Multi-cloud environments use more than one cloud platform; they use public and private clouds as well as edge clouds. With a multi-cloud solution, an organization will have servers on their own servers, in remote locations, and in the cloud, so that their data is stored around the world for increased safety.
Multi-cloud solutions consist of open-source, cloud-native technologies like Kubernetes, supported across multiple cloud providers. This will allow any organization to manage workloads from a single console.
The leading cloud providers such as VMware offer multi-cloud solutions that tackle all cloud management stuff, including cloud computing infrastructure, data warehousing, disaster recovery, artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML), and many more.
What Are the Advantages Offered by Multi-Cloud?
Reliability and/or Redundancy
Using a multi-cloud deployment ensures that if one cloud goes down, some functionality will still be available to users from another deployed cloud. In addition, one public cloud is used as a backup for another cloud.
Reduced Vendor Lock-in
It is more difficult to migrate away from a single cloud provider because the entirety of your system is entrusted with them while they are in use. By being part of a multi-cloud strategy, you are able to migrate away from one without losing the majority of your infrastructure.
Cost-efficiency
With multi-cloud solutions, the company can use free software for the cloud services it needs, rather than paying for expensive one-time deals with the selected vendor.
Flexibility & Scalability
Businesses that employ a multi-cloud solution can scale their storage capacity up or down depending on demand. Different cloud providers are compatible with each other, so businesses can invest in a level of security and protection that best fits their needs.
Challenges Associated with Multi-Cloud
An explanation of multi-cloud, and the problems developers face:
Inconsistent Infrastructure
The deployment of a multi-cloud solution comes with its difficulties. There is the physical impossibility of understanding processes and data across different cloud providers, which means that all the data might not be available when needed.
A Constantly Evolving Application Landscape
To deliver digital business value, organizations need to make sure they can support the complexity of both existing and new applications. This means supporting DevSecOps, performance, and availability across multiple cloud environments.
Inefficient Management
Costs are significantly increased while severe security flaws are exposed by the absence of effective and standardized multi-cloud architecture and management solutions in various cloud systems.
Networking & Security Issues
The growth of networks and the move towards cloud computing have led to increased exposure to security holes, increasing the attack surface and a lack of security.
Increased Latency
If cloud services from across different clouds need to interact with one another in order to fulfill a user request, latency can be introduced depending on how integrated the clouds are, how geographically diverse the data centers are, and how often the clouds need to interact.
What Circumstances Lead to A Multi-Cloud Strategy?
Many factors are driving companies to use a multi-cloud infrastructure. Let’s examine the motivating elements.
What Sets the Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Cloud Apart?
Even though the terms ‘multi-cloud’ and ‘hybrid cloud’ have been used interchangeably, each one is distinct in its own way.
A hybrid cloud is a type of multi-cloud. A multi-cloud is composed of multiple platforms that each offer a specific solution. A hybrid cloud combines on-premises infrastructure with off-premises Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) or public cloud services, namely AWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure to deliver an assortment of solutions.
Hybrid multi-cloud expands on the advantages of multi-cloud with:
Increased developer output
Using a hybrid multi-cloud can ensure improved developer productivity. Agile and DevOps development methods as well as cloud-native application technologies, such as microservices architecture, containers, and serverless computing are all enabled by using this technology.
Enhanced cloud security & regulatory compliance
In addition to the availability of a broad spectrum of security and compliance technologies, there is the convenience of having a multi-cloud system in which one can plot-sensitive data across all cloud services, and regulate it across all vendors.
Improved effectiveness & cost-cutting
With a hybrid multi-cloud, the client gets control over the workload and can choose to use cheaper services depending on need. Additionally, the hybrid cloud enables businesses to quickly update their current apps, and connect cloud services to data stored on-premises or in the cloud in order to create new value.
A Few Multi-Cloud Use Cases
Enterprises can accelerate digital transformation by taking advantage of multiple cloud platforms & tools to:
Application services
Databases, communications, serverless, AI/ML, CI/CD, development tools, and many more
Infrastructure services
Cores, storage, and networks are provided through virtual machines or containers accessed via self-service. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) includes automation from infrastructure providers and Kubernetes solutions
Security services
Protection for your devices or network includes preventing security threats, identifying what needs protection, repairing any damage that has been done, and stopping potential problems
End-user services
Delivery of end-user applications, mobile device management, and more
Data plane services
Data and workloads that result in apps, business analytics, and commercial offers
The Way Forward
There are many cloud providers, but with a multi-cloud environment, you have the best of both worlds. You can use a private cloud with all the benefits while reducing risk. By using multiple cloud hosting providers, the benefits of a company will grow. End-to-end security is an important part of this, so providing connectivity that facilitates end-to-end security is critical.
Further to that, multi-cloud can connect applications, data centers, and public clouds together, so that they can work in unison to create a seamless, unified customer experience.
