Multi - Cloud Strategy - Pros and Cons

Let’s start with what is the meaning of multi-cloud. It is where organisations use two or more cloud computing platforms to perform various tasks and meet the workload requirements. This refers to using different types of architecture like Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and distribution of these cloud assets, software, applications, and more across several cloud environments. The multi-cloud strategy entails mixing and matching of workload across multiple cloud providers like Amazon Web Services, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Google cloud etc.

Most enterprises are only 20% of their way into their journey to cloud, remaining 80% of the workloads are still on premises. And while most enterprises are constantly making decisions on how to optimize the balance between these public vs private and multi cloud opportunities, it is important to understand the pros and cons of this multi-cloud.

Benefits of multi cloud:

1.    Flexibility to innovate rapidly– The main benefit of creating a multi-cloud infrastructure is that it provides enterprises with the flexibility needed to innovate at speed. This is possible as multi-cloud model does not tie the enterprises to a specific scope of services provided by the individual cloud providers. 

2.    Managing vendor lock in– Multi cloud strategy provides enterprises the option to transfer between service providers to suit changing capability or pricing needs. This gives them greater control over the infrastructure and costs.

3.    Optimization of workload- Different workloads, applications and data require different levels of compliance, security, and customer experience. With Multi-cloud, the enterprises can suitably match the needs of different portfolios to use the right infrastructure platforms and align with desired business results.  

4.    Cloud provider’s unique capability– This is one of unique features of going multi cloud where businesses can take advantage of Vendor offerings in AI, IoT, Blockchain, Machine learning and more. Cloud providers like IBM have made significant investment in technology and expertise to help clients solve their most pressing needs. For example, as companies move to cloud, they can access new types of data from more sources, which AI makes value of as new insights; blockchain uses to connect ecosystems and streamline transactions; and the security technologies make sure is protected.

5.    Risk Mitigation– Having more than one provider creates a higher level of network resiliency and also create a resilient architecture.

Challenges of multi cloud:

1.    Managing applications– Management of the applications is challenging when applications are spread out across multiple cloud providers.  This complex scenario if left unmanaged, could impact the agility and add cost.

2.    Security - Public clouds changed the very idea of perimeter security by extending it beyond the data centers to the cloud provider. In multi-cloud, the perimeter of risk increases through multiple cloud vendors (even more so in micro-services based architectural innovation) and it becomes very critical to implement appropriate level of security measures to manage this. 

3.    Monitoring – Monitoring is complex in cloud native world with containers. And multi cloud strategy adds to the complexity.

4.    Consistent Governance– Governance gets more challenging in a multi cloud world with multi cloud providers. 

5.    Skillsets- With multi-cloud, IT teams must have a range of skills spanning the different type of clouds in use, while also maintaining a singular view to manage these environments simultaneously. 

Final thoughts:

There are additional complexities added to executing and managing a multi cloud strategy, and some challenges that could derail your IT, if left unchecked. But the reality of today’s world is, there is disruption everywhere, not just from your competitors in technology field but also from core companies without the tech expertise (example Airbnb, Uber, NetFlix). Hence continuous innovation is critical to staying alive in the market. Multi-cloud strategy helps your organization retain the flexibility to innovate rapidly and align with the speed of your business. As a decision maker or stakeholder, it is important that you weigh in on the pros and cons and pick the right set of tools, portable APIs and right application architectures to mitigate these risks and take advantage of multi-cloud for your innovation needs.