01-17-23 | Blog Post

Multi-Cloud: Building a Strategy

Blog Posts

The digital era has made the world of knowledge and success increasingly connected. Today, a reliable IT infrastructure is essential for business levels of competition to remain secure globally. To help organizations keep up with growing consumer demands, there are two cloud computing solutions that businesses can turn to a Multi-Cloud or Hybrid Cloud infrastructure.

Both provide secure storage solutions for data transfer and cost savings benefits. By leveraging the capabilities of both on-premises hardware and public cloud services, organizations create an individualized architecture fit for their systems’ needs without damaging their finances or security posture.

This post will discuss how your organization can build a strategic plan using these two solutions by evaluating best practices and a holistic approach based on respect objectives while exploring options involving reduced costs versus higher productivity levels across the board.

Different Types of Cloud

When choosing a cloud platform, it’s essential to consider tradeoffs. Cloud platforms can differ in terms of features and the cost of using them. Cloud migration involves tradeoffs. Depending on individual needs, migrating to the cloud may have advantages and drawbacks. Here are some tradeoffs:

1. Public Cloud

The public cloud is a computing service that delivers resources to users over the Internet. This cloud utilizes shared hardware, software, and other resources, including servers and networking equipment.

Advantages of Public Cloud

  • Increased Flexibility and Scalability
  • Reduced Costs
  • Improved Disaster Recovery

Disadvantages of Public Cloud

  • Limited Control and Security
  • Vendor Lock-in
  • Reliability Issues

2. Private Cloud

A private cloud is a physical or virtual environment that provides services to a single organization and allows the company to maintain control over its resources. Personal cloud computing is the practice of using a third-party provider to host applications and other data in a private environment.

Advantages: 

  • Improved Security
  • Flexible Scaling
  • Private Environment

Disadvantages: 

  • Complexity
  • Cost

3. On-premises Infrastructure

On-premises infrastructure is a type of computing environment that stores and runs applications and data on hardware located in the same physical space as the user. This type of infrastructure is in contrast to a cloud environment, which stores and runs applications on remote servers.

Advantages

  1. Increased hands-on control

Disadvantages

  • Lack of scalability
  • Higher upfront costs
  • Vulnerable to natural disasters

4. Colocation

Colocation has become a popular choice for businesses that need to access essential data and resources quickly and provide their customers with reliable and secure services. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with it.

Advantages of Colocation: 

  1. Cost-effectiveness
  2. Scalability
  3. Security

Disadvantages of Colocation: 

  1. Dependency
  2. Loss of Control

5. SaaS Applications

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provides customers access to software applications over the internet. This cloud computing model is beneficial for companies using cloud-based applications without purchasing, installing, and managing hardware or software themselves.

Advantages:

  1. Scalability
  2. Cost-effectiveness
  3. Ease of use
  4. Security

Disadvantages: 

  1. Limited control

Building a Strategy

1. Define Your Goals Up Front

Cloud strategy can only succeed without first defining clear, measurable goals. These goals should define your overall objectives and guide you in the right direction. Start by asking yourself questions like:

– What do I want to achieve with my cloud strategy?

– What data and applications need to move into the cloud, and what will stay on-premises?

– What level of scalability do I need in my environment?

– What security requirements do I need to adhere to?

Answering these questions will help you determine which cloud deployment model — multi-cloud, public cloud, private cloud — is best for you.

2. Assess Existing Workloads and Application

When crafting a hybrid or multi-cloud strategy, your future needs will help inform the most effective strategy. Evaluating what you have now and determining your future needs will help inform the most effective approach.

Analyzing workloads can identify which applications are suitable for the cloud and which ones you may want to keep on-premises. It’s also important to consider application performance, data security requirements, compliance regulations, and cost. Once you understand your current situation, you can start to set objectives and develop an effective hybrid or multi-cloud strategy.

3. Create a Cloud Roadmap

Once you’ve identified your goals and chosen the suitable cloud deployment model, it’s time to create a roadmap for your strategy. A cloud roadmap should include a timeframe for achieving your goals and a list of actions and milestones to get you there.

When creating this roadmap, start with the most critical initiatives and work backward. This will ensure you can prioritize the tasks that need to be completed to achieve your goals. It’s also important to consider the resources required for each job and make sure you have the right team in place to meet them.

Bottom Line

Creating an effective hybrid or multi-cloud strategy is complex, but the proper knowledge and resources can significantly improve your organization’s IT infrastructure. It’s important to assess existing workloads and application requirements, set objectives, develop a plan, and be aware of the potential risks. With the right strategy, hybrid or multi-cloud can help you become more agile and cost-effective in your IT infrastructure needs.

 


 

OTAVA is committed to helping organizations find the perfect cloud solution. We work with you to identify the best technologies, develop a comprehensive strategy, and ensure proper implementation. Contact us today to get started.

 

Overwhelmed by cloud chaos?
We’re cloud experts, so you don’t have to be.

© 2024 OTAVA® All Rights Reserved