In the last article, Public, Private or Hybrid Cloud we concluded that Hybrid Cloud is expected to see a lot of growth in coming years, due to the fact that it offers benefits of both public and private cloud models. In this article we disucss Hybrid Cloud in a bit more detail to understand why this is.
Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid cloud is the solution that offers the best of both worlds – and by that, we mean it combines the benefits of the private and public cloud environments. This allows organisations to pick a strategy that works best with their workloads, demands and preferences, while still experiencing the flexibility of the cloud. It’s no coincidence that by the end of 2017, nearly half of large enterprises had hybrid cloud deployments. This is the solution that allows businesses to embrace cloud technology while remaining comfortable with the security of their information. Let’s look further at why a hybrid environment is so beneficial.
Leverage Public and Private Cloud,Together
The whole idea of the hybrid cloud is that it combines public and private cloud infrastructures. Businesses using a hybrid model get the best of both worlds, ascertain data and workloads are better suited for the public or private cloud. Organisations can decide which aspects of their business they want in each environment, allowing them to take advantage of all the benefits.
Companies can complete non-sensitive operations and collaboration in the public environment, while ensuring that critical data and applications remain secure in the private cloud. A business can rely on the cost efficiency and scalability of the public cloud, while looking to the private cloud for advanced security, control and flexibility. The hybrid model also allows you to place information according to any compliance requirements. The hybrid cloud is the most flexible IT environment for a business.
A hybrid model is best suited for businesses that experience business fluctuations but still deal with confidential information. For example, e-commerce organisations see constant traffic shifts, but also deal with personal and payment information. A hybrid cloud allows organisations like these to complete processing and basic operations up front, without risking the confidentiality of important information.
The Benefits
- Cost Efficiency
Hybrid cloud helps organisations move from a CapEx model to an OpEx one. Additionally, businesses see costs that reflect their actual demand, thanks to the pay-as-you-go pricing that is so popular. Organisations will see reduced total cost of ownership, and improved cost efficiency overall. The hybrid environment successfully bridges the gap between a business’ old and new systems, meaning not everything has to be replaced. This efficiency saves a lot of money, as it utilizes much of what is already in place. Additionally, scaling is much easier when demand changes, as it can be done seamlessly and immediately, without needing to invest in expensive new equipment.
- Security
A huge draw of the hybrid environment is the ability to have greater control over security. It allows organizations to maintain in-house storage for sensitive information and operations, while still gaining the benefits of a public cloud. Many businesses see this as a way of avoiding security concerns.
Security is rightly a concern of most businesses, especially those that handle personal information and payments. Many organisations are simply not comfortable putting all of this information into a public cloud, but it’s also limiting to stick only to a private cloud. That’s why a hybrid model strikes the perfect balance. Businesses can ensure that data remains secure on dedicated servers, while still benefitting from scalability and cost efficiency. This creates an efficient, seamless, agile environment for an organisation to run in.
- Scalability
With a private cloud, businesses are responsible for significant investments in server and storage hardware, and when they face the need to scale up, these investments only grow. This isn’t necessary, as the public cloud avoids these costs with almost unlimited scalability. This is a major benefit that a hybrid cloud takes advantage of. When an organisation needs to scale its resources, it’s quick and easy, and won’t put a burden on the budget.
The Right Way
Once you get the hang of the hybrid cloud concept, you might think you’re ready to just jump in. But before you do – there’s a right way to go about it.
By doing some self-evaluation, determine ahead of time which workloads will fit best in each environment. It’s important to ensure that you’re pairing the correct resources with the correct operations, data and applications. Additionally, don’t be afraid to start small! Once you’re used to the new cloud environment, you can scale up, and you’ll be much more prepared. This allows everyone, especially your IT team, to get comfortable with the new hybrid model.
Steps for Implementation
1. Assess current IT strategy
2. Define future IT goals
3. Evaluate service providers and explore options
4. Develop a hybrid cloud strategy plan
5. Create implementation plan and prepare for launch