Is the Cloud for Everyone?
Many small businesses have migrated their IT completely to the cloud. While this is a simple solution for IT and data management, it is one that is not always possible. Corporates, enterprises and even some SMBs are constrained by GDPR regulations, have ongoing security concerns over data handling, and are reliant on legacy applications. These, amongst other factors, prevent a complete migration to the cloud. So how do these businesses leverage the benefits of the cloud such as rapid resource provisioning and usage-based billing? Easy – they opt for a hybrid cloud solution.
What is Hybrid Cloud?
Simply put, hybrid cloud is a combination of on-site and remote computing and data storage applications and hardware. The remote component is typically a public cloud service provided by the likes of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure. The local private cloud infrastructure is on-premises servers.
The extent to which a business utilizes public and private cloud depends very much on needs and priorities. Public cloud may only be used for remote backup, there for disaster recovery in the case of an emergency. On the other hand, public cloud could be the be all and end all of business data storage and processing.
Why is Hybrid Cloud Important?
To coin a cliché, hybrid cloud provides the best of both worlds in terms of data processing and storage.
With the public cloud, you get applications that can compute and store data on demand. The upfront costs are relatively insignificant, and you don’t waste time building an on-site IT solution.
The private cloud delivers information quickly and efficiently as it is not reliant on internet connectivity. You have peace of mind knowing where your data is, and that it is secure, and you have complete control over it. Moreover, if the internet breaks, as it occasionally does, your business operations won’t come to a complete standstill if you have a private cloud in place.
Money is a big factor as to whether or not you use hybrid cloud. You may choose to use private cloud for day-to-day business activities but branch out into the public cloud arena when workloads significantly increase.
Who offers Hybrid Cloud Solutions?
While the big three, AWS, Google and Microsoft are public cloud operators, they now offer software to third-party business IT services and support companies, to help with the deployment of hybrid cloud to SMBs.
Who will Build my Hybrid Cloud?
Moving to hybrid cloud is not a simple plug-in and play operation. While migrating your IT infrastructure is a relatively simple, but often burdensome task. Your local IT managed services provider (MSP) will be there to help with the transition. A trusted and experienced IT service provider will design and implement a ‘mix and match’ hybrid cloud solution best suited to your business, taking scalability, security and flexibility into account. As with any cloud package, you have offsite systems for easy data retrieval, data backup and archive, email and archive, Skype and other business VoIP, and much more.
Moving part of your IT to the cloud needn’t be a thorn in your side. Let your MSP lever their IT expertise and plan, implement and monitor your hybrid cloud migration. That leaves you to do what you do best – running your business.
