Has your organization paved the way for a hybrid cloud deployment? If not, we believe that the hybrid model deserves a closer look; Gartner estimates nearly half of all large enterprises will have hybrid cloud deployments by the end of this year, due to the added flexibility and elasticity it provides organizations with existing on premise infrastructures.
The attraction of the cloud is partly due to the streamlined manufacturing process by eliminating the dead weight of carrying inventory, storing and maintaining on premise data centers, and not having to employ staff to manage the system. With the hybrid cloud, organizations are shedding the bulk of physical infrastructure within their data centers and freeing up the ability to choose the best solution for them, while saving on the costs of constructing a physical data center. Because of the below reasons, there are tremendous benefits of the cloud for all types of organizations.
How Cloud Computing Benefits Organizations Today
- Real Time Deployment: The ability to adapt quickly and proactively within the cloud is one of the keys to success in a business climate filled with perpetual change and technological disruption. Whether due to seasonal spikes in demand or unforeseen events, cloud computing gives you the dexterity to bring additional resources online to handle increased pressures.
- Technological Leverage: Today, even a small startup can have the same access to server infrastructure as a large company. Because of this, a team of entrepreneurs can manage an enterprise without owning anything more than their laptops; they can even do it without a team of dedicated IT specialists.
- Greater Security and Redundancy: Unfortunately, many businesses can’t justify costs for the levels of security and redundancy that they would like for their enterprise. Cloud computing allows the business to take advantage of multiple redundancies and security layers that they could previously only dream of.
- Application Deployment: There are no ISO installations in the cloud. Applications are assigned, not installed, making deployment nearly unproblematic. Through the use of Single Sign On (SSO) technologies, users are able to bounce effortlessly between applications.
- Reduced CapEx: The cloud is based on a variable cost structure, not a fixed cost like the traditional enterprise. Organizations only pay for the resources they use, allowing them to fund new projects.
- Disaster Recovery: The cloud provides maximum flexibility in that organizations can host resources on premise in order to meet compliancy mandates or to retain greater control and security over them while hosting others. This helps the enterprise recover from a disaster quickly, minimizing downtime without losing valuable data.
Planning a Hybrid Cloud Deployment
The hybrid cloud is a combination of an on premise private cloud and external public cloud as a single enterprise. Some organizations may implement a hybrid model in order to meet high demand periods by deploying additional resources and services in automated fashion.
Planning a successful hybrid cloud implementation takes time and research. Because of this complexity, it is advisable to collaborate with an IT solutions provider like WEI to help guide you through the process. As anyone who has gone through the process will affirm, the cloud environment isn’t a mere replica of the traditional data center environment. The cloud uses different terminology, services, and protocols than you may be familiar with.
However, familiarity should not be the main consideration; IT managers must also research the following:
- Evaluate the different price structures including hidden charges or transfer fees
- Find out the actual uptime percentage of each service provider
- Find the geographical areas in which your data and resources may be located
- Compare service level agreements
- Research and compare the various support options of each provider
- Ask about data security and backup policies of each provider
In the end, cloud computing is no different than managing the security within your internal network. It is about establishing and enforcing security protocols and procedures, and only dealing with reputable partners and vendors. When selecting a quality cloud provider, it’s important to practice due diligence. Want to learn more? Set up an appointment with our engineers to learn more! Learn more in our white paper, “Using a Hybrid Cloud to Augment and Enhance your Existing Network.”
