Multi-cloud design is the preferred cloud computing environment for enterprises today. By leveraging the unique benefits of a multi-cloud strategy, businesses can combine resources from different cloud service providers to create a smooth omni-channel experience.
The multi-cloud design enables flexibility as the beneficiary does not rely on any single cloud service provider. Additionally, developing native cross-functional cloud applications can boost overall efficiency of enterprise functions.
In this beginner’s guide to multi-cloud computing, we explore the fundamental concept of multi-cloud strategy, design, and benefits of multi-cloud computing.
The use of cloud technologies has risen across industries and business verticals, making a cloud strategy the top priority for small, medium, large enterprises as well as startups.
According to an IDC cloud computing report, the spending on enterprise IT infrastructure on average will reach $55.7 billion by the year 2022, with a 10.9% CAGR in the demand of ethernet switches, servers, and enterprise storage solutions.
Furthermore, a report from Gartner released a statement that issues a growth hike of 23% at which total cloud spending will touch $397.5 billion by 2022.
The highest demand is for Cloud Application Services (SaaS), Cloud Application Infrastructure Services (PaaS) and Cloud Business Process Services (BPaS) among others.
For those who start out with cloud computing, the term multi-cloud seems like the most prevalent architecture. That’s because a multi-cloud strategy is recommended to manage varying workloads in the organization by diversifying business processes.
Especially as your business grows, the ability to combine and utilize the latest cloud services can improve the way you handle operations.
Multi-cloud refers to combining multiple cloud services – a concept of leveraging different cloud storage and computing services aligned to a single network architecture at its core. To allow this seamless integration, multi-cloud is often hosted on a public cloud service.
The evolution in cloud computing architectures have overhauled traditional single-user private clouds to multi-tenant public clouds, extending to hybrid cloud models.
Multi-cloud is different from hybrid cloud. A hybrid model deploys multiple modes such as private, public and legacy processes.
Hybrid cloud architecture derives the benefits of private and public cloud environments to recognize the value of diversifying business operations, while multi-cloud design is typically contingent on public cloud service providers.
Cloud services offered via the public internet to users on a subscription-based model are called public clouds. Public cloud services providers own, distribute, and control the resources like applications, assets, software, etc.
Public cloud architecture differs from private cloud although both are powered by a heterogenous environment.
Security is often a major differentiator between adopting a public cloud service and private cloud service, since the public cloud environment is shared by multiple users. Thus, while linking user data directly to cloud hosted applications, customized security measures are necessary.
However, multi-cloud design boosts computing power for businesses, making it a top choice. It minimizes the risk of data loss, minimizes lags, minimizes downtime, and improves performance.
From a survey by RightScale, 84% of enterprises described their IT infrastructure as multi-cloud. Furthermore, 91% of the respondents prefer public cloud services for their IT requirements. Less than 60% of enterprises surveyed report to have employed a hybrid cloud strategy.
More than half of the businesses utilize a multi-cloud design while most of these tenants employ three or more cloud service providers.
Multi-cloud is the incorporation of several public cloud services on a single cloud architecture. A multi-cloud environment is designed to relinquish dependencies on any single cloud service provider.
Hence, multi-cloud design does not require synchronizing between different cloud vendors for computing purposes. A multi-cloud strategy leverages two or more cloud service providers like multiple cloud-based
By managing and distributing cloud resources such as software, apps, and assets via the internet across several cloud platforms, multi-cloud makes optimum use of diverse storage and computing services.
Configuring a multi-cloud design depends on the deployment suite:
The most prevalent architecture for a multi-cloud design is the 3-Tier architecture. In this model, each tier is attached to its server:
For recovery in the production environment of a 3-Tier architecture, each tier has a redundant server referred to as the Redundant 3-Tier architecture. On the other hand, the non-redundant architecture utilizes a single server for each tier which is deployed to test the application interactions between varying tiers of the cloud architecture.
The Distributed Cloud Architecture is a cloud computing model that relies on two separate environments. While some applications are run on a Public Cloud, other apps run parallelly in a different cloud environment. For example, in a Tiered hybrid model the public cloud computes front-end processes while the back-end components are executed over a Private Cloud.
Businesses that are newly migrating to a cloud service provider typically choose Redundant Architecture which garners a higher uptime for users. In this model, components and processes are executed across several computing environments. An example is the Environment Hybrid Architecture which utilizes a Public Cloud for production-based businesses, and a Private Cloud to manage the enterprise’s testing and development related processes.
Whether you want to opt for a selectively multi-cloud design or evolve with a hybrid cloud environment, you must employ a strategy that addresses your unique business challenges.
A multi-cloud strategy powers businesses with a variety of cloud services to choose from. Based on the business requirements, an enterprise can design and deploy a cloud environment that packs power, precision, and control.
A multi-cloud strategy can back your organizational data securely, offering increased access to recovery in the case of any unforeseen disasters. It also avoids downtimes usually associated with private-cloud environments.
Multi-cloud also provides increased protections from cyber attacks and threats like DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) or SPOF (Single Point-of-Failure).
A multi-cloud architecture also features the benefit of lower risk, in terms of data loss and performance hassles. Even if the web service host begins to fail, an enterprise can run smoothly on a multi-cloud environment.
Enterprises can thus match up to industry standards, regulate risks and manage compliance with a multi-cloud strategy.
A multi-cloud computing provides the many features of multiple cloud service providers that you choose for your enterprise. Companies can customize their IT infrastructure based on their business-specific requirements.
If you want an integrated machine learning computation, you can get a service designed for voluminous data transfers. If you want to run multiple AI-powered apps, you can focus on a multi-cloud design that offers peak performance runtime environments.
With the flexibility to choose between the best cloud service providers, you have full control over your cloud assets and architecture.
By adopting a multi-cloud environment, your enterprise can ensure that it maintains continuous development with multiple cloud-based solutions for diversified business processes. Multi-cloud computing offers the ability to maintain and carry out crucial functions despite unforeseen cloud breakdowns. Regardless of your cloud preferences, a well-defined cloud strategy is most useful to ensure security and reliable performance.
To know more about a strategy for your data infrastructure, read our blog Enterprise Data Strategy: Did you consider these while crafting one?
Multi-cloud computing is widely appreciated as the go-to option for enterprise IT management. A proven tool to match and raise industry standards, the need for deploying cloud architecture is inevitable. The latest enterprise cloud solutions offer a wide range of integrations and cross-platform applications to make your processes smoother.
If you would like to leverage the benefits of a cloud strategy, get in touch with us and our experts will map your organization to the future.
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