After the arrival of cloud computing to enterprise IT, we can agree that it brought along business value, utility and…confusion. First came the private clouds, then the public clouds, but naturally, the cloud train was not going to stop right there.
In order to diffuse some of this confusion, we are further discussing the similarities and differences between hybrid and multi-cloud: two terms that are often and mistakenly used interchangeably.
HYBRID CLOUD
While there are many definitions of the hybrid cloud, it can be generally regarded as a cloud computing solution that combines a private cloud with one or more public cloud services, with proprietary software enabling communication between each service.
What are the main advantages of the hybrid cloud?
Flexibility
The need to adapt and quickly change directions is a core principle of a digital business. A hybrid cloud approach provides businesses with more flexibility by moving workloads between cloud solutions according to how needs and costs change.
Control
Such hybrid services also allow businesses to have greater control over their private data. Enterprises can store sensitive information in a private cloud, while simultaneously leverage the robust computational resources of a managed public cloud.
Compliance
Several governments have passed data localisation laws requiring companies to store their private data on their customers in-country rather than exporting it to central servers. Hybrid cloud solutions allow businesses to store consumer data locally in the public cloud, if required.
Security
On the other hand, a main security concern in public cloud is that the infrastructure is the exclusive property of the provider. With a hybrid cloud, some of the most sensitive data stay within the owned data center on a private cloud where the enterprise's IT team can maintain and safeguard it.
MULTI-CLOUD
Now let’s talk about the multi-cloud. A multi-cloud environment refers to the combination and integration of multiple public clouds, without having to include a private one as well. The case can be such, but then it would turn out to be a combination between hybrid and multi-clouds.
What are the main advantages of the multi-cloud?
Innovation
The main advantage of a multi-cloud strategy is providing the flexibility needed for rapid innovation, without having to compromise due to traditional provider limitations.
Resilience
A multi-cloud strategy can also help protect a company's sensitive business applications and data by offering redundant backup and recovery capabilities, therefore providing business continuity in the case of an emergency.
Risk Management
Risk management is another great perk of the multi-cloud environment. If one vendor happens to have an infrastructure meltdown or an attack, a multi-cloud user can quickly switch to another cloud service provider or back up to a private cloud.
Cost Optimisation
A business can take advantage of pricing options for computing resources and storage by using multiple cloud providers. By projecting your storage and workload requirements, it can allocate IT resources to the most cost-effective provider.
And what about the main difference between hybrid and multi-clouds?
The main differences between these cloud environments can be separated in two simple directions:
1. Hybrid Clouds always include a private cloud and are usually managed as one entity
2. Multi-Clouds always include multiple public clouds, which usually perform different functions
Can a multi-cloud also be a hybrid cloud?
The answer is yes. Multi-clouds do not have to also include a private cloud component, but they can. In such case, they will become both multi-cloud and hybrid cloud. For this reason, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, even though they actually mean slightly different things.
Interested in adopting one of these innovative strategies for your enterprise or are simply looking to learn more? Excellent! We are pleased to invite you to the Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Summit this 7 October:
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