Experts have long held that a hybrid cloud is the ideal architecture for most organizations. Even those with a “cloud first” mandate will likely need to maintain some applications and services in-house. A hybrid cloud enables them to capitalize on the benefits of public and private platforms to achieve their cost, performance, security and operational objectives.
However, several obstacles have prevented organizations from using the hybrid cloud to its full potential. The persistent skills gap plays a key role. In a 2023 survey by ISC2, 35 percent of IT professionals ranked cloud computing as their top skills gap.
Legacy applications and network architectures are also factors. Applications that are more than 10 years old may not be suitable for migration to a public or private cloud. Network integration in a hybrid cloud environment can be difficult, and leveraging best-of-breed tools and platforms from multiple vendors adds to the complexity.
As a result, hybrid cloud implementations have largely focused on a limited number of use cases. Some of the most common include the following:
- Cloud bursting leverages the public cloud to meet seasonal capacity demands or support unexpected spikes in traffic. It enables organizations to maintain workloads onsite without implementing excess onsite capacity.
- Backup and disaster recovery are natural uses for a hybrid cloud. By synchronizing data across onsite and cloud environments, organizations can access it easily from anywhere and recover quickly in a disaster.
- Geographic distribution of data is often needed to address performance or privacy issues or meet regulatory requirements. A hybrid cloud makes it easier to access applications and data stored on local computing infrastructure.
New capabilities are improving these traditional use cases while reducing costs and risk. Hybrid cloud tools are emerging that simplify the management of onsite and cloud-based resources so organizations can implement the right mix of platforms and features to optimize costs. They also support a “run anywhere” model that enables organizations to scale back workload modernization and focus on cloud-native development.
Improved visibility across the hybrid cloud environment enhances security and governance. Organizations can improve resilience by distributing risk across multiple platforms and providers.
The latest hybrid cloud tools also provide better support for new applications:
Edge Computing
The edge computing market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 36.9 percent through 2030, according to Grandview Research. This growth is driven by the need to process data close to its source to minimize latency and bandwidth requirements. However, managing multiple edge environments can be complex and resource intensive.
A hybrid cloud reduces this complexity through infrastructure flexibility. Organizations can use a mix of public and private cloud and onsite edge environments to optimize latency-sensitive tasks. The edge becomes a true extension of the data center, delivering real-time data for faster decision-making.
AI, Generative AI and Machine Learning
Bloomberg Intelligence predicts that the generative AI market will increase 6,260 percent by 2032. Organizations are racing to take advantage of AI, GenAI and machine learning to automate tasks and enhance business insight. Those merely experimenting with AI solutions largely tap into existing cloud-based applications. However, those delving into AI development need substantial compute resources.
Hybrid cloud models provide the scalability needed to train AI and ML models, along with the flexibility to respond to the rapid evolution of AI technology. Additionally, a hybrid cloud enables organizations to combine public cloud AI services with onsite infrastructure for data security and privacy.
The Value of a Trusted Partner
Skills gaps remain a significant barrier to hybrid cloud deployment and optimization. By partnering with Technologent, organizations can tap the expertise they need to maximize the benefits of the latest solutions. Let us help you leverage the hybrid cloud to support diverse applications while optimizing costs and performance.
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