With a multi-cloud architecture, companies want to draw on the particular skills and services of different providers. A multicloud strategy also means you're not dependent on a single provider. But is this project right for your organization?
The trend is towards multi-cloud. A study by 451 Research shows that a significant majority (79%) of companies work with more than one cloud provider.
But are all companies ready to take the plunge? Not for sure, as studies show that some organizations are turning back and reverting to an on-premise infrastructure.
That's why you need to ask yourself a few key questions to avoid failure or disillusionment.
1 - Which cloud features are vital to my multicloud strategy?
Not all clouds and providers are equal in this respect. There are even nuances in terminology that can cloud the decision-making process. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) are all variants of the cloud that are not always well understood.
Let's take the case of IaaS, considered by analyst firm Gartner to be very much in vogue. Before taking the plunge, you need to master a number of issues: API availability, automation capabilities, native functionalities, etc.
Not always easy to keep up with when AWS, for example, releases an average of 500 to 700 new features a year, not counting upgrades or improvements to existing features!
At first glance, this deluge of new developments seems to be very attractive to businesses. In reality, it means increasing complexity and, at the same time, increasing difficulty for the IT department to keep pace. And more functionality usually means more costs.
All the more reason to start pianissimo. You need to evolve gradually, as your understanding of the cloud ecosystem grows.
2 - Can I manage multiple cloud platforms?
CIOs are working hard to reduce complexity, not increase it. Being able to manage multiple cloud services in parallel is a difficult challenge for many entities, who don't always have the skills in-house.
When it comes to multi-cloud, "doing more with less" is a risky business. It's better to rely on Cloud Data Management (CDM) or to be accompanied by experts.
3 - Can I migrate from one provider to another?
As soon as you set up a multi-cloud environment, you should always bear in mind that non-renewal of a contract can be a possibility. It should not be an obstacle or a constraint. Migration of a database or applications to another provider must be possible.
This option is starting to become the norm. Companies are turning to VMware or Kubernetes (an open source container orchestration platform) to overlay native cloud services for sustainable multi-cloud strategies.
It's also possible to migrate virtual machines between Azure and AWS without much difficulty, or to migrate from a private cloud to a public cloud and vice versa.
4 - Have I mastered computer security?
One of the disadvantages of distributing workloads, applications and resources across multiple platforms is security. Of course, with multicloud, you're no longer putting all your eggs in one basket.
But using multiple providers introduces a complexity that can make it harder to protect your data and detect vulnerabilities. According to a study published in November by CrowdStrike, it takes companies an average of 162 hours to detect and remedy a security breach. This very high breakout time has an even greater impact on the business of organizations that do not have an adapted and proactive security policy.
Implementing and managing a multi-cloud environment can be a major challenge, especially if you don't have the luxury of a highly skilled IT team familiar with each of the different cloud platforms.
To limit the risks, it is essential to deploy specific security tools such as an EDR. An Endpoint Detection Response meets three major needs of corporate security teams: detection, investigation and remediation.
As we can see, multicloud can be a high-risk strategy if its challenges are poorly identified and mastered. Multicloud is complex. It's best to be accompanied by specialists to select the right options.
