Large enterprises can no longer get away with just having local systems; therefore, moving some of their digital operations to the cloud has become necessary. The first step involves choosing whether to use a public or private cloud, or both. Using both is a hybrid cloud. But what exactly is a hybrid cloud? Before answering, let's look at the two options: public and private clouds, and how they compare to each other.
A public cloud involves hosting data and applications on third-party servers, which can then be accessed via the Web. This puts the onus on the third-party company to manage the servers and service any issues that arise.
To maintain cloud storage security, organizations can also invest in private cloud technology. Here, databases are stored on secure, standalone servers. Private clouds can be managed internally, with servers located locally, or by a third party. While a private cloud is more expensive, it typically provides a more secure infrastructure. Having servers on a company's own premises can improve security, which also means more responsibility to ensure that security protocols are sound and everything is working properly.
So, public cloud or private cloud? While many organizations may see this as an option, for larger organizations, it makes sense to use both with established onsite systems. This hybrid cloud solution combines many of the benefits of both public and private cloud systems, allowing information to be shared between local systems and those maintained in the cloud. By acting as an orchestrator between all platforms, the hybrid cloud increases the flexibility of the organization.
The pros and cons of cloud computing come in many forms. Fortunately, however, for many organizations, the benefits of using a hybrid cloud outweigh the drawbacks, with benefits including:
Cost savings
A hybrid cloud may be an upfront investment, but it will provide significant cost-saving benefits in the future. For example, organizations using a public cloud without a hybrid cloud may experience difficulty and costly time in migrating information if they decide to make changes to their on-premise systems. In addition, because the hybrid cloud is scalable, it can reduce the cost of handling changes to business objectives.
Unique balance of control
Only hybrid cloud technology can offer the advantages of a mix from both public and private servers. Users can enjoy the scalability of a public cloud environment without having to hand over all control to a third party.
Speed of Deployment
Because the hybrid cloud is designed around the needs of the organization, it can be optimized with speed in mind. For example, because the system is not fully public, IT staff will be able to minimize latency and make data transfer faster and easier.
Business Agility
The overall level of customization available with the hybrid cloud also ensures that the organization is agile enough to handle the needs of the customer or client. Not only does it connect old systems to new ones, but the hybrid cloud also allows organizations to create an overarching architecture that meets the unique needs of a particular business.
- Disadvantages
While hybrid cloud computing may be a necessity for some large organizations, there are potential problems when investing in a hybrid cloud solution. These include overly complex security: Many IT professionals find it difficult to easily maintain visibility in a large hybrid cloud. This lack of visibility can expose companies to security risks. Thankfully, there are ways to overcome these shortcomings to give hybrid cloud setups the best chance of success.
Here are a few methods designed to help achieve hybrid cloud success without degrading cyber defenses.
Prevent potential security breaches by encrypting data to make it more difficult to access.
Don't leave security to the cloud provider; not all third-party providers are able to keep information confidential. Ensure that the technical team is engaged and committed to the security system to ensure maximum security for the hybrid cloud framework. Determine which applications, data, and workloads are appropriate for each cloud type.
Data should be stored strategically in the hybrid cloud network. Sensitive information should be kept onsite or in a private cloud, while other lower value data can be stored in the public cloud.
Leverage container orchestration platforms. Effective tools like Kubernetes will help deploy applications across cloud environments.
Use automation whenever possible. This improves the speed of information transfer, makes it easier to respond quickly to security threats and provides consistency across multiple platforms. It saves management systems time.
Invest in cloud visibility tools. Increased visibility improves security because IT staff will be able to spend time on other, equally important tasks.