloud in the name. This is also an interesting one to debate, you decide. Compare a private cloud to the five characteristics and come up with an answer for your conversations. When sorting out the answer, look at the economics. The cloud is an economic innovation. Ultimately, can you turn it off and give it back? Does billing stop? Do you stop paying for it when you shutdown?