The case for the hybrid cloud
Operating without some form of cloud infrastructure in place seems practically unthinkable for many enterprises today. Thanks to the exponential rise of the technology, organizations are now able to store and manage their data with levels of speed and efficiency once thought impossible.
As organizations consider how to move to the cloud, they face three options: private, public or hybrid. Paul Cormier, Red Hat's president of Products and Technologies, said that this "could be the most critical decision [CIOs and IT managers] make in this decade." Although the private and public cloud offer their own distinct advantages, recent indications suggest that an increasing number of organizations are attracted to the "best of both worlds" allure of the hybrid cloud.
Last year, Gartner predicted that almost half of large organizations will be using hybrid cloud by as early as 2017.Let's explore the appeal of hybrid cloud and what makes it an increasingly tempting choice for the CIO.
Cost efficiency
Businesses of all sizes are constantly looking to cut costs, and adopting the hybrid cloud could be a way of achieving this on the computing front.
By having a portion of your cloud deployment on the public platform, you can enjoy the economies of scale it offers while still maintaining an element of independence and detachment. You're only paying for what you use, enabling you to keep accurate track of your cloud operating costs.
Businesses of all sizes are constantly looking to cut costs, and adopting the hybrid cloud could be a way of achieving this on the computing front.
Security
Security - or the perceived lack thereof, particularly with public cloud - has been a major sticking point as more companies consider adopting the cloud. With thousands of users having access to your same infrastructure, a little apprehension is perhaps inevitable.
The hybrid route resolves this problem to a degree, as you can enjoy the convenience of operating on the public cloud while still keeping your sensitive operations internal, away from prying eyes. You have the ability to tweak restrictions, such as those relating to access, so you can control exactly how much of your information is available, and to whom.
Scalability and flexibility
The fusion of private and public cloud means that you can expand your architecture in line with business growth, while still maintaining control over operations. Your company's growth is not checked by limitations such as hardware requirements.
The flexibility of the hybrid cloud also makes logistical sense. Most organizations want the benefits that private and public clouds offer, yet are hesitant about making the leap to a joint infrastructure. Hybrid cloud is an obvious solution, as it grafts the scalability and cost efficiency of public clouds with the security and control of private servers.
Experts predict that the platform will grow in popularity in the future. Gartner, for one, expects 2016 to be "a defining year for cloud as private cloud begins to give way to hybrid cloud."With so many distinct advantages, it is easy to argue that hybrid cloud offers possibly best path to the cloud for many organizations.
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Cloud computing and open hybrid clouds are part of a sweeping transformation across all facets of the IT industry. Access this IDC Technology Spotlight on strategies for achieving true data and workload portability in a hybrid cloud future.